The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-22
OUR OYSTER INDUSTRY.
DISCUSSION or THE SUBMARINE
WEALTH OF THE STATE.
Third Of q Series of Articles ON Oyster Gull
ture with Suggestions for
iss Promotion.


steadily declined for years past
so rapid has been this decline in recent
years. that unless some decided step had
been taken by the Governor and thu
Legislature 10 check 1t. the oyster beds
OF Virginia must In time have ceased &c
be rarce of profit to the citizens OF the
State.
The writer endeavored TO prove that II
these natural oyster deposits are 10 DC
preserved TO the people OF the STATE, ano
the oyster beds extended by individual
enterprise and capital. the tidal bottoms
upon which the oyster grows must pe
the recognized property OF the State, ana
as such the States representatives nave
clearly the right 10 enact any laws heces-
sary for the preservation and extension
of the oyster interests. They have the
right TO give the individual or company
perpetual franchise, II they choose 10
do so. for the cultivation OF shelibsh.
n was shown that this had been done
with most satisfactory results In seVeral
OF the great oyster States. 1t was also
shown that in order to encourage oyster
farming. and TO preserve the naturei
rocks and beds from total destruction.
their boundaries must OF necessity De
clearly defined. A survey, delineating
these natural beds, as authorized by the
last Legislature. is now well advanced.
II is the purpose Of this article TO sun
further examine the oyster laws OF VIZ
ginia, and 10 suggest. from the writer
personal observations in the oyster re-
gions during the past year. what he con-
ceiyes 10 be some of the defects still ex-
listing I'm the present laws, and In the man
ner of their enforcement.
First. as TO their effect upon the oyster
planter.
In order TO preserve the present natural
oyster beds the number of oysters taken
from them each year can never be largely
Increased. IT, therefore. Virginia enlarges
her oyster industry, 1t must be by oyster
farming.
The law passed by the last Legislature
authorizes the rental of bottoms Tor
twenty years for the purpose or cultiva-
ting shelflsh. The rental is fixed at the
price of one dollar year for each acre
rented. Bottoms of natural beds and
rocks. and those which have been sub
1ected 10 special restrictions (such as the
riparian right or Cne-half acre, etc.), are
excepted. This assignment TO any one
person outside of Chesapeake bay is re-
stricted to two hundred and fifty acres
(Act approved February 70, l6y2) Inc
beneficial effect of this law is already
made apparent in the receipts at the State
Auditors office.
During October. November and Deem
Der. 1891, the States revenue from the
oyster industry under the old law. was
si.32t.29. For the corresponding months
of 1892, when the new law had been en-
forced but a short time. the revenue was
s1l. COO.
The writer believes that the revenue
derived by the State from the rental OF
oyster grounds under this act will be still
further increased.
Let the survey delineating the natural
oyster beds and rocks be final. II should
be so for a series of years at least.
The sum allowed the surveyor for the
survey Of rented grounds. where the area
is small, is unquestionably inadequate
twenty-five cents per acre, up TO thirty
acres, section OF this act) Water area
cannot be properly surveyed in small
tracts for this money.
The writer from his personal observa-
ton, believes that the acreage returned
as rented from the State is not infre-
quently inaccurate. Some duly author
ICED and competent official or officials
should have the authority TO test the ac-
curacy OF the surveys Of the bottoms
etaked out as rented. The revenue de-
rived by the State from the rental or
her oyster grounds is unquestionably ma
terially affected by the inaccuracy OF some
of these surveys.
The oyster planter who pays the State
one dollar each year for every acre or
ground covered by water that he rents
from the State should have the right to
use any iabor-saving appliance that he
chooses upon his own ground. He should
be left perfectly free to cultivate his own
oyster farm at any season and In any
manner that his own interest and expe-
rience may dictate. This is common JUS
tice and common sense. In this connec-
ton l may mention the fact that II is
a great mistake to suppose that the oyster
Is necessarily injured by being handled In
the spawning season. If this is done ac-
cording to scientific principles the oyster
beds may be greatly benefited by the ope-
ration (See Professor Brooks Hand
Book on the Oyster)
With the conditions which at present
prevail the Virginia oyster planter, with
his restricted oyster season and anti
quated apparatus. is competing with men
who are free TO use at all seasons the
most approved dredges run by steam.
There is not to-day an oyster steamer
with an improved dredge run by steam
at work upon any oyster farm In Virginia.
Connecticut, on her limited oyster area.
had. as far back as 1889, fifty-seven oyster
steamers with dredges. having an aggre-
gate net tonnage of 1,7440S tons (see Con-
necticut Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1890.
One oyster steamer, owned by II. c. Rowe,
of Fair Haven, Conn. which cost $500,
has four steam dredges. With crew OF
ten men she can take up five hundred
bushels of oysters a day In bees covered
by thirty-five feet OF water. She can be
Used as a tow-boat II necessary, and can
force herself through the ice. The men
can oyster with comfort In the coolest
weather (see United States Fish Commits
sion Bulletin. November p, 1884, page 46O).
How can Virginia oyster planters COM
pete successfully with men who have,
and can use freely. such labor-saving APP
pliances?
The use OF steam dredges should be re-
utricted TO private and rented grounds,
where seif-interest will prevent their
abuse. The public grounds would soon
be exhausted II they were used upon them.
These natural and valuable spat-produc-
ing Cbreeding) beds should be kept for the
citizens OF the State, to be worked mainly
BY men Of small means with hand appa- |
ratus.
OF France. where oyster culture has |
been brought TO the highest state OF per-
an expert (sent by the United |
States during the year 1891 to investigate |
the condition OF the oyster Industry In |
his official report. which has just been |
published by the United States Commits |
sion OF Fish and Fisheries, writes: THE |
OF the natural grounds as |
State property, and the forbidding OF gem |
eral public dredging is generally regarded |
~ the keystone Of French oyster culture.
These grounds. once exhausted now |
"a Cd he