Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-30

|
was going to northern cities and planters.
| Ten years later QS75) this subterranean
| farm was producing seven millions of
bushels OF oysters, or as much as the
whole bay and its tributaries produced
in 1865. This great farm continued to
produce this enormous bulk of wealth for
fv, years. ANY one OF these crops OF oys-
ters was worth two and q half times as
much as the assessed value OF all the
hogs and sheep in the State, or one half
OF the net value of the wheat crop OF
Virginia in 1880. that sold for S1.04
bushel. and grew on 919.716 acres of land.
This should give you some idea OF the
vast wealth Of the property owned by
the people of Virginia. yet it has been an
annual source of expense from the be-
ginning to the end The demand for this
product has been greater than the sup
ply since 1850. The consequence is that
the great beds that had grown III the
Chesapeake and its tributaries for cen
turtles has yielded up it's stores. Now thai
this great treasure has been exhausted.
the oystermen are dependent on the annu-
al growth, which means decreased sup
ply to meet an increasing demand. Inc
natural crop is being reduced every year
with vast areas that once produced ooun-
tifully, now laying a barren waste
MY friends from Tidewater try to edu-
cate us to the belief that barren area will
naturally resced. If they can prove this
statement. they will add very valuable
CHAPTER to the history of the oyster. l
can cite you to beds that were of the
richest character, that supported the abo-
rhymes and people of the Colonies tor 2oo
years, that became exhausted by over
working, and have remained so for cen
fury, though the surrounding OF the peas
| were in close proximity to abundance OF
spat for a great number of years. There
reseeding of depleted grounds that have
been barren for any length of time I'M
possible, and when a man tells you sucn
is the case, he rs either tim-tlamming
you, or what he don't know about oys-
tiers will fill a large volume.
CUMULATIVE EVIDENCE.
In support of my argument that rent
ing the barren area in the Baylor sur
yey will help everybody, I think the let
ter from the Hon. George NJ. Bowers
should be sufficient, but it is likely some
people will want abundance OF evidence
and then not be satisfied, SO | will give
them the evidence, then they can take
their choice.
| quote from Professor w. *. Brooks,
| of Johns Hopkins University, a brief his
| tory of the oyster in France and England.
| l will say for Professor Brooks to those
| who are not acquainted with ms reputa-
| ton. that he is known where the oyster
| is found and read about. OF course, ne
| is not SO we'll known in Virginia, for the
| subject is seldom thought about or read
| of above the tidewater line. l nave IN
| nv possession a very elaborate treaeise
| of the oyster published IN Loncon py
j. R. Philpot, who has devoted seVeral
| Brooks's teaching. / herewith give an
exact copy of Professor Brookss history
Of the oyster in France and England,
pa ges 72-75:
France-An estimation Of the =, effect lee OF
aiming its results upon such beds IN
England and France IS have RECORDS upon
the subject. The most INSTRUCTIVE. OF
these are the records OF tne pE Pro nortbl
west coast of France, which EXTENDED
over a period of sixty-eght years. from
1850 to 1sss. The. beds in the bay COM ON
from 1900 to 1916 produced from goo 600 to
10000 oysters a year. This, however;
was the period of Napoleonic wars, ana
presence Of the English cruisers. During
this time the beds became SO thickly
stocked that the oysters were said to be
close of the war the fishing improved
and the oysters were removed In larger
and increasing quantities until 1913. From
1923 to 1913 it was supposed ~ tha a'.e+ me
forced rest from 1850 to 1916. In ISL. the
number of oysters produced was o,oVo'uvV,
and until 1S43 there was a constant in
crease the number taken in the latter
year being 10000. 900. In 1S4S it was co..
100000; henceforward there was con-
slant decrease. From 1850 to 1886 the
decrease was from 10000, 900 to Is. 900: 600,
supposed to be the effect of overdredging.
From 1859 to 1868 the decrease was from
IL, 0Co, 900 to 1,079.00o, the oysters having
almost disappeared from the beds, though
from the suffering condition Of the in
habitants of the shores it was almost
impossible to prevent it. In 1870 there
was complete wreck of the bottoms,
which could only be remedied by a total
prohibition of the fisheries for several
years.
From the beds of the districts of Roche
fort Marennes, and IslandsOf Oleron, 15.-
OOO GOO oysters were taken in 1884 and 1855.
On account Of exhaustive fl fishing only
4O0. 900 could be obtained in 1868 81.
Philpot's oyster and ali about them.
Page 342: THE most convincing evidence
of all this is that afforded by the Isle
of Ri Five years since the shores Of
mis- island were barren and uncultivated;
now they give employment to 5000 men.
and the crop of oysters produced in 1851
was valued at 81 GOO. 900. The oyster farms
on the Isle of Ri are. however, much
more valuable and productive now.
& This was barren area in France vi 1855.
Observation-Disclosures to the statement of
Mr.. Messum, an oyster dealer and the
secretary, OF an oyster company at Ems
worth England, made before the com.
mission for the Investigation OF oyster
fisheries In May, 1876, there were In tho
OF 1910 and 1850 so many oysters that
araa pam In five hours c0Id ga trh from