Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-09-27
Friday. September 81, 1907.
A SURVEY OF THE OYSTER
SEASON.

thousands of boats entered the
James at the beginning of oyster sea-
son, but today many Of them have
''cut OUT" The quality is good but
the seasons catch will be small there
There are quantities of small oysters,
of last years strike" under the
lawful siz :, aud police and inspectors
are rigidly enforcing the Gull law,
occasiUning duly clashes. The
rocks were worked last season by
fleet never so large before and pretty
well cleaned of marketable oysters.
The young of 1906, though not so
plentiful, have been closely guarded
and will come into size for next sea-
sons catch but hardly for this year.
The strike" or new grow tn, this
year is very scant; nature has not
been kind towards the james with
her bounty, and bad it not been
closely patrolled for two years tong
ers aud planters say the rocks would
today be utterly barren. Unless ma
t1re comes to the rescue, assisted by
Che Virginia Legislature, public
longing on the James will soon be a
thing Of the past for good and all.
This condition might be welcomed
by few planters of extreme views,
who think the future of Virginia's
oyster industry depends upon farm
lug all her productive bottoms. Some
II them are charged with endeavor-
ing to bring about this end. 90 the
other band the mass of tongers play
for what is in sight and but for rigid
policing would hasten the end which
they stand in dread of. So the
States officers are between mill
stones. For the James more than
any other section wise legislation
and rigid surveillance are the only
means of salvation. Already num-
Der of the largest oyster houses have
closed for an indefinite period.
La the Elizabeth and Rappahau-
mock rivers oysters ale larger and
not Sc scarce, though the territory
combined is smaller than that on
the James. The young growth in
the Rappahannock is pretty and
comparatively plentiful. For va
rious reasons the natural rocks are
better protected in this river than
possibly in any other section of the
State. With the present methods,
aided by nature in furnishing spawn,
there need be no fear of such condi-
tions as now threaten the James.
The Potomac is a veritable Ish.
naelitic land. Lawlessness prevails
TO greater extent there than any,
where within the bounds of the two
States which it separates. Like all
border sections it is an unending
trouble-night and day, summer
and winter. Inadequate concurrent
Laws and lack of cooperation be-
tween the police of the two States
bring about these results. The Pc.
tomac coald be easily made as val
liable as the James has been. Today
1t Is more prolific, but its usefulness
is greatly impaired by the reasons
stated. The catch there so far this
season is fair and of good quality.
Other bay sections fall, more or
less, under the foregoing synopsis,
according to location.
Mistakes in past grants and in
sufficient police protection on the
ocean side of Accomac and North
ampton make conditions there some !
what similar to the Potomac. But !
man cannot stop the fierce layishness
OF nature there. No section on the
coast can show snch profusion of
good seed. Last years ''strike" was
marvellous; this years is not quite 80
bountiful. Heretofore planters have
not been successful when transferring
seed from the ocean to the bay, but
extremity is causing some of them
this year to again try the experiment.
Commonwealth Attorney S. James
burlington made q record in or;yo;ooJ /