The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-06
TIE OYSTER INDUSTRY.
Views Of n Planter Who Has Given the Sub
ject Careful Consideration.

views OF "a ilAnItI W 10 ilhH NlNth NHt sun
ject Careful Consideration.
SLuDA, M1DDLEsEx County. March 5, 1921.
Mr.. W. W. Woodward. "a lawyer. has oysters
planted in partnership with an FISHERMAN.
Mr.. Woodward has given careful study TO the
needs of the oyster industry. lie says "Oys-
tiers are growing scarcer and scarcer on the
natural rocks TO preserve the rocks two
things are necessary. First, cullmg law
riridlv cufOrced and second. a shorter seq
SON N0oystcrs less than two and on"-half
inches ought to be taken from the rocks. The
season Ought 10 begin October 18th and close
April 18th. This would give tine oysters
time - spawn undisturbcd ana 90
grow too. A short oyster season
would encourage agriculture. The people
would leave the rivers IN time 10 pitch crops
IN the spring and thew would gather their
crops before the oyster season began. Now
there are great many loaicrs and ldlers dur
ing the summer These people would br
compelled 10 seek work on land If they could
lot go into the ryer for six months. THIS
section IS becoming largely Interested Do
trucking. This year 5000 bushels OF seed
peas have been landed at the WhavCs along
the Eappahannock. 4 proper division o.;
time between the land and the water viii
make our section very prosperous. TINS long
closed season would prevent planters from
buying oysters ut very low prices IA the spring
and fall The planters would bee repaid bv
having the markets all 10 themselves unul the
season opened. Tongers would IN the end bee
benefited by raising crops Then, as oysters
would ice more plentiful on the rocks, they
would catch more IN day.
THE natural rocks will nolonger supply the
demand for oysters. The planting OF shell,
must bc largely engaged IN. To plant shell,
We need fee simple 10 our grounds. ms !,
the one thing needed to put brains and CAPT
tai in the business. \ good many people have
asked me about planting shells. hut / have
advised all OF them not 10 invest money in the
business while the grounds are held 10y
tenure SO uncertain At any meeting of the
General Assembly "a law might be passed re-
Voklug the present grant Of the grounds and
requiring rs 10 move our oysters IN eighteen
months. Ia the case of Young oysters on
shells this would be- done at q serious loss, as
il takes three on four years 10 get oysters from
shells.
In order TO sell the grounds there would
have 10 he "a general survey by the State. The
natural rocks should Ice marked off 10y buOys
commission ot three dislnterested free
holders in each county should accompany
the surveyors and decide what shall be nat
url rock. Their decision should be final.
Tie present uncertainty about what is n nat
turtl rock. bed or shoal causes q great deal If
litigation. Thieves take planted oysters and
clam that the planter holds natural rock
man plants shells, and rs soon rs the
oysters on them begin e. be marketable they
are taken under the claim that the ground is
natural rock. All ground not natural rock.
no matter where situated, should be taken
for planting. As soon as natural rocks be-
come 50 depleted that man cannot make a
reasonable days work Oh them. they should
be assigned for planting
"a survey would give the State an increased
amount of planting ground. | think a great
deN az Chesapeake bay could be utilized for
planting. crthe present law there isamele
guess az the quantity of planting ground. The
taxes collected 10y the oyster inspectors IN this
county Tor 1890 was about 1923 "a. OF thi,
amount :lll was for rent Of grounds At Is
cents per acre this represents s4i acres. do
not think there can be less than one thousand
acres in use. MddloseX has sixty miles OF
water front. forty miles on the RappAhannock
and twenty miles Oh the Pianktank The
fine planting ground. including creeks. must
average an acre m width for sixty miles.
This would be about 1900 acres There
must Ice about 5000 acres more or less
desirable ground. The fine ground would
hold about 100 1000 bushels of oysters. II all
could be used az once There must be ground
FOR moving the oysters. Ii one-half is in use nj
a time the fine ground would hold 10000
bushels. The inferior ground would certainly
hpld l,210OJO bushels. SO that there could bee
planted ~ the waters az this county no; less
than 100000 bushels OF oysters Valuinc
these for the purpose of taxation at fifteen
cents a husnel: the State would get a revenue
OF ZOO. The State ought 10 sell the
grounds at nominal price above the cost of
surveying, &c At fifty cents per acre the |
grounds IN Middlesex would yield $3.50. !
Aiter oeing sold these grounds should be AS
sessed and taxed rs real estate.
IL Is estimated that 100, 900 barrels of oysters |
labout 10000 bushels) gofrom the Rappahan- |
noe x annually. The net cost value OF these /
oysters cannot be less than 5000 900 / have |
NO means Of estimating how many are taken |
away IN vessels, out several times as unaware |
-atileG away III vessels as are shipped in par
rels. those carried in vessels will not average
4, a, much per bushel as the barrelled oysters.
hese hgures show that the oyster business
On me fappahannock is considerable. | do
not think any man has ever dreamed of what
ne business Will be if the proper policy ia
sdopted II Is as yet scarcely in its infancy"
Judge Piman Dead.
Boston, Mass, Mar. Or. c. Piman, senior