Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-10-11
oYsrERs IND wHkAE

Exciting Great Deal of Interest In Tai
bot County--I odder Worth More Than
wheat or Corn.
EAsToN, Mp, Oct. 2.-The commonest
stock OF Miles river oysters are eagerly
bought up at st. Michaels and on the
river at 90 cents q bushel-a very large
price for the small oysters that are found
on such bars as Ashcrafts and Bugby's.
From SO cents the prices range up to 81
bushel for Wye river oysters. Only
the tongers are at work and they are
reaping rich harvest. The oysters they
caught the first two weeks in Septem.
Der, when there was no demand, were
laid down in bulk and were sold last
week at prices ranging from 80 cents to
$l.l0 per bushel. Miles river oysters
are in prime order this season, which is
one reason Tor the extraordinary demand
for them. The buyers are the st.
Michaeps dealers in shocked and barrel
stock and the punglcs which run them
to Baltimore. AT Oxford prices are less
than one-half of what they are at st.
Micheals owing to the facts of less de-
mand, greater supply and poorer quality.
The Choptank oysters as O rule do not
get fat until the middle of October.
An investigation made about the out
look for the oyster crop in Talbot this
year indicates that the output must be
less than for several years. All the re-
ports are that there has been but little
new growth on the bars this year.
Whether the spawn was less fecund or
whether it was lost before being clutched
cannot be known. There is no way Of
telling under our imperfect ways of
studying the growing of the oyster
crop. All the most careful observer
and patient investigator can find out is
that some seasons the bars are doubly
and trebly replenished, while at Others
land this is one of them) they are found
at the opening OF the season with about
the same number Of oysters on them
that were left there at the close of the
preceding season. These, of course,
have grown more, perhaps, than If
there had been nyriads of young oys-
tiers, and thus the bushelage is in.
creased.
THE Gull law is no use this year."
said IA veteran Miles river tongman;
there is no young growth of any &C.
count, and hence no oysters worth
speaAing of below the regulation size.
LII 200 bushels did not find peck Of
oysters under size"
A. L. Dairymple and p. j. Coward
OF Chicago, were in st. Alichael's Satur-
day inspecting the Miles river oysters.
They want to buy largely of oysters in
the shell, to be shipped to Chicago in
carload lots for the use of the raw-boX
trade. The Miles river oysters did not
suit them, not being salt enough, and
from 81. MiGhaefs the Chicago men so
to Girls field.
Wheat seeding began in Talbot yes
terday The recent rains have left the
wheat lands in good condition for seed
| ing. Three months ago ii was believed
the wheat acreage would be reduced
one-thlrd in Talbot county this year,
but it appears now that there will be
but little i any diminution in the
quantity of wheat seeded. About the
same number OF bushels have been
saved or bought for seed, the fertilizer
men say their sales Of wheat fertilizers
are as large as usual, and the largest
wheat growers have prepared the usual
acreage. The reason is there is great
faith in revival of business of all Kinds
since the settlement Of the tariff ques-
ton, and farmers here are confident that
| thS pllSC " NHCuI Will ~ UP III Iut
general restoration Of confidence and re-
newal OF commercial trade and manufac-
turing movements.
Colonel Edward Lloyd, the largest
wheat-grower IN the county, in discus
sing the suggestion of substituting some
other crops for wheat and corn said:
81 shall keep on growing wheat, and
will put in my usual acreage, perhaps
an increased one, this year. | believe
the depression in agriculture is only here
temporary and have confidence that
before long the price of wheat and corn
will advance TO profitable price. Grain
agriculture will soon respond to the i'm.
pulse general revival Of business will
cause. We are raising more wheat to
the acre and are growing it cheaper"
George William Mckenney, the great
farmer of Queen Anne's county and the
largest agriculturist on the Eastern
Shore, whose wheat crop annually is
larger than the whole of that OF Queen
Anue's county, believes the same and
will SOW his thousands Of bushels on his
thousands of acres this year as usual
more bushels, indeed, because every year
his holdings of farm lands are Increased
at least Il thousand acres.
The corn crop OF Talbot is not an
average one III the county over. Many
sections of the county suffered with d
drouth which lasted from compliant
) ing time TO fodder-saymg time, broker
only by occasional and very light show
. ers. Where there was rain enough
| there are fine corn crops.
1t is curious fact that corn blades
l for fodder is worth more per pound il
} EastOn than either wheat or corn.
coon REPORTS or BUSINESS.