Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-12
THE OYSTER ATH0ME.
Commissioner MCDOnald'S Study Of the
Greatest Beds.
PRODUCE OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY
1t Forms One Sixth of Value OF All Fisher
les of the Country-Leasipg of Un-
productive Bottoms Advised.
Baltimore SUM-

PRIMERS, ana VIII nc Ittng ~ Ni~NA-
ton about the first OF 1894 The data
from which the conclusions are drawn by
the commissioner were obtained by per-
sOnal investigation OF the oyster supply IN
the waters OF this state and from relia-
BILE and well-informed persons engaged
in the different branches Of the oyster
trade.
II Is said that the question OF oyster
preservation and protection VIII be second
in Importance only TO tho new assess
ment bill in receiving consideration at
Annapolis during the ensuing session OF
the LEGISLATURE. In view OF this proba-
bllity the work Of the United States Fish
Commissioner will be especially valuable
for the practical and scientific information
Il contains. Through the courtesy Of Mr..
Mcdonald some of the proof-she T. or
tho forthcoming work were shown 10
representative Of The Sun last Saturday.
THE WORLDS oYsTER-BED.
Il opens with the statement that the
water area OF Maryland Is the greatest
oyster-producing region In the world, and
that the oyster output OF the state is
equal in value 10 one-sixth OF the product
OF al the fisheries In the United States
combined. The oyster-bels Of this State,
II says, give employment 70 one-hfth OF
all the persons engaged In flshefies In the
United States.
The work then details where the chief
evt,ter-beds can be found In the Chesa-
bei,ke bay and its tributaries. 1t gives
4 history OF oysters and oSster-cuture,
and says that but few oyster-rocks are
now found above Pools Island, because
the freshets from the Susquehanna ana
etlpr large bodies Of fresh water which
ernpty into the bay, occurring at frequent
intervals. have had the tendency to de-
stroy the oyster-sbat and 50 coat the bot
tnan OF the bay with accumuletions OF
soft mud as 20 smother the natural growth
which might at one time have existed
In the upper area OF the bay. Excessive
dredging is also given as cause for the
dlrninution or absence OF oyster-supply in
many sections.
PRODUCTIVE AREAS.
The whole area OF productive oyster
beds that are now located In the Chesa-
pAake and its tributaries IS put down al
80 square miles. OF this space III sQuere
miles are in the estuaries OF the bay, max
Ing I'D into the several tide-water c0uu-
tbs. These beds are under the local con-
| tfol OF the authorities OF the counties IN
Which they are located. There are ~
shuare miles Of natural beds which are
Used I'm common by the citizens OF the
whole state. subject only 10 such restrc
| lions as the State Legislature has from
| time to time placed upon them. OF THU
| area 100 square miles are in the Chesa
pealte Bay and q square miles in tho Pc
tomac river.
The area Of the natural beds In th'
| several tide-water counties is as follows
| Somerset % square mil9s, WicomicO 1
| Dorchester, 4S. Talbot g. Queen Anne
| IS, Kent 10. Anne Arundel II, Calvert, y
| St Mary's II, Charlcs 2. Worcester 3. The
report says that there may be some %
ster-reefs existing which are not ye
| known. 0ystermen do not attempt e
| discover new beds, being content to worf
| on those already located. and dlscoyerie'
/ Of new rocks are generally made b.
chance.
| - NON-PRODCCTINE BOTTOMS.
| Must space in the work Is devoted K
| what is termed the unproductlve bottoms
| of the bay--that Is. places where oyster:
are known not 10 exist II IL claimed
| that considerable portion Of this area
| can be made productive and valuable b!
Intelligent and systemane culture. Lh'
| SshAcorrrnirsiofinr puts the whole prOduc
| tive AREA at 200 square miles. At leas
| 40 square miles of this space, he says
| cannot probably be made to produce. a'
| the salinity OF the water Is not suihcleh
| for the growth OF these mollusks. Ih'
| area which he claims Is capable OF pro
| ducing and which should be utlilIel Il
| nut down at from - 10 100 square miles
| To show the necessity FOR systematic cu
| tivation and increased protection to m
| natural rocks which are now prOducln.
| the commissioner publishes some tables o
| comparison for the past twenty-thre'
| wears. showing the decrease in catch an'
| the way in which the profit OF this IN
| dustry IS gradually slipping away IRON
| the State In 1s60-Gl the catch Of oys
| ter averaged i,oO bushcls-worth $50 10
| every man engaged in the occupation
! There IS a gradual decline from that yea
| 10 1925, when the catch was only 81
| bushels-wOrth $259 10 each man. I'M
| falling-off in twenty-three years Is com
| mented upOn as being surprising, Tor De
| tween those years the methods ana appll
| snces for taking oysters had greatly I'm
| uroyed and under ordinary circumstance
! the catch should have increased ralhe
| than diminished. The work also snow
| the deterioration in the size or OYSTER
| sent to market. In 1881, II says, one
| tenth OF the whole catch were what u
| known to the trade az extra selects' "hh
I'm 1879 the proportion Of such oyster
was only one-slxtieth Of the whole eaten
LEASING OF LANDS.
Mr.. Mcdonald said in conversation tina
| II IL no part of his duty to make sus
aestions 70 the State as to what law
! should be passed for the protection o
propagation of fish and oysters. lie prefer
10 leave all such matters TO the oIau
| legislatures. which are the proper poule
| to deal with these questions. He onil
| lives the result Of Investigations, and b!
| making comparisons with what has peei
| accomplished elsewhere in similar mdus
tries 10 let the legislative bodies draV
| their own conclusions and act accordllsly
| Personally he faVOrs u leasing or aDsoft
| sale Of unproductive Oyster-landS to thos
| who are wiling TO spend capltaI ana enter
! prise I'm their development. lie salu'
There can be but one side TO thi
question to any one who viii give IL care
I'M and unbiased consideration. III
wheat field IS worked In common by
whole neighborhood It will not improve
for the only object OF those using It wi
be to get all that can possibly come ou
of the natural soil, and no ehort WI
he made to add to it's fertility. and afte
n Is exhausted 1t will be abandoned
So II l. with oyster lands, They ar
worked and scraped until nothing Is let
hut the bare bottom, ana then he"e
fields are sought. II an enterprisin
farmer. with capital. and energy. Is vii
ing 10 pay for the opportunity OF reVlVnl
or attempting 10 revive the exhauste
wheat field. will not the State or con
munity which Is TO receive the reVehu
| stand In its own light II 1t refuses IN
offer? There Is no difference betwee
making productive dry land or land und'
| water. Therefore what is true OF
| exhausted wheat field is also true OF
| exhausted oyster bottom. believ
however. that such changes should com
about gradually. DO not make a radic'
step and lease all barren lands at once
HOLD THE NATURAL ROCKS.
LET the experiment be tried, and
successful 10 the lessee and profitable
the state. enlarge the field. l am oppose
| 10 any lease or sale OF the produch'
| oyster-beds. Guard them " you WILL Of
they belong to all the people ana a
| who wish 10 do 30 have the right 10 OIL
tain sustenancs thersfron. No hope
reward and no promise Of additional rev
nue. should tempt the State 20 part WIZ
such lands. Leave out the unproductN
and exhausted bottom. BE liberal IN IN
action. DO not eonhns ownership or lessee
| ship 10 citizens OF your own state.
wife all to come who have capital an
enterprise and energy. and are Wiling
expend II In this direction. The resu