Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1893-12-09
VIRGINIA OYSTER GROUNDS.
Report Of ]. B. Baylor.

Mr.. j. B. Baylor, the competent and
industrious member of the United
States Coast Survey, who was detail
ed to make a survey of the natural
oyster beds, rocks and shoals of the
Virginia waters, has just submitted
his most interesting report to Cover
nor Mckinney.
In the outset, he calls attention to
the great Importance of the oyster
industry by the simple statement
that during the past ten years $20,-
000, 600 have been realized from the
sale OF Virginia oysters, sum more
than one third as great as that real
lied from the sale of the wheat crop.
He then states that he boarded the
schooner Drift on July 21st, 1892,
and began the work of his survey in
Tangier Sound. He pushed the work
vigorously, and by October 31st all
natural oyster beds of the Chesa-
peake Bay side of Accomac County,
those of James river and its tribu-
taries, those of Elizabeth river and
its tributaries, and those of Matthews
county had been surveyed. The field
work was then closed for the season.
The winter and spring were utilized
in computing the field notes and pre-
pairing charts OF the field. The re-
suit is summed up as follows: In
Tangier Sound, 4,746 acres; POGO
moke Sound, 2S,52S acres, James
River and tributaries, 25,O77 acres;
Norfolk County, GOA acres; Matthews
County, 1924 acres.
In June, 1898, the work was re-
sumed In the Rappahannock and
pushed till October, when the field
work Of the whole area of Chesapeake
Bay was completed The coast beds
of Accomac and Northampton are
yet to be surveyed.
In the Rappahannock and tribu
taries, the survey showes "a, 593 acres
OF natural oyster beds. In Plan
katank, 1862 acres; in Milford Haven,
All acres; in Chesapeake Bay, off
the coast of Matthews and the mouth
of the Rappahannock, 1893 acres;
in York river. 4,040; in Princess Anne
county, 1,400; on Chesapeake side of
Northampton 800 acres; in Northum-
berland, 1850 acres; in Westmore-
land, 499 acres; in Gloucester, 2,7O1
acres: total area of natural oyster
beds, ETC., in Virginia, 1853 acres.
All natural oyster beds have been
surveyed from marked shore stations.
These surveys do not embrace beds
on the Atlantic coast of Accomac and
Northampton. Now that the survey
has been made, says the report, the
planter can no longer move his
boundary stakes out on a natural
bed without the fact being easily
established; and the planter can now
know in advance just what bottoms
in Virginia waters are open to him
and will be perfectly secure in his
title.
The advantage OF the'survey to the
State is readily seen in the statement
that when the State of Connecticut
did likewise, the yield of oyster in
creased from 1886, 45O bushels in 1880
to 1,5O9,S67 bushels in 1888. In 1889
only S31 ,305 was realized from the
sale Of oysters from the natural rock,
while cultivated oysters brought ST.
040, 372.
In conclusion Mr.. Baylor makes
some practical suggestions as to the
SuAeA eluioH VI oysters anu HOW -CQ6
State may best promote that indus
try. The paper is perhaps one of
the most valuable contributions of
its kind ever made to oyster 1itera-
ture, and when printed in full will
no doubt attract universal attention.
Limited time and space prevent the
State from giving more than this
very meagre synopsis.-Richmond
State.