THE OYSTER. 1 99 



for myself that your oysters are not as fine and sub- 

 stantial as they used to be. You tell me that you buy 

 Virginia and North Carolina oysters, although your 

 own beds are right here at home. Now I should like 

 to know whether the waters of Maryland are not as 

 fit for growing oysters as those of other States ? " 



" Most certainly they are," answered the packer. 

 " We all know that our waters are capable of producing 

 the finest oysters in the world in immeasurable abund- 

 ance. Like all citizens of Maryland, I am very proud 

 of this great natural resource, and I regard our oyster 

 grounds as by far the most valuable land in our State." 



** What is the trouble ? Is the demand too great 

 to be supplied from your own waters ? " 



" That is a difficult question to answer in a word. 

 For some time past the demand has exceeded the sup- 

 ply from the natural beds, which formerly gave us all 

 the oysters we needed ; and as the eating-houses and 

 the private consumers in the city take all the best, I am 

 forced to send my customers oysters too young to be 

 palatable and nutritious. But the demand from all 

 sources has never reached anything like the amount 

 which our oyster-beds might easily be made to yield." 



" I cannot make your two statements agree. The 

 sale and consumption of immature oysters seem to 

 me like mowing down young wheat to make hay. 

 Why is nothing done to increase the supply ? I am 

 told that in Delaware and New Jersey, in Rhode 

 Island and in other States which have no great 

 natural advantages, such, as you claim for Maryland, 

 the value of the natural supply has been very much 

 increased by placing the young * seed ' oysters on 



