Smyrna times., 1915-10-13
STATE OYSTER INDUSTRY
ASSET OF IMPORTANCE
DELAWARE DERIVES NEARLY A
MILLION DOLLARS REVENUE
Captain Howard NJ. Buckson Predicts
Successful Season for Ovstermen.
State Has Many Oyster Beds

Successful Season for Ovstermen.
State Has Many Oyster Beds
Lovers Of that delicious bivalve. !
the oyster. will be delightei to hear
that to Judge from the present indica-
tions the Delaware Bay oysters this /.
year will be better than for the past I
five or six years. Captain Howard /
NJ. BueksOn. of Dover. former COM |
mander Of the Guardboat Pennewill. !
and who is perhaps as well acqusinted /
with the oyster industry as any other
man on the Delmaryia Peninsula,
stated recently that the prospects are
unusually good for oysters this year.
Captain Buekson explained that for
several years the quality of the oys-
tiers taken from the Delaware oyster
beds has been slightly inferior to
that of oysters from other States.
making it difficult for the Delaware
oysterman to compete in the big city
markets. The condition will not exist
this year. however, as Captain Buck
son declares the Delaware oyster. is
superior in quality this season than
for the past six years, and will com
pare favorably with any oyster in
the markets.
Oyster Industry Valuable
Few people in Delaware realize
what wonderful strides our oyster
industry has made in recent years.
Only a few years ago nearly 1000
new acres of oyster grounds were
discovered in the Delaware Bay, start
ing eight miles east and southeast Of
Dover. which have been developed
and are highly productive. Other
new grounds have since been diseov-
cred. causing a great increase in the
States oyster business and opening a
field for young oystermen, more boats
and more labor. II was estimated
three years ago that Delaware's oys-
ter beds were worth S700, 900, and
il is believed that the figure is closer
to a million dollars to-day. The de-
mand in the Philadelphia and other
, nothern markets for the Delaware
e Bay Primes is as great rs for any
I oyster grown in this country. not
even excepting the Maurice River
t Cove oysters. and they command the
: best of prices. The fact that the
!. bivslves are in unusually good con-
5 dition this year should mean a
I profitable season for the oystermen.
Many Tong For Oysters
p The Delaware oyster grounds now
$ extend from q point nearly q mile
e above Lepisic to several hundred feet
II south of Bowers Beach. the beds
d stretching miles out into the bay
.e through shallow water. Oysterinl
n for planters who lease their grounC
ie begins about September 1st, unless
le the season be unusually warm, while
Is the natural rocks''are open for gen
ersl taking by licensed boats on Oct.
ober 1st. Many persons began early
Friday morning. despite the rain, {
gather in the bivalves from the nat
I'd ursl deposits. both by hand and wit
tongs. The oyster season in the Mis-
v pilion River also opened Frida
" morning. under the Dela0 are laws
n. and many oystermen in that vicinit
ms were out early with their long tongs
m The Mispillion oyster beds, however
on are not believed TO be as productiv
ne as the great beds along the bayshore
Industry Began in 1856
~ The oyster industry in Delawal
a practically began about 1865, whe
re Captain David c. Montgomery. the
10 a resident of Philadelphia, conceivs
on he idea that the west shore of the De
law aware Bay was an IDEAL place TO sta
n the planting Of osyters. and from CT
natural rock he planted thirteen dec
loads Of oysters. or about q. 600 busI
els. This encouraged others. and SOC
OF there were host Of oyster plsnte
70 on the scene. and the number is /
W. eressing each year. Captain Mon
;oo gomery located at Little Greek. ne
Dor Dover, in 1865. and still resid
Atn there. He is now an octogenaris
tn' and has retired from active work
ly- an oysterman. but he is still great
ell interested in the oyster business al
ow is always ready TO render any ASST
OF tance that lies within his power
OF promote the industry.
Ie;
AT Revenue For State
at The State also derives considerat
revenue from the leasing Of the oysi
grounds, which are owned by {