The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-04-27
JERSEYS OYSTER CROP
The Natural Beds Increase
in Value Great Growth
of Seeds.
Especial to ..rhe Jersey city News."l

Especial to The Jersey City NewS."l
MILLVILLE, April II, 1901.-The State
Oyster Commission yesterday gave Cover
nor Voorhees, another opportunity 10 gain
information o. the workings of the laws
which now SO we'll regulate the great oys-
ter industry of the Delaware Bay and
Maurice River Cove, and which are likely
to be extended to the whole of the State
in little while. The Governors parry.
after their hospitable entertainment at
the hands of the Bridgeton people last
night, left that city in the bright sun
shine of this morning at o'clock and
swept down the Cohansey River with fly
ing colors on the cosy steamer Ocean
City. There was not much of strangeness
or novelty to the Governor in the trip,
but ne was as deeply interested as when,
for the first time, a year ago, he saw the
great white fleet at work on the beds of
the bay. for tfera is always something
new and interesting in the gathering of
the seed the planting and the harvesting
of the crop of these widely known AMI
luscious bivalves. To State Comptroller
Hancock, State Assessor Baird, Senator
Joseph Cross. Assemblyman Blackwell
and others of the party the whole opera
ton was new and amazing. No amount
of literature can convey to the mind the
magnitude and extent of this industry,
and those who pass over the great fields
for the first time can scarcely realize
what it all means. When they learn
how many hundreds of boats and men
are engaged in the work and learn that
the aggregate value of the oyster crop of
the Cove and Bay alone is much greater
than the States entire wheat crop, they
begin to realize that there may be soma
thing in it, after all, and that the State
does very commendable work in pro-
tecting it with all the power it can COM
mand.
The laws providing for the full con-
troll by the State have been in force two
years now, and the oystermen them
selves, some of whom were quick and
severe in their condemnation, are now its
sturdiest advocates. One of the most
notable benefits is the rapid growth of
the young oysters on the beds of the bay.
Today the almost endless array of boats
at work dredging for this seed to plant
in the cove discover that the growth has
been much more prolific and of strong
er nature than was ever known before.
No one hesitates to ascribe this improve
ment in the industry to anything except
the Oyster Commissions rigorous en-
forcement of the law which prevents
the destruction of the beds and places
over the taking of the seed such restric-
tions as to foster the natural propaga-
ton of the bivalves. 1t is well for the
New Jersey oystermen that this protec-
ton came to them when it did. for Vir-
ginia has passed laws prohibiting the
removal of seed oysters from the nat
ural beds in the waters of that State.
Chesapeake Bay was formerly the prin-
cipal source of supply for seed for the
Maurice River Cove, and every year
thousands of bushels were brought up
in boats and dropped upon the ground
here. Now it is claimed the natural beds
of the Delaware Bay are yielding seed
to such an extent as to make draughts
upon other States almost unnecessary.
AT the present rate of growth, indeed,
these prolific beds may yield all the seed
needed by those in the business of CATCH
ing oysters for market.
The inspecting party boarded two of
the largest sloops in the great fleet, and
carefully inspected the heavy cargoes of
seed, and found the owners highly elated
over this years bright prospects.
The homeward sail was up through the
miles upon miles of staSed grounds of
the cove, where for many years the
riches of the deep have been dredged up
and sent away to tickle the palates and
rejoice the hearts of oyster lovers in all
parts of the country.
The Governors party was entertained
at luncheon on board the steamer. and
State Superintendent Thomas F. Austin
woe tha lion of tha dav The rat,,,.s, 1x-aS
made by way Of Maurice River.