Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-09-02

least that is the apprehension that pre-
vailed among the oyster packers yes
terday. Speaking with reporter for
the Virginian-Pilot, Mr.. w. H. Hopkins,
Jr.. of the Hopkins Oyster Company,
Atlantic City, said:
Il am compelled to give q pessimistic
statement. To-day the outlook for the
oyster trade is not bright 1 can't tell
how facts may change 1t later, when
the. oyster season really begins, but
today there is nothing cheerful to
say"
Speaking further, Mr.. Hopkins ex-
planned that the strike" of the oysters
this season is unfavorable to the
tongers and to the dealer. The oyster
strikes when he lodges on n rock, an
old shoe or on anything hard and
begins TO build his shell house. He
did that earlier than usual. He has
done 1t so as to be unfavorable to his
own growth and. therefore. unprofita-
BILE to the tongers.
There are several changes in the oys-
ter law. too, which. Mr.. Hopkins says,
will operate unfavorably on the oyster
catch from the public rocks in this
of the oyster is one-half an inch
greater. 1t must be rejected if less
! than three inches long. Last season
the limit was two and one-half inches.
Another and greater disadvantage to
| the tongers is that dredges are allowed.
Dredges are machines for scraping the
bottom of the river clean of oysters. It
is asserted that they destroy more oys-
tiers than they catch, and that they
have almost entirely ruined the oyster
beds of Maryland.
Accounts of the outrages. murders
and starvation that follow the oyster
trade of Maryland are because of the
dredEes. They so to Baltimore and
shanghai men to carry them away to
| the oyster beds. Such scandals and
crimes may follow the introduction of
dredging here.
be conducted by the tongers no syndi-
| cate can control it.
There are thousands of tongers. They
come here from all the country round
in their boats or schooncrs. There Is
scarcely any means of ascertaining
their number.
The planters made a great deal of
money last season. Oysters were dear
and the planters had large supply.
| When oysters are cheap and abundant
those who have private beds buy them
cheap. plant them and allow them to
fatten till they are dear. For two
years previous oysters had been abund-
| ant on the public rocks. The planters
bought, planted and waited for last
| seasons market.
Meantime the tongers' catch was
poor last season. SO that the planters
sold freely ut high prices. 1t is pro-
bable that they may do the same thing
this season.
| Many boats started out yesterday
fully equipped and manned for the oys-
ter longing business. Many of them
Will come back with boats laden with
oysters. Oyster shocking will begin
in earnest on Monday. There are
|
number of men and women employed
and the industry is more important
this season than 1t ever was before.
| The first catch of oysters is import
ant to the planters. They are the inn
mature oysters which have struck the
| rock in the James river and begun their
separate she'll existence there. That is
all we'll enough for infancy. but to
mature into fat, edible food they must
be transplanted into the richer private
beds. where there is vegetable deposit
| for food. They will not fatten on the
| public rocks in the James river. There
| are too many of them, or too little
food. Consequently the oyster planters
are eager to get the first catch, which
is abundant and. therefore. economical,
in order to fill their depleted but richer
beds where the oyster doesn't strike
The season here begins busily
enough, but no Otto csrrr tell get yvfIfrt
the results will be. Many oyster
packers say that oysters will be scarce
GUNBOAT IN THE JAMES.