Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-10-02
THE OYSTER SITUATION.
Virginia Conditions = Intelligent
Views throughout the State.

Fish are more abundant here and oys-
tiers are in good condition and well flaw
ored. -Westmoreland Corr. Northern
Neck News.
The ''set" has been abundant all
along the Atlantic Coast: in some sec
tons it has been phenomenal in quantity
and quality. Private planters have had
an unusual catch, and many of the nat
ural beds have an abundance of spat. =
The Oysterman.
The oystermen report the catch on the
rocks fairly good-slight improvement
over last year. The rocks are full Of
undersize oysters, which. if protected
this year, will be ready for market.
Now is the time for the inspec-
tors to put in their good work, and en-
force the law to the very limit. The
market opened at 40 and 45 cents per
bushel. Sentinel, Urbanna.
The foregoing are true Of their local.
ties-lower Potomac, seaside and Rap
pahannock. The increasing prolific
ness on the Rappahannock has extend
ed into the creeks and estuaries, Corroto-
man river and Carriers Greek affording
a field for longing surprising recent
years. The rains and mud have
killed many rocks throughout the seed
beds of the upper Potomac and upper
James, thing often recurring. Mary
land has suffered more than Virginia
from the freshets this year, reports in
dicating that all the oysters are dead
in the upper Chesapeake Bay.
In the lower Potomac and lower James
conditions compare favorably with last
year, and better than the year before.
The report of few itinerant tongers
from Saxis, that all the oysters were
dead in the James, is entirely without
foundation. More boats from over
the State fiocked into the James at the
opening of this season than ever before.
The oyster police force was increased
and greater vigilance preserved. These
things, with stormy weather, disheart-
ened the visiting tongers and they left
for other places, chiefly Pocomoke
Sound. In the latter place, which was
barren three years ago, the fleets that
heretofore fiocked to the James and
Potomac are finding better results thar
even the James and Potomac have af.
forded for years. In consequence OF
this, steamers, in addition to the sail anC
gasoline patrols, were early sent to rig.
idly police the Pocomoke. In the James
the Potomac and Pocomoke Sound, and
throughout the entire oyster region
the police forces were increased this
summer and there were practically NJ
depredations. Some small stuff wa.
sold at 10 or Is cents q bushel thi,
summer on the James but it came from
private beds 1t was trashy, and the
hard times forced the sales.
Aside from the damage noted by Ma
ture, the oyster rocks of Virginia have
been better guarded and preserved thar
heretofore. The Commission of Fisherie.
cannot forestall Providence, nor can Il
overcome the effect of DR.. Wylie's
polluted oyster" scare or hope to cope
with Republican panic.s prosperity
that was disastrous to the oyster market
last year and foreshadowing similar con.
ditions during the present season.
In the James below the seed line there
are more oysters being caught than there
is demand for. as attested by prices
being down to 20 and 80 cents as against
80 and 40 cents this time last year.