Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-03-29
FISH And OYSTER NOTES


CLANS that once were drug on the
market at 25 to 80 cents a hundred are
now in demand at so to 20 cents, And
there are more being caught in Virginia
than ever before. "Eastern-shoremen
are making from $50 to $500 week
using patent tongs for CLAIMS.
The drowsy fisherman has had knock
out blow in Pennsylvania. The Superior
Court has decided that it is illegal to
fish with umbrella ribs and sleigh bells,
in reversing decision by Judge Endlich
of the Berks court. The defendants
used umbrella ribs attached to which
were sleigh bells which rang when they
had bite. In this way they were able
to doze while fishing.
The pioneer of systematic oyster cultiI
walton in Europe was one Sergius
Orata; who, according to Pliny, estab-
lished oyster beds at Baiae, the great
Roman seaside resort, about the year
b. c. 50, and, incidentally, made a
fortune out of his brilliant idea. So
important did this old Roman industry
become, says the Windsor Magazine,
that an artificial channel was construc-
ted IN order that the famous oyster
beds in Lake Luerinus should be pro-
vlded with constant supply of fresh
sea water. Later on, the fame of the
British native oyster spread to Rome,
and about A. ID. 7S Agricola sent the
first consignment of Ruputians from
the shores of Kent. Their superiority
over the oysters of the Mediterranean
was speedily recognized, and native
oysters became, and have remained ever
since, an important commercial asset
to Great Britain.
Seventy one years ago-to wit, on
March 25, lS36-the Legislature of Mary
land enacted law with the following
preamble: Whereas, it has been re-
presented to this General Assembly
that most destructive practice is prev
alent of catching oysters in the
waters of the Little Choptank or
Hudson River and its creeks in Dorches-
ter County simply for the purpose of
manuring land, and the destruction of
the oysters will be inevitable in said
river and its creeks unless the same be
prohibited by law" The act then pro-
vides punishment for either catching or
purchasing such oysters. There is no
danger now of using oysters for fer
tilizers, says the Baltimore Sun. They
have become too expensive to be used
for food by poor people, except upon
extraordinary occasions. This scarcity
and increased cost have been produced
by vastly increased demand and by
the absence of any reasonable provision
for increasing the supply to meet the
increased demand.
Housekeepers in the vicinity of Hamp-
ton Roads are becoming disturbed
over the reports which are brought them
by the fishermen, who usually supply
this market with fish, says the
Hampton Monitor. Fishermen are of
the opinion that it will be next to i'm
possibly to furnish fish during the sum-
mer on account of the heavy firing
which will unquestionably take place
during the jamestown Exposition. It
is said that there was great scarcity of
fish just after the naval rendezvous in
1893, due to the heavy firing from the
warships which were then assembled
In these waters. During the Expo
sition the vessels will be here from
early spring until the summer is over,
and in greater number than ever before.
Vessels coming in and out continually
will be saluted by other ships and also
there will be manoeveres of various
kinds. If such is the case the fish will
unquestionably seek another resort and
it may result in considerable discomfit-
ure to those who are used to this very
palatable sea food. and also to the men
haden fertilizer manufacturers.
Let the foul Jap ravage the Pacific
Coast! Let the Thaw trial drag its
weary length along! Let the stock
market vanish in a binding cloud of
red-hot skyrockets! Who cares? Who
gives hang? The shad are running in
the Chesapeake, the old plank is up
from the cellar and the kitchen gives
forth a delicious and overpowering
perfume. Now planked shad adorn
the mahogany-pl anked shad, the beau.
tiful, the rare, the heavenly Our
heart goes out in pity to those luckless
Americans who know nothing of the
Chesapeake shad. Now and again, ir
the silent watches of the night, we
awake with a start to think of them
and salt tears flood our pillow. How
any human being can live on, year af
ter year, without the prospect of 8
mess of planked shad in each succeed
ing spring to hearten and encourag,
him, is more than we can understand
To US, existence without the noble kinf
of fish would be unspeakable and un
thinkable. . A planked shad SEEM
to realize that his days of activity wer,
days filled with joys denied the averag,
fish. In addition he seems to look for
ward to a hereafter bristling with &c
stacy. He had good time while h