The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-01-09

pOILIOn UT .lHe SO-Ca1leQ oyster SrOUnQs Il in the state of Connecticut are not
 suited for culture in their present state. Oyster ground of the best qual ity is like every valuable thing, propor- tlonately scarce as to quantity in most localities; but i'll Rhode Island there appears to be a much larger propor- tionate area of good ground thar l elsewhere. It is therefore exception ally valuable. Connecticut is a good producer of the raw material seed oys- l ters and nature in Rhode Island puts
 on the finishing touches. Any raw
 material would be valueless unless it I could be utilized which Connecticut
 could not do without transplanting to l waters outside the state where nature does the perfecting work Connecticut cultivators are enabled to take their steamers and crews there to harvest 1 and cultivate, thus keeping them en- rlcyed. The revenue is circulated in this state. Rough diamonds without | the lapidary's touch would be value
 less the same as. other raw materials
 and in the case of Rhode Island nature
 is the lapidary who converts our crude oysters into a marketable commodity.
 Were it not for the beds in Rhode Isl l and elsewhere outside of this state the oyster production of this state would be almost valueless there being an ex- ceedingly small area suitable for pro-
 
 ticut has not the great bays in which to fatten and mature oysters for mar ket as Rhode Island, New York, Mas sachusetts, New Jersey and other coast states have and in which local ities the bivalves may be produced from the seed to the full grown oys- ter. In those localities they grow from 100 to 300 per cent. faster and planters are not confined to a seed business solely of to 1-2 months annually as are Connecticut planters but are enabled to market their pro- duct continually throughout the year. Without these outside grounds the Connecticut planter will not survive and the state would be loser of an inn portant industry which every other oyster producing state is endeavoring to encourage
 Opinion of MT. Brooks.
 Lewis c. Brooks, the South Norwalk representative of the National Oyster Carrier Company which transports the greater part of the oysters handled in the North and who is in touch with all the oyster producing territory in New England and the Middle states said:
 T also represent the Northport Oys- ter company. I am confident that the Connecticut growers are taxed all they can bear at present. Connecticut is only a seed bed and produces no oysters fit for market. Competition is growing stronger every year and other states are endeavoring to build up the oyster industry. Every state on the Gulf of Mexico is offering en- couraeerent so that the industry may be established there. In the warmer and ShallOWer waters of the south OyS- ters grow faster but they lack the fla vor of the northern product. The north cannot compete in price with the south and nothing should be done which will multiply the difficulties of the Connec- ticut grower on whom nature has al- ready imposed most unfavorable con- ditions which have required much study persistent effort and the ex- penditure of immense sums of money to conquer. No other business in the state is required to tie up capital in a crop for ten years with specula- turn. I have read the Governors and must say that it shows that the executive while perhaps honest in his convictions, is not acquainted with the conditions on which the oyster industry in this state depends. The growers of this state have built. up an industry against great natural obstacles which is the envy of other states and it will be poor policy on the part of it's legis- lators to place any further burdens upon it. The industry brings large sums of money into the state which without it would be entirely lost Grounds in other states, while they do not produce as much seed, produce oys- ters that are fit to market without moving or other attention while the Connecticut grower has to fight from | the time the set comes until the oys- ter is marketed. Drills, stars and 1 wrinkles are enemies which do not trou- ble. growers of other states to the | same degree that they do here.
 Ut is noticeable that the Governor l has neglected to mention the great | natural beds the product of which is 1 now practically wasted. These beds | with a small expenditure could be | made to pay the state an income rel 1 atively much larger than that derived hv Rhode ISland'