Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-03-23
FISH and OYSTER NOTES

Trappers are ready to put out
their traps, but some are not do
ing so owing to the bay being full of
sea-nettles. A few have put out but
had their traps torn up, and fish are
very scarce yet.
1t is stated that Joseph Wharton, of
Philadelphia, has purchased control of
the Fisheries Company, at No. 1923
Front street, this city. The price is
said to have been $500, 900. 1t is pro-
posed to combine the Fisheries Com
pany, the American Fisheries Company,
the Atlantic Fisheries Company and the
American Process Company, which
manufactures the machinery used in
menhaden fishing. The headquarters
of the concern will be in Philadelphia.
IN. Y. Herald of Sunday.
A bill introduced in the New Jersey
Senate, il enacted into law, will create
trust in seed oysters and bar out
several hundred baymen and small
planters, who have heretofore enjoyed
whatever advantages that were in the
right to plant seed oysters and take from
natural beds. The bill will place con-
troll of the natural beds in the. hands
of score of planters and would make
them dictators in Atlantic county. An
appeal TO the Governor is promised if
the bill should get through. e@r~S
The State of Virginia is to have new
steamer, properly armed for enforcing
the oyster laws of the State and to
prevent depredations by the pirates"
of the Chesapeake bay and the Potomac
river. An appropriation of $40, 900 for
that purpose was made at the late ses-
sion of the Legislature and no one can
question the wisdom of that expendi-
ture. The better protection, which r.
will give to the oyster industry, means
growth and development in the business
| and necessarily an increase in the rev.
| enues at the State. Enter
prise.
Virginia shad, the most toothsome of
American food fish, reached Baltimore
last week, and there is joy in the land.
'Roe shad at 81 to SIPS, choice bucks
at 20 to 95 cents. The big fish are
scarce, but we will see that YOU are
| supplied" was the answer telephoned
by wholesale fish dealers in response to
scores of inquiries over the wires for
shad. They were not brought to market
packed in ice and as stiff as boards
when placed on the stalls, but were the
real Chesapeake Bay product, alive and
kicking when put on sale in the local
market. They began to arrive in small
numbers about two weeks ago, and
despite the great storm of snow, hail
and wind that has hung over local
waters for several days past, retarding
their progress up the bay, they are ex-
pected to arrive at the Susquehanna
spawning grounds on schedule time.
THE PATENT TONG LAW.
The bill passed at the recent session
of the Legislature permitting the use of
patent tongs in the waters of Virginia
Exclusive Of James and Nansemond
rivers) will become operative October
LIST next Their use will be permitted
during the months Of October, Novem-
Der and December of each year, until
the lawis repealed. This three months
amendment was tackled on during the
hot fight over the bill While it was
fought by the friends of the oystermen,
still the restriction Of three months will
be good feature, certainly on the Rap
pahannock. 1t is customary for patent
tong workers to flock here after Christ
mas, but now they cannot use the
patent tongs at that time. Then again,
the rough usage of the beds by patent
tongs will not continue after January
first, and the oysters will have rest and
prepare to spawn.