The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1907-04-12
OYSTER CULTURE.

The following interesting article is
from the New York Fish Protective
and Game Commission report of 1905.
Upward Of thirty thousand acres in
New York State waters, most Of
which was formerly waste land, have
been granted by the State for shell
fish cultivation. The separate tracts
have been surveyed by the State Sur
veyor of oyster lands and for the pur
pose of preserving the records OF
boundaries, accurate maps have been
made and during a series of years
have accumulated Until these maps
with the notes Of surveys, constitute
a mass of records of great and per-
manent value to the State and to the
shell 6sh planters.
During the year 1905 leases of land
amounting to 1929 acres have been
granted. 10 addition to this, about
500 acres are IN process OF being
leased, making an increase during the
year Of 2, l29 acres.
Under a system of State control
lands under water are granted to oys.
ter planters ut Q fixed rental. The
planters are encouraged to make every
effort and adopt every improvement
which may be expected to increase the
quantity and improve the quality OF
The oysters. Millions OF dollars are
now invested in the industry. Each
planter may know his own tract and
feel that he is protected in his proper
ty rights. Without known and visi-
BILE lines and boundaries, punishment
for the larceny of planted oysters
could hardly be depended upon. The
maintenance OF the State control sys.
ten has resulted in the growth of an
immense industry, furnishing direct
employ ment to thousands OF men and
a livelihood to many more thousands,
constituting their families and de-
pendents. There are two classes OF
oyster planters The first is represent
ed by the poor laymsn who, without
capital cultivates a small piece of
ground by his individual labor, with
possibly the assistance Of some mem
Der of his family or of a similarly sit
uated "partner." There are many
hundreds OF these who by arduous toll,
while subjected to constant hardship
and exposure, manage to wrest from
the sand and mud of our bays and
harbors frugal livelihood for them.
selves and families. The members OF
this type are constantly increasing.
Second, the planter with capital sutf1-
cient to enable him to use every de.
Vice and appliance necessary or con
venient to large operations, including
the employment Of we'll manned steam.
ers equipped with steam dredges, to,
gether with extensive oyster houses
where oysters are opened or otherwise
prepared for Shipment and from
whence the product is sent through.
out the country, and indeed to all
parts of the civilized world.
The planter begins his work Of cul
tivation when the young oyster has
completed the first, or freeswimming,
stage of its existence and attaches it,
self to the oyster bed; or, rather his
work antidates this period, for he
must prepare the bed and have it
swept and garnished and made suita.
BILE or the minute oyster will have
none of it. The uncertainties of the
business TO the planter are apparent.
The spawn Of the oysters on his own
grounds may he carried miles away
by the currents. while set upon his
lands comes from unknown quarters
or he may fail entirely to get set
with the result that the money spent
by him in preparing the beds has
actually been thrown away.
The planter at the proper season
carefully cleans the beds by scrsping
ever them with dredges and tests the
b ,ttom. 80 that he may have full in.
formation of it's character and for ina.
ton. Oysters cannet live in mud or
slime. they require a clean gritty
surface. He then, selecting those por
tions of his lands which be has found |
suitable, spreads over the bottom a
covering of shells, which have been
cleaned and dried, or strews it with
clean broken stone. This is done in
the early summer just prior to the
spawning season. Sometimes the ex.
pertinent of placing upon the beds
large oysters, called "spawners" which
are ready to exude their eggs and milt
is tried, but the oyster set may be said