The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-02-02

measures for limiting the supply. For
instance, there has been legislation
by means of which close seasons have
been established. or the size of the
shell-f1sh that may be taken limited,
ETC., the idea apparently being to
conserve the supply. But would it
not be better to increase the supply
by encouraging the planters to culti-
vate the many thousands Of acres in
the State available for this purpose?
The objection to granting leases in
certain localities has been made that
at one time (however rernote) nat
ural beds of oysters existed, and that
perhaps, If the grounds were allowed
to remain idle they might be revivi-
fed and the natural growthers again
have an opportunity to gather the
product If this reasoning were good,
it is still true that the exhaustive
methods of working which in time
past denuded the lands would, if used
again, produce a similar result"
The actual condition, therefore, of
the Connecticut natural beds is that
only four out of the nine are consid-
cred to be of sufficient Importance to
buoy. and of these only a small part
of the acreage is now productive. The
continuation Of the present method Of
use would soon result, undoubtedly
in complete impoverishment of these
beds.
On the other hand change in the
policy by the, State towards these
beds and the adoption of the leasing
system will give an opportunity for
the development of these natural oys
reproducing areas, following the sci
entffic method used by the private
owners, until they would become the
largest producing and most valuable
oyster grounds in Long Island Sound.
There is an oysterman's story to
the effect that one man offered $780,
600 per year as an annual rental for
one of the more prolific of the nat
ural beds for a term of five years.
While this may be an eXaggeratfon.
nevertheless it is an indication of the
appreciation. of the, possibilities Of the
DEVELOPMENT of such ground by those
sufficiently skillful and experienced to
bring it about.
The humber of days spent working
on the ground ranged from Is to ESQ
with an average Of SO days.
The total number Of bushels taken
off in one year by any one person
ranged from $50 to 1000, or a total
of 51,SSS bushels, being an average
of 1,05S.9 bushels to each person.
The total number of bushels Of oys-
tiers taken from the ground in five
erage OF, 4,953.1 bushels for each per-
son, during five years.
The prices received per bushel for
sale of the oysters ranged from 20
O.
$50 cents for busheL. M
The receipts per year, person. were
reported to be from $3.50 to an al
legged S2,550.00, a total of s26,557.05,
or an average of $603.56 to each per-
son.
OF all the oysters taken from the
natural beds those reporting showed
total as being sold to parties outside
of the State. Ten of the natural
growthers claimed to plant the whole
or part of the seed which they
caught.
The reports summarized above rep
resented only about a quarter of all
the natural growthers whose names
are listed by the Shell-Fish Commits
sioners. 1t is probable that these
are the most successful persons en-
gagged in this industry, and that If
the other three-fourths could have
reported they would have shown
small results in every way, and would
have reduced the averages and re-
ceipts, as given above, to large ex-
tent. This is a definitet indication
of the comparative small benefit of
natural beds to large number of
natural growthers.
The industry itself is certainly
somewhat of gamble and, as such,
lures many persons to take out IL
cense, in the hope that they will be
lucky and draw a prize, but while a
few are able to make good days
wages, a very large number, probably,
would be much better off to continue
at some definite employment which
would bring them at least 50 per day.
The leasing of ground in small
areas will give an opportunity for
those of the natural growthers who
are really oystermen to engage in the
business for themselves; cultivate the
ground; produce satisfactory pro-
duct and derive a very much larger
financial benefit than under the pres
ent conditions
This Board recommends, therefore,
that the natural beds within the ter
ritory described in section 1913 Of
the General Statutes be abolished and
such territory be leased to citizens of
tons:
Term of lease should not exceed ten
years, with the privilege of renewal
for another period of ten years. No
lease should be made to any one per-
son, individually, or any one person
connected with or in the employ
ment of any firm or corporation, for
more than twenty-five acres. Pref
erence should be given in granting
leases to those persons who for the
past five years. consecutively have
held their licenses to work on the
natural beds and who live in the To-
catity bordering on such beds. 1t
should be provided that no lease
should be transferred or assigned. and
in the event of death or termination
the lease should be surrendered. IL
would seem that an annual rental of
81 per acre in addition to a produce
tiyity tax of at least two cents per
bushel would be an entirely reason