I 



SIXTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 53 



NORTH CAROLINA ENCOURAGEMENT TO 

 SHELLFISH CULTURE. 



BY S. (;. WORTH (recent STATE COMMISSIONER). 



Mr. President — The subject to whicii I desire to direct the 

 attention of the Association is the new oyster law of my native 

 State, Nortli Carolina. When, four years ago, I met Lieut. 

 Francis Winslow urging before this body the adoption of a re- 

 solution declaring in favor of private ownership of oyster bot- 

 tom, I became impressed with his views, and brought about, after 

 months of ceaseless work, the passage of a resolution in the 

 North Caroline Legislature of 1885, instructing the State Board 

 of Agriculture to expend $2,000 on a survey of the oyster area, 

 looking to the adoption of the principle of ownership in fee 

 simple. Accordingly tlie work was done, and two years later, 

 in the session of January-February, 1887, in consequence of the 

 able report of Lieut. Winslow, an act was passed which puts on 

 sale, at twenty-five cents an acre, nearly a million acres. 



Owing to apprehensions of assemblymen, lest too big a step 

 should be taken at once, the bottom within two miles of the 

 shore was exempted from the general provisions of the act and 

 left under jurisdiction of the several counties, but the main body 

 of Pamlico Sound and much additional area was put on sale, 

 except the well established natural beds. These, as public beds, 

 were exempted and still remain the common property of the 

 people. Under laws operative prior to the new act, no person 

 could own more than ten acres in a county, and as a consequence 

 the limited areas precluded the use of dredges and restrained 

 healthy growth. Under the new act a person can own any 

 amcjunt up to a square mile. Tiie new law is regarded by the 

 press of North Carolina as an advanced movement, and as the 

 law found its origin in a meeting of this body, I now gladly lay 

 it before you entire, with all that may be good or bad in it, and 

 invite friendlv criticism froiri members practically experienced 

 in such legislation, looking to modifications which may be sug- 

 gested to the next General Assembly in the interest of the people 

 at large. 



