The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1907-04-12
New York Fish Protective and Game
Commission Report of 1906.

Upward of thirty thousand acres in
New York State waters, most of which
was formerly waste land, have been grant
ed by the State for shellfish cultivation.
The separate tracts have been surveyed by
the State surveyor of oyster lands and for
the purpose of preserving the records of
boundaries, accurate maps have been made
and during series of years have accumu-
lated until these maps with the notes of
surveys, constitute mass of records of
great and permanent value to the State
and to the shellfsh planters.
During the year 1905 leases of land
amounting to 1926 acres have been
granted. In addition to this, about 500
acres are in process of being leased, max
ing an increase during the year of 2129
acres.
Under system of State control lands
under water are granted to oyster planters
at fixed rental. The planters are en-.
couraged 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 property rights.
Without known and visible lines and
boundaries, punishment for the larceny of
planted oysters could hardly be depended
upon. The maintenance of the State
control system has resulted in the growth
OF an immense industry, furnishing direct
employment to thousands of men and
livelihood to many more thousands, consti-
tuting their families and dependents. There
are two classes of oyster planters The
first is represented by the poor layman
who, without capital, cultivates small
piece of ground by his individual labor,
with possibly the assistance of some men,
Der Of his family Or of a similarly situated
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 a frugal livelihood for
themselves and families. The numbers of
this type are constantly increasing. Seo-
ond, the planter with capital sufficient to
enable him to use every device and appli-
ance necessary or convenient to large oper-
ations, including the employment of we'll
manned steamers equipped with steam
dredges, together with extensive oyster
houses where oysters are opened or other.
wise prepared for shipment and from
whence the product is sent throughout the
country and indeed to all parts of the civ
ilized world.
The planter begins his work of cultiva-
ton when the young oyster has completed
the first, or free swimming, stage of its ex-
istence and attaches itself 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
suitable or the minute oyster will have
none Of it. The uncertainties of the bust
ness to the planter are apparent. The
spawn Of the oysters on his own grounds
may be carried miles away by the currents
while set upon his lands comes from un-
known 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 scraping over them with dredges
and tests the bottom so that he may have
full information of its character and forma-
ton. Oysters cannot live in mud or slime.
They require clean, gritty surface. He
then, selecting those portions of his lands
which he 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 spawn
ing season. Sometimes the experiment 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 to be like the wind, "None
can tell whence it cometh."
AS may be imagined, the planters anx-
iously watch for the first indications Of a
set of young oysters, and when it is defn-
itely determined that there is indeed good
set, their joy may be said to be full, for
an abundant set of young oysters means
replenishment of stock which may be made
to extend over several years of dearth Of
set. A satisfactory set of oysters is not
by any means circumstance of annual
occurrence From the summer of 1899 to
that of 1904 there was no general set in
New York. Here and there, in little
spots, set was found, but not enough to
ease the situation materially; but the
bountiful set of 1904, followed by another
satisfactory one in 1905, has delivered the
planters from their chief difficulty.