Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-03-06

4
peas need not manure in hill for
pickles.
OYSTER COMMUNICATION.
EDITOR VIRGINIA CITIZEN:
If the bivalve has ears and there
is any truth in the old saying, they
must be burning at this time, as
they have been much talked about
of late. This is surely not the case,
as they show their redness at time
OF the year that the Legislature is
not in session.
The taking off of the month of
April from the oyster season, we
dare say, will be beneficial on the
whole. A few planters will be hurt
by 1t, and while we are planters We
are, as citizens, in favor of that law
which is of the greatest interest to
the greatest number of people. Ii
Is In this month that quantities of
small, unlawful oysters are taken
from the natural rocks aud bedded
at low price. 1t is in this month
that the Northern planters come to
Virginia to get oysters to replenish
their beds, and thousands of bushels
of our James River seed oysters are
taken away by them, regardless of
the law prohibiting their being
taken from the State.
The labor question, as we'll as
other things, gives good cause for
the taking off of September also.
But the planters must have some
show or they cannot exist, and with
out the planting of oysters the oys-
ter industry would be greatly dis
abled, as the Editor will most GER
tainly admit, and we think the COM
promise of taking off the first fifteen
days of September is very good
decision to agree upon.
However, let the season be as il
may, the greatest barrier to the oys.
ter industry is without doubt or dis.
pute the violation of the present
Gull law. Practically we have no
law. If the Gull law was strictly
enforced the natural rocks would
thrive and increase more with a
twelve-month season than they would
under the present culling system with
a six-month season.
The majority of our tongers are
colored people, and a great many of
these spend the summer months, as
they term it, "out yonder," which
means anywhere from Baltimore to
Boston. They return with the oys-
ter season, not having at heart the
interest of the people or oyster in.
dustry from which their PRINCIPAL
earnings come, but strive for the
dollar regardless of law, and seem to
think If they can evade the inspector
they have accomplished some great
act. In the first place, how can it
be expected for the law to be en-
forced on from three to five hundred
tongers by one inspector, who goes
In the river one day in the week or
one day in ten? La the second place.
we think the penalty for the VIOLA
ton of the law is too trifling. The
hrst offense should be a fine inn
posed of not less than $1O-and col
lected. For the second offense the
license should be taken from the
longer and he not be allowed to
tong or Gull any more the remainder
OF that season. This would prob
ably give some of our farmers a
chance for labor.
with the present state of affairs
below Is the kind of report that
could be made off at the close of
the oyster season: The buyer has had
two-thirds of the fines imposed upon
him, which he has paid. The longer
has had the other third imposed
upon him, of which ne has paid
one-fourth and promised to pay the
balance. The little oysters are gone
from the natural rocks; the longer
has the money and gone to "Jersey. %
We would like to hear the Edi-
tors views on this, as well as anv
one eise's, who is familiar with the
oyster traffic.
We see nothing to be gained by
the breaking of the BAYLOR survey
Tor the State or the people in gen.
eraI, but a serious blow to the oyster
industry. Some syndicate or favored |
few would be greatly enriched at
the expense of the general public.
1t is like taking the fenoa g
around a farm to inclose a small
.ruck patch and let the farm 90 to
destruction trying to save the one
'cre Oh truck. A PLANTER.