THE OYSTER. 



207 



small oysters into other States. I have tried to gather 

 information as to the extent to which this is practiced, 

 but it is difficult to obtain exact statistics. 



In discussing this subject we must bear in mind the 

 fact that Northern fishermen or boats are not allowed 

 to catch oysters in our waters, and that the industry 

 contributes to our State treasury and gives employment 

 to our people ; for all the oysters which are exported 

 for planting must be purchased from our licensed 

 fishermen. Any person who lawfully owns oysters 

 clearly has the right to dispose of them in the best 

 market, and nothing can be done directly to prevent our 

 oystermen from selling to Northern planters when it is 

 to their interest to do so. 



So far as the exported oysters are mature and mar- 

 ketable for food, it is obviously to our interest to en- 

 courage the business, which is perfectly legitimate. 



The only ground upon which the practice can be 

 objected to is, that it leads to the sale by our people of 

 oysters which would be much more valuable to them 

 if they could be kept in our own waters until they 

 reached maturity. Oysters which cost the Delaware 

 planters twenty-five cents per bushel are resold in a 

 few months for eighty cents per bushel, and many of 

 them are bought by Maryland packers. The policy 

 of allowing our impoverished beds to enrich the citi- 

 zens of another State is an unwise one, but it is proper 

 to point out the fact that there is no reason why our 

 own people should not themselves have this profit of 

 55 cents a bushel. 



