Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-12-24
REAL OYSTERS.
Those Of 5cder'. ~~A Malpeque Bays
Canada.

The oysters of Bedeque and Malpe-
que Bays, Prince Edward Island, were
SO delectable that men who consumed
, them before dinner. according TO Blli-
lat Savarin's counsel. "eat oysters till
you are hungry are said to nave
grown increasingly ravenous for moth
ing but more of the same. with the
logical, Inevitable consequence that
they persisted at once of repletion and
hunger. At least that was alleged by
DIR. Andrew Macrhail, a ?. Z. I. au-
thority, now editor of the University
Magazine, Montreal The only safe
plan for using them was to nave not
more than ten dozen available for each
person as q Whet. After the stock had
been consumed it was possible to quell
the appetites rage by stocking with
turkey, beef, mutton, etc, Tor some
diligent hours. This accounts Tor the
great size and strength of Z. h. L.
people, whose assimi'ative powers were
, perfected by their regimen.
Lest they should be tempted to aban-
don all other occupations for oyster
eating, they sold large drafts from
their catch. Hence it was possiple.
fifteen years ago, to buy Bedeques at
$3.50 per -four barrel-full. and Malpe-
CUES at SO. Now you can't get the for
mer sort at any price. since Eedeque
Bay has been fished out. The Malpe-
uues are so Scarce that they fetch. $l3
small barrel of but two and one-halt
bushels. An eminent Ottawa civil SER
, want, who was privileged to receive one
of these barrels about month ago.
had need Of two policemen 10 guard
his cellar from other civil servants,
after the news went about the de-
partments They We're not only It'd
bits, but curiosities. since the bay was
supposed to have yielded none this
year or last.
| In 1907 its crop was officially reported
| at only 400 barrels, though it gave 81
900 in 1892. Other T. E. l. fields
Grand River, Richmond Bay, Travel
ers Rest, yield declining CROPS The
| tale is similarly sad for every Cana
| dian maritime province. In 1885 New
Brunswick produced $4,000 barrels, and
| but 1880 two years ago. In lSeI T.
E. T. sold over $1,000 barrels, and only
| 97nO in 1908. Nova Scotia'S yield icll
from 1918 barrels in 1889 TO 1887 year
before last British Columbia got 3d.
900 barrels in 1889. and but 1900 two
| wears ago. The average getter's price
| fer all Canadian oysters rose from s.
per barrel. to 81 between 1890 and 1905
and that for all r. T.. L. breeds from
| So to over 81.
Mr.. Warburton, i Prince Edward Is
| land member OF Parliament. VINO
called attention to these facts IN the
| Ottawa Parliament this week, pre-
diets that no Canadian oysters Will
| bless the world some few years from
now, unless the remaining stock be
protected on natural beds. and dis
seminated on various available grounds
where oysters We're not INDIGENOUS.
How to protect and disseminate is D
problem much complicated, because
the bottoms of provincial estuarieS and
bays belong to provincial govern
merits, while the fisheries jurisdiction
pertains to the Federal or Ottawa au-
tnority. The two Powers have not
worked together for oyster promotion.
and il seems difficult to get them to
do SO. EXrerience i'll France, Louisl-
ana. Connecticut, Virginia, New York.
etc. has proved that the only way TO
secure a constant and abundant oys-
ter crop is to sell or lease suitable
ground to oyster-farming individuals
or companies. and then to- protect the
owner or lessor i'll monopoly OF his 10
cation. A Canadian province can sell
or lease tract of bottom. but cam
not secure 4 monorolv to the taker,
because the Dominion Government S
fisheries are property common to all.
This authority can establish close
seasons for oysters. but that is worse
than no use, since the effect is to
cause many scoopers to hasten to take
as many oysters in day or TWO at
beginning of the open season as would
be taken in two or three weeks OF
months if there were no close season.