EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 187 



minute vegetable organisms — desmids and diatoms — uponwliicli oysters 

 are now known cliiefly to subsist, and the abundance of suck food no 

 doubt accounts for the rapid growth and characteristic liavor which 

 distinguish these particuhir molhisks. There have been years when 

 an apparent excess of vegetable food has imparted a green coloration 

 to the gills of the oysters, a feature which from time to time has at- 

 tracted mucli attention in oyster circles throughout the country, and 

 which lias been shown to be due to the absorption of the coloring mat- 

 ter of ingested algiie. The winter of 1888-89 was one of the seasons in 

 which the Lynn Haven oysters became thus affected. 



The oyster beds or " coves " in this river are in part leased from the 

 State and in part owned by private individuals. The holdings vary 

 in extent from 2 to 40 acres or more. Semi-professional fishermen 

 usually have from 2 to 5 acres, while the regular j^lauters lease or own 

 30, 40, or more acres. It is interesting to observe that nuich of the 

 oyster land in the vicinity of Church Point, one of the most favorable 

 locations, has been only comparatively recently submerged. Some of 

 the ground is the part of an old graveyard, and even now by wading 

 a man may feel the submerged tombstones. Nearly all persons living 

 on the shores of the river and its multitudinous coves are more or less 

 interested in oyster-culture. In round numbers there are 100 regular 

 planters and asmany more irregular or semi-professional, not including 

 the persons employed in tonging, packing, carting, etc. 



The entire output of the river consists of oysters that have been 

 artificially reared, there being no natural beds. Originally most of the 

 seed oysters in Lynn Haven River were brought from Broad and Link- 

 horn bays, and even at the present time a part of the yearly supply, 

 amounting to 4,000 or 5,000 bushels, comes from those sources, but a 

 considerable quantity is also obtained from the James Eiver and the 

 Chesapeake. To a small extent the i)lanters depend on spat obtained 

 from their own grounds, some '' coves" being apparently better adapted 

 than others for producing native seed. The practicability of sowing 

 shells for the attachment of the spat is fully understood by those planters 

 Avho depend for their supply to some extent on spawning oysters on 

 tlieir own beds, and this method is fidlowed whenever it is desired to 

 collect spat. The seed oysters placed in the river are usually one year 

 old, and are allowed to remain down al>out three years. Oysters raised 

 from the spat are taken up for market when four years old. Some oys- 

 ters, destined for special trade, are left down five or six years, and reach 

 the excei)tionally large size for which the " Lynn Havens " are noted. 



In recent years the ruling ])rice for Lynn Haven oysters at first hands 

 has been about $2.50 per bushel, regardless of size. Small quantities of 

 speciallylarge oysters often bring $3 or $3.50per bushel. In 1887 26,000 

 bushels of oysters were reported to be on the beds in the Lynn Haven 

 Eiver, of which 9,500 bushels were taken up and sold, yielding $23,750. 

 The following year there were 42,000 bushels on the grounds, and of 



