Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-11-29
FISH AND OYSTER NOTES.

to be called to complete survey of pub,
lie rock No. IL, after which the Board
will give its decision.
A report on conditions around Tan.
gier Island embraces the following,
1.-The oystermen at Tangier are do
ing fairly well. Dredged oysters are
bringing 65 cents per bushel, and tong
ed ones over $l,0O per bushel. The
dredgers are all licensed and have
been culling their oysters good. The
same is true about the oystermen who
went to the seaside"
Virginia oysters are all right in quail
ity and quantity. but the stringency of
the money market and the catch of
Maryland dredgers has affected the or
ders, and dealers here are blue on ac-
count of few orders and the counter
handing of some orders already given.
Whatever affects the oyster business in
this section affects every other line of
business to a wonderful degree.
The civic opening of the Colchester.
England, oyster fishery is described by
the London Daily Mail. The Mayor
and Corporation proceeded in a steam
dredger to the limits of the fishery off
Brlghtlngsea, where they consumed
gin and ginger bread, according to Gus
tom, while the Town Clerk read in
quaint archaic phraseology the procla-
nation which declared that the fishe-
ny had been the property of the Corpor-
alton "from time beyond which the
memory of man runneth not to the con-
trary." The Town Sergeant then shout
ed God save the Kingp' and cheers
were given, after which the Mayor
hoisted up the first dredge of oysters
An oyster supper was served. at which
the chairman of the fishery company
announced that they had in the river
nearly SO, 900. 900 oysters.
Capt. Frank w. Darling, of Hamp-
ton, is about to try an unusually inter
esting experiment in getting oysters to
the fresh water fattening grounds up
the Elizabeth river. Heretofore ovs-
ters have been loaded into ordinary
hoats, open on the sides and bottom to
the water, and held up by barrels.
these floats then being towed to fresh
water loaded. OF course they proved a
dead weight in the water and were verv
oifhcuit for steamers to drag, and thew
were also open to fresh water and salt
alike. After studying the situation.
Capt. Darling has built barge thai
will give far superior service. In the
bottom, under the floor of the oyster
pit, and on the sides of the barge are
large air-tight compartments that give
the floating power and take the place
Oh barrels and at each end of the barge
is door opening so that water car
come in. When the barge is loaded
with oysters it will be towed to fresh
water, and then the .seacocks will be
opened until the oysters are sufficiently
submerged in the fresh water. When
the barge is to be brought back to
hampton, the water will be pumped out
OF the compartment, the doors will he
closed, and the barge easily towed back.
The barge is a splendidly built one and
is quite large. With slight alterations
1t could be turned into a first-class
floating dry dock.
PLENTY OF LAW.
We have in our State very good oys-
ter laws. If the laws were enforced
we would need no more changes in the
law, except to stop clustering on certain
rocks, that furnish large quantity of
seed oysters Let such rocks rest every
other year for four years, and by this
method we would soon have large oys-
tiers, where we have small ones now.
We have two rocks in the lower part of
the Rappahannock, if handled in this
way, would do away with lots of the
trouble we have now with small oysters.
do not see where we could be bene-
fited by renting out any more of the
natural rock. Ever since we have been
letting planters take up oyster rocks to
plant on, oysters have been getting
scarce. Every time you cut off ten
acres from the rocks, you put the oys-
termen closer together on what is left.
and then in few years the cry will be
heard-oysters are getting scarce on a
certain rock. Leave all the natural
rock there is, and carry the Gull law to
the letter, as near as it can be. and
everybody viii have plenty of oysters.
l would say when the Legislature
meets again instead of making so much
oyster law, try to amend what we have,
to make it better.
AS have stated before, everything,
except oysters over three inches, should
be made fineable-rocks, bricks, grass,
crab-shells, and oysters under three
inches must be put back on the rock or
bottom from which taken. We
must be looking more after the future
dollar just at this time than the pres
ent cent. Let everyone think more of
the future and all will be well. II
would like to hear from some others
on this subject. II. j. Lewis, in ''The
Oysterman.
TALKING HORSE SENSE.
tAccomack NewsJ
In another column we print a commu-
mcation from Capt. John brewer, of |
Saxls, whose knowledge on the ques-
ton he handles in this issue is Second /