The Washington times., 1903-08-31
VIRGINIA ENCOURAGES
PLANTING or OYSTERS
Receives More Each Year From Private Beds Than
IS Paid in Licenses by the "Tongers.

The State of Virginia, with the assist
ance of the United States Coast and Ge-
odetic Survey and the United States
Commission of Fish and Fisheries, in
1SS3-s5 had a complete survey made of
the natural oyster beds of the State.
Three county commissioners were ap-
pointed. in each OF the thirteen oyster
counties, to delineate the natural oyster
beds Charts were published, In coIors,
indicating clearly all natural oyster
beds. The field notes necessary TO re-
store the corners of these natural oys-
ter rocks were also published In pam
phlet form.
After certain times, for legal protests,
this survey was declared by law a com
plete survey of all natural oyster beds,
rocks, and shoals in the State. All tidal
bottoms not embraced In this survey
were declared barren areas, and can be
rented from the State, for the cultiva-
ton of the oyster, at a uniform annual
rental OF 81 per acre, and for a period
Of twenty years. This survey was in
tended to protect both the oyster
tonger of the natural oyster beds and
the oyster planter on his rented grounds.
Since the completion of the survey
about $4,000 acres of tidal bottoms have
been rented from the State and private
oyster farms established upon them.
From the rental OF these depleted bot
toms the State OF Virginia now receives
a net revenue Of about SAC, 900 a year.
According TO the survey 225 900 acres
of natural oyster beds were reserved for
the common use OF the citizens of the
State, to be worked under state control,
and to be protected by the oyster navy
OF the State. II is now claimed that this
area of 225 600 acres OF natural growth
oyster rock is far too large, and that
some Of 1t is so far depleted of oysters
that it can no longer be properly held
as natural oyster rock. but should be
rented to the oyster planter and utilized
by the State.
The tongers who depend upon the nat
ural oyster beds, on the other hand,
claim that II the Baylor survey is
once broken a dangerous precedent will
be established, and it will mean the
ultimate control of the whole tidal area
of the State by private individuals and
great companies.
Last winter, after a long fight in the
Legislature over the Baylor survey"
a legislative committee composed of
two members of the upper house and
three members of the lower house was
appointed TO investigate the depleted
rocks of the Baylor survey and re-
port TO the Legislature as to the ad-
OF reducing the legal natural |
oyster area OF the State. This commit |
tee is now engaged in investigating the
oyster grounds OF the State
Assistant J. 3. Baylor of the United |
States Coast and Goedetic Survey, who |
made the original Baylor survey" has |
before this committee, ana has 1
recently returned TO Washington, after |
spending some days in examining the
oyster grounds OF Chesapeake Bay and |
those of the Atlantic coast of Virginia, /
with the legislative committee. He feels |
sure the committee will act In a con-
way.
BY special legislative acts certain
public grounds" embraced in the Bay
Tor survey may be rented TO the oyster |
planter, but nothing will be done to |
destroy the legality OF the survey as a
whole.
The State of Virginia now only re-
;eiyes about $4,000 annually from the !