Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-10-18
WHY VIRGINIA OYSTER
INDUSTRY HAS DECLINED
Hampton Planter Throws Light
Upon Important Subject Now
Under Discussion.

just happens to suit the oyster. or
whether the oyster adapted himself
to James River. we know not. But
the territory between Deep WAFER
Shoals and Newport News seemed 10
be especially adapted 10 his wants and
up until the eighteenth century he
lived and died unmOlested by the dis
tructiye hand OF man. The oyster. I'M
like all other animals builds his house
on the dead bones OF his dead ances-
tors, and In the course Of few CEN
turtles these small patches Of oysters
have grown to be vast mounds extend
ing in many places above the water
lire at low tide. Each year as crop
Of small oysters attached themselves
and grew on the shells Of their an
cestors. until they. in turn. were
smothered b. still younger crop.
who were reaching their tiny mouths
above the level Of their parents 10
get the richer food. until, alas. we
find them above the water line, but
man steps in at this stage Of his his
tory and by his enormous demand on
, the natural product OF nature. we see
these same rocks. which were cen'if-
les forming, going as the dew on
summer morning. The same laws by
! which these rocks were formed with
out mans assistance are today by
mans interference over balanced
and are helping the rocks to dissap-
pear.
As have said. the young oyster at
: taches itself and grows on the shells
of his ancestors. and by our removing
the crop of young oysters each year
we also remove a layer OF snehS
which the oysters are attached 10.
Then. too, there are a class OF para
sites. who have infested James River
for years, which are commonly called
moonshiners or pirates. These plant
ers, as they term themselves, will
lease a piece Of mud or barren bot.
tom outside the Baylor line ana
which Is ajo.ning or near the natu-
raj rocks, then he will proceed to Is
sue permits to gang OF his class
who will operate On the natural
rocks during the closed season, re-
moving both oysters and shells the
same, and owing to the fact. the Bay
lor line is so irregular It is matter
of impossibility for o:-- police force
to convict them. -.
will relate a case which came be-
fore my observation few falls ago.
which will probably show the readeE-
how hard It is to convict this class
of thieves.
One of our police captains caught
and arrested party who had been
operating on these Rocks, and who
had nearly a deck load of oysters ana
shells on his boat, at the time. Inc
police captain imposed a fine Of 500,
which the party refused to pay. The
case was carried to trial and q few
days later in reply to a question ask
ed " me, said, "Oh, I got clear all
right simply produced my permit
and swore. l caught the oysters on
the ground outside, and that settled
it. THAT permit cost me fifty dollars
a year, and is worth to me. five hun
dred.' -.
So it can t.a easily understood II,
we stop to consider the amount OF
shells taken from our rocks each year
why our oyster seed crop becomes
shorter and shorter.
l was surprised in sounding out a
certain rock at Point of Shoals this
season, to find eleven feet OF water
and broken bottoms. Eight years ago
I tonged this same rock. which Al
that time was but five feet deep and
hard shelly bottom. Think Of it! TINS
rock has gone down s feet in eight
wears. and II is safe to say the rocks
OF James River are from four to SIX
feet deeper today than ten years ago.
and the shells which are on their sur
face and on which We are depending
to catch the spat ere shells which
have been buried for centuries ana
ut one time from to feet befow
the rock surface. and owing to the
fact We do our planting during the
fall. the shells lie undisturbed dur
ing ana after the spring freshets'
which causes settlement Of mud to cor
,ect and settle on the already WORKOUT
shells throughout the spawning sea-
son which is from June until Septem-
her Hence We have no strike.
Now what will BE- the natural con
sequence and outcome OF this once
source of wealth. The muddy settle
ment which comes down the James,
during the freshet seasons, are m
creasing year by year. rs our forests
are decreasing along Is banks
This settlement or muddy deposit
settles on the fat bottoms Of the low
or James. and as soon as these rocks
become level with the other bottom
they viii naturally become mud. ana
the James River oyster instead Of BE-
ing o reality vfII only tc . relic Of
history. This state ~ spending thous-
ands OF dollars annually for the pro
lection Of the oyster; not one penny
Of this money Is spent in cultivation
For Zach dollar she receives in taxes
for barren bottoms. she Is spending
hundreds in trying 10 keep these para