Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-01-28

pose except To protect the rights Of
the mas who cnnnot muster enough
capital to buy power boat. II will
be interesting to notice whether this
regime will be able to hold out against
Northern competition and the incur
sions or Northern capital
The Chesapeake Bay and its nu-
merouS tributaries constitute one OF
the richest bits OF water In the world
More rivers pour their yearly tribute
OF rich alluvial soil into the Chcsa.
pcakc Bay than into any other bay of
like length of shoreliuc. 1t is this
deep layer OF nourishing soil that sup
ports Il heavy growth OF marine plan,
and animal life upon which iisn.
oysters and Wild fowl flourish and fat
ten.
The Chesapeake region has long been
horn OF plenty. seemingly mex
hhustible. Not only does IL produce
ROOD in greater quantities than almost
any other waters known to man. but
It's oysters. its Shad aud it's canvas.
pack duck have II nation wide fame
Tor their superior navUrs.
Products Were Abundant.
80 abundant were tho products OF
the Chesapeake tina: Il supported tho
growth OF good sized cities upon its
Shores. and heavy expectations Of us
products without any apparent diminu.
non VI the supply. II was not untl
1880 that the State OF Virginia awuk,
10 The need OF protecting its oyster
INDUSTRY at all. Since then one law
AFTER another has been passed for the
Lekuialioh and protection Of the in.
uuStry. and tho laws have come none
w Soon. y crow ding population l.
threatening at last to exhaust the
bounty or the Chesapeake. Nothing
but the Federal migratory bird law has
saFed the Wild fowl from destruction.
lhr shad T. once swarmcd up all
OF INC tributary rivers arc coming in
smaller numbers every wear Tn,
oysters would doubtless have been next
10 go careful legislation and the In
reduction Of dccp-w water planting have
probably saved them
MS uecD- water planting In rhcsa.
peake BAY is practically untou,boa
neid Tor enterprise and capital. Tho.
is one large operator in In. field who
mas taken w 100000 bushels OF oys,ers
OF MS own planting this year. ana
.nree othcr concerns have applied fn,.
''ooo acres Of ocean bottom each TIA,
AZ present. is the extent or tho indus
pom It's growth. the future or
me chesapeake oyster is probahlv y,
pendent. for tho natural :rowth nm,
me rocks has slowly diminished
u YOU want Z" go into oyster farm.
ing YOU rent from the State Az MAI,
acres an YOU think YOU can handle "a,
30 cents an acre. Then YOU go M tn.
lanes or the Potomac. or any OF ,ho
from the fishermen al 10 TO - cents :,
bushel.
Planting Is Expensive.
saturday. this is considerable in
Nes'ment. and the planting Of the oys
ters is also expensive Fur,hcrrorc
you nave 10 wait two years FOR the
HouhE oysters 10 grow up Eut. II
'heF nave thriven. and !, is "a good
year Tor oysters. your prom, VIII b.
handsome
tn" coalition OF the oyster IS tho
unknown element IL, the business
whether YOU are planting them or
taking them on the rocks sometime.
oysters Will shuc< only four rounds 10
INC oushei. while at others they Will
E'e'o rs much as sin Al the former
fRure. ~ scarcely PAYS to htndi. them.
while at the latter they Al. extremely
profitable.
JUST what INFLUENCE the weigh, OF
INC oyster - u y~tcry even To oyster:
men, but they iicvc that IL is pri-
maril! the condition OF the watci.
which must be neither too fresh nor
100 salt Thus, up the brackish rivers
which are tributary 20 the Chesapeake,
the oysters never grow to : large size.
because the water * not sal, enough
Ana when heavy northeast winds and
high tides bring too much salt water
into the bay i, makes II poor year for
oysters. The weather. therefore, al
ways injccts AN element Of luck into
the oyster business.
Aside from that, however. YOU must
choose Just tho right ,lacc 10 plan,
your oysters. or they Will not thrive
A large amount OF capital was lost not
long ag" in an effort 10 raise oysters
OF the Georgia coast in waters that
seemed ideal. TO he an oystc" farmer
you must be capitalist. a gambler
and an ichthyoloEist.
has been sunk. according 10 reports re-