Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-06
OYSTER BED SURVEY
Progress of the Work of Mary
land Commission.
HANNAH CULTURE LAW
Board on Shellfsh Proposition Pro.
ceeds With Duties.
MAPPING OUT OYSTER FIELDS
"a, 900 Acres Of Bars Where Bivalves
Live Have Been Measured in
Waters of Anne Arundel County.

| BALTIMORE, December 6.-With the
work of surveying the oyster beds about
| to close for the season, because of unfav-
1 orable weather conditions the members of
| the state shellfish commission, who have
| the survey in charge and are carrying out
! the provisions of the Hannah oyster culture
| law, feel gratified at the results accom-
| plished.
The survey during this, the first, sea-
son has not progressed so rapidly had
| been expected by oystermen.' Many of
! those originally opposed to the enactment
| of any oyster-culture legislation have been
| caustic in their criticism of what they term
| dilatoriness
The layman is not familiar with the diff
culties which beset those who are carrying
| out the provisions of the law. Apparently
| the layman does not realize that it is a
stupendous undertaking.
Unfavorable Weather.
More than $1,000 acres of oyster bars
| have been surveyed, all in the waters of
Anne Arundel county. The work neces-
| sarily was started late when the open sea-
! son was well advanced. 1t has been ham
| pered by the rougi1ness of the water and
generally unfavorable weather conditions.
Almost all the waters of Anne Arundel
determine what is natural beds and what
| is barren bottoms, which, under the pro-
| visions of the law. may be leased by the
state for planting purposes.
The determination of the boundaries of
the beds, the quantity of oysters found in
| them, with a view to determining what bot
toms will justify longing and what will
not; the amount of spat, or young growth
things have been the subject of an ex-
haustive survey and examination.
DR.. Caswell Grave, who is trained BIZ
ologist, with years of experience, Is the
scientist of the commission. Upon him de-
wolves the direction of the photographic
work, of which Mr.. Swepson Earle is chief
| engineer. Messrs. Green and Mitchell. the
other two members of the commission, have
been out on the beds in boats. They are
thoroughly familiar with that branch of
the work and have taken charge of the
Office work at the rooms of the commission
| in the state house at Annapolis.
Commission Satisfied.
The members of the commission are en-
thusiastic believers in the oyster culture
law. They believe that, in view of the I'M
| favorable weather conditions and the late
start as much work has been accomplished
as was possible.
During the winter the commission and
| the engineering force will be occupied in
transferring to maps and charts and rec
ords the material obtained.
Messrs. Green and Mitchell We're busly
| at work yesterday in their office at Annap-
| Oils when seen by staff correspondent of
the Sum- Each explained at length his
views regarding the progress made, the
benefits to be derived from the survey and
| the subsequent putting into effect of the
| leasing provisions of the law. He discussed
| the sentiments in opposition to the meas
| ure as he found them in the tidewater coun-
ties. The commissioners agreed in the opin-
| ion that when it was realized that the law
actnal1V working the benefit of those
| engaged In the oyster business the laws
bitterest opponents would be numbered
among it's stanchest supporters.
Valuable Data Collected.
Mr.. Green said:
I'VE are about bringing the survey to a
close for this season. Although we hoped
| to cover more space than we have, the ex-
| haustive nature Of the work and the valua-
BILE data secured have been such that In
| looking back upon what has been done we
are gratfied that it is SO much.
sion is moving too slowly, but the burden
Of the work and the need for absolute ac-
curacy in determining the boundaries and
conditions of the beds have prevented the
commission from making more haste.
think that the $4,000 acres Of oyster beds
accurately surveyed make a creditable
showing for the first year.
mo man who has not been out upon the
beds with the commission and engineering
| force can have anything like an adequate
conception of the demands such a survey
makes.
Next year we shall cover a great deal
more ground. We will have a welieorgan-
lied force of workers, familiar with the
special problems Of the survey, and no time
need be lost in determining upon methods
of work. Then, too we shall begin as soon
as the weather permits, and will have the
benefit of several months more thai! we had
this year