The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-03

Views Of an Old Toncman on the subject
Several Suggestions Hade.

UBBASNA, Va, Mar. .. Mr.. Il. W. Frank
lin, Inspector of the Fifth district of Middle
sex county. says. II have been "a toneer
for twenty years tong myself, and hire
some men % tong. plant some oysters, but
DO not buy o. plant OYSTERS have grown
scarcer and srarcer on natural rocks IN some
places rocks have been broken up entirely.
Where with little boy 10 Gull | have caught
forty-7eycu bushels a day. ! can now catch
only from ght tO fifteen bushels. with mau
l. culi AND tong part of tine time. The forty
seven bushels were worth II cents q bushcl.
tnc same oysters now worth from 3j % 40
cent, 70 bushel. The oysters marketed now
srr inferior to those marketed Is few
years ago. ! am not IN favor 81
culhng law such as Maryland
has. but think the season ought % bc short
enel The season ought 20 begin september
J Ia and end April 3Jth. The taxing Oh of
MAY. and on--half IF september Will keep the
tUngers nom taking the little oysters from the
rocks While / don't think much OF what Is
called a culling law. do think that the PIE
sent law as u r0uguing ought 90 be- enforced.
koughlug. or taking she'll. aud everything
that the tongs bring up Viii quickly break up
the rocks.
think there x twice as much ground occu-
pied rs is returned for taxation We have no
means Of measuring the ground and have 10
guess at the amount There ought 70 be a
survey. so as 90 know exactly how much
ground there Is. There ought 70 be = an
acre rent on the ground. but no tax ou the
planted oysters. \ commission ~ three good
men IA each district ought o. mark on natural
rocks when there !, Il dispute as 90 whether
certain ground Is natural rock or no. OYSTER
men ma be consulted. but tine decision ~ TIE
cummls-i ners ought L Ue nnM.
All ground MT declared 10 he natural rock
ought tO Ice assigned Tor planting II any one
wants n. II oysters are 50 scarce on ground
that planter would pay ont more money Tor
handling the oyster planted On that ground
than the natural growth would sell FOR. then
that ground should be taken for planting
Inc planters should have a ten years lease to
their grounds At the end Of that time We
could see what would be best 10 be done
There Is no trouble about raising oysters from
shells. except that II takes three or four years
10 get marketable oysters from shells. | have
seen oysters sold this year at fifty cents "A
bushel grown on shells IN three years.
There Is a plenty OF ground for planting on
the kappahannock, but people are afraid 10
takeit up under the present uncertainty. One
man wanted me 10 assign ten acres 10 him
when there seemed 10 be chance OF getting
a fifteen years lease. but he would not take
the ground after Governor Mckinney vetoed
the Oyster bill. This man had hired man 10
cut the stakes for marking on the ground
He said eighteen months was nothing for
planting shells and he would not have ground
when the tenure was so uncertain.
In case of a change IN the law the present
occupiers should have the refusal Of grounds
they are actually using. provided they have
complied with tho present law no one ought
to hold ground Just for the natural growth.
Unoccupled groands should be assigned to