18G REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF IISII AND FISHERIES. 



waters, aiul s(»m(' oft lie Baltimore packers establislied houses in that 

 Stati'. The new Maryland ''cull la\v,'' rcfinirinsthe return to the water 

 of all oysteis less than 2A iiiehes in length, materially reduced the out- 

 l)ut and was (lie, i»rincii)al cause of the scarcity of oysters for sliu(;king 

 purposes. 



The oyster-pae-king' industry of Norfolk and the adjacent city of 

 Portsmouth had the followin.o- extent in the calendar year LS90. The 

 season of 1800-91 was not over at the time of the inquiry, and no statis- 

 tics for tliat time couhl be obtaiiunl; it is known, however tJiat the 

 business was considerably larger than is shown \iy the lii^ures. 



Niimhor of firms 



Number of fin])loy68 



\'aluo of Imildinjis, niaohincTy, tools, ft* 



CiihIi caiiituil -• 



JJtlshels (if nysti'is l)Oiight 



Cost of samn 



Cost of oju'iiinf; and jiackins 



Gallons ol' slmclvt^d' oysters sold 



ValuL' rcrcivrd 



(jToss jirolits of tlio trade 



1, 



$30« 



$'.14 



1,897 



$l,04:i 



$317 



1, 385 



$1, 454 



$'J3 



24 



C05 

 125 

 800 

 871 

 829 

 060 

 307 

 57^ 

 G83 



Durinji' the year 1890 the average price paid by the packers for theoys- 

 tersiitilized wasbetween 50 and OOceiits a bushel. The shucked oysters 

 liad an average value of $1.05 a gallon, the latter measure representing 

 about 1* bushels. 



AVhile at Norfolk, the methods of oyster-culture pursued in Lynn 

 Haven River were studied, and a knowledge was acquired of the c<ni- 

 ditions to which the celebrated oysters there reared are subject. Lynn 

 Haven Tiiver empties into the Ohesai)eake Bay about 5 miles from 

 Cape Henry and 12 miles in an air line from Norfolk. The river has 

 two main arms and extends inland fin- about 5 miles. On the east it is 

 connected by an exceedingly long and narrow thoroughfare with Broad 

 Bay, which, ill turn, joins Linkhorn Bay. Owing to the very sliglit 

 rise of tide which occurs in these bays, they can not be utilized for 

 planting purposes, as the oysters will not fatten and thrive under sncli 

 <;on<litions, and ihoy sim])ly serve as natural seed beds. The river has 

 long been the scene of oyster-raising, ami of late has come into ju'omi- 

 nent notice on account of the fine grade of oysters that have been 

 ship|>e(l from tJiis jjlacc, known to the trade as "Lynn Haven liays," 

 or " Lynn Ilaxcns," which deservedly rank among tlie finest st(>ck now 

 placed on the market. As early as seventy- five years ago oysters were 

 planted in the river, and ihe business may be considered to have been 

 permanently established lilt}' years ago, since which time it has grad. 

 ually increased in extent and im])ortance. 



Tlie fresh-water streams emptying into th(» Lynn Haven River are 

 of small size and do not carry a sufiicient volume of water to affect, 

 except in a minor degree, the salinity of the river, which is .said to be 

 almost as pronounced as that of the adjoining waters of the Chesapeake 

 Bay. Conditions exist apparently liivorable to the development of 



