Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-30
q, 900 to $4,000 In consequence of over

$4,000 to $1,000 In consequence of over,
| fishing in 1858 scarcely ten vessels could
! find loads. and in 1865 a dredger in five
| hours couldn't find thirty oysters: This
| is the history of all oyster beds that have
! been worked by the public.
W. X. Brooks; page 73-According to
! the testimony of Mr.. Weber, Mayor or
Yarmouth, England, about 10. men work
ing 800 boats were employed in profita-
| BILE oyster fishery in the neighborhood
! of Falmouth until 1866, when the old
| laws enforcing a close time were repeated.
productive powers Of the oyster 1t would
be impossible to remove sufficient num-
Der to prevent the restocking of the
so impoverished from excessive fishing
that in 1876 only forty men and forty
boats could find employment. and could
only get sixty to 100 oysters a day. while
formerly in the same time boat could
get from 10000 to 1900.
III NORTHERN STATES.
Canada and Maine-The beds of Can
| ada and Maine have long since been ex-
hausted. It would be interesting to those
seeking knowledge on the oyster cues
ton to have some one familiar with
the question of reseeding or resetting
naturally the natural beds when they
once become exhausted to tell us when
the good people of this country may ex-
pect at new set? The beds have been
barren for many years, and no signs OF
a temperance as yet.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. is one Of the
pioneers of scientific and practical oyster
farming, and ranks second to none In
this important industry. I will not tax
the readers of this article with anything
I may have 10 say Of this States Won
derful success and policy: but will pub
fish extracts from the reports of the
United States Fish Commissioner" that
WI be far more convincing than any
thing I could say. I quote:
mission; page "a z7IaTen Years ago more
persons were at work on the natural
beds than on private holdings; but. al
though the attention paid to private
persons depending on natural areas, the
natural beds have become SO depleted that
at present no one depends wholly on
them. The value of oysters from natu-
wi.le the yield ofeutivated beds brought
81, 0!0,372. or more than thir:y-three times
as much. OF the 1850 bushels of oysters
obtained from public beds in 1889 about
5000 bushels were marketed for food;
the remainder were used for seed by
the cultivators of this and other states.
grounds are about the same area,
The effect of the State policy: It will
be observed from the foregoing that had
Connecticut pursued the present policy
fisheries in 1889 would have supported
about sixtv men. Under the present sys-
! TEN over 1,2oo persons exclusive of CAPT
talists. are directly dependent on the
oyster industry while many more are
supported by constructing steamers and
dredges, making tubs. baskets, ETC.; eX-
pressing oysters, and by the many other
industries more or less dependent upon
the prosperity of the oyster fishery.
Page 1856 of the United States Commits
sion's Bulletin-In 1850 the total invest
ments in vessels, boats, equipment and
snore property amounted to 1851 200 IN
1899 the total investment amounted to
So, 616264. This enormous increase of 1000
per cent. was reached in eight years after
the thorough establishment of planters
rights.
GOVERNMENT DICTUAI
Bulletin of the United States Fish
Commissioner, Volume TX. page 462-
Fishing has gone on with little restric-
tion and the depletion OF oyster grounds
has been SO marked of late as to cause
the gravest apprehension in both Mary