Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-23
SOME OYSTER GOSSIP
4 YORK PLANTER SAYS HIS MOL
LUsIks ARE NOW SPAWNING.
THE T0NGERs' IMPLEMENTS.
Made of Wood Which Command ire
mcndous Pricc.-A Noble Old Duck
Tint is Sweet -.tcen and Used to
Lay Twice a Day-Indu.trlaI.
THE TONGERS' IMPLEMENTS.
Made of Wood which Command ire

| YORKTOW.., VA. November 22.-(Spe-
cial.)-The oyster. the all-important oys-
f; ter, which plays such conspicuous part
| in the affairs of eastern Virginia. Is al
ways The subject of much discussion. AND
| is ever producing new conditions, which
| puzzle the brains of those interested in
| Its culture.
| Said an old planter. man who has seen
years Of oyster life, to your scribe few
! days ago: mo one knows everything
about the oyster. Popular belief says
! oysters do not spawn except during the
| months of May, June. and July. and pos
sibiy. during the first half of August
| The oysters in my own stakes are JUST
| as full of spawn now IS they can be.
| never knew this TO be the case before In
all my experience as planter. tell you.
| sir. the oyster is a subject about which
everyone thinks he knows something. and
| no one knows ALL.
| Coupled with important and peculiar In
, dustry are the numerous enterprises de-
! pendent on the oyster trade, principal or
| which is the oyster-tong business. Inc
| manufacture Of the tools with which the
| oyster Is caught. These tongs run from
| 10 to IS feet in length The longer ones.
| ranging In length from II to 50 feet. are
| made of Georgia pine. of grade and kind
i of timber that requires a peculiar nicely
of make md certain species OF gram
I tina, nothing else affords. This southern
| pine Is a very scarce article In the ium-
| Der market. and probably commands
i higher price than any other lumber used
! wtn,n the State. The lowest possible
! figure on this valuable pine is $50 per
| 1000; the present. $50; and in some In
stances round s100 has been asked and
| paid, too. in order to satisfy the demand
! Yes. $500 per 1.000-more money than II
! takes to buy even. mahogany or any OF
| the other precious woods or tropical
| c!mes The very few people who occa-
| sionally obtain small supplies of this val
liable timber are pirates in their way.
and treat an intruding purchaser with
great indifference knowing fu!l we'll that
!! If ne fails to pay the price asked some one
+! Use will. Unless new sources OF timber.
suitable for the purpose. are discovered.
The mode OF taking oysters from Their
| natural beds will have to undergo a revo-
/! luton In the next decade
ENERABEE DUCK.
/ Yorktown has within its limits an aged
duck. which has led quite an exciting
| life and seen more winters no summers
| in old Virginia than possibly any otncr
/ biped In the confines Of the Common
/ wealth Two eggs per day has been ner
/ daily task for years. but now she is sur
fering scnile debility. her chief occupa
zion being to enliven the barn-yard with
vigorous quacks Not~iess than twelve.
! and more probab bly, fifteen years. have
been the apportionment Of time or this
/ wonderful specimen of aquatic towi. ana
her owners are so attached to her that
! they refuse any ordinary oheF OF pu'-
| chase.
/ The fine rains Of the past week have
| been very beneficial to the fall vegeta-
| ton, especially fall grasses. which nave
! been sown 4 good deal this year-1nore
than formerly German or crimson clover
is especially fine.
NOW DEAL WITH RICHMOND.
| Our me1 chants and business men. gem
| orally. arc buying more goods from Rich
| mond houses than ever before Our cap
| ltal city is fast taking the trade of Bal.
! ,ln,ore which once had everything com
merc.al its own way. Richmond bust
| ness houses are apparently waking up
10 the needs of their customers. and en-
| jeavorlng to ketp Virginia collars OH
/ their native heath.
| Mr.. J. J. Whlspell. who lately sold his
| nnc saw-mill plant to party of western
CAPITALISTS. is now in Florida. LOOKING, up
| tracts of timber for the new company.
/ In a letter received from him by
| friend he gives glowing description VI
/ The land of sunshine and flowers. and
| relates some interesting adventures with
/ !ligators In the swamps. where the pine
i Of which he Is in quest grows me
! new company expect to enlarge grent.y
! the present plant. doubling its ca paclty,
! ana using more than twice the force OF
! hands that were used by the old mill
these gentlemen are pushing. energetic
! people. and will develop the plant to its
! fullest capacity.
i. c. WEAVER CO.'S PLANS
Mtssrs L. C. Weaver s. Co. of Balti-
more. pioneer oyster-pac keTs.s at Glouees-
tier Point will resume business in lew
Idays, afteraa short interruption in their
! trade. They have been able to obtain
all the stock required, and their daily
shipments to Baltimore and the northern
markets have been all and more than
was expected. That the soyster-shucktng
~ we'll - oyster-packing, business eau