1 62 THE OYSTER. 



beds are our greatest source of wealth, and upon them, 

 more than upon our commerce, our manufactures, or 

 our farming land, the future wealth and prosperity 

 and population of our State depend. 



Every one of us appreciates that it is for his interest 

 to get his little private supply of oysters for home use 

 as cheaply as possible, but scarcely any one, except 

 the oysterman, realizes that this is the least of his in- 

 terests in the matter. If our population were increased 

 fifty-fold, the oysters needed for home consumption 

 would even then be only a small part of the supply 

 which our waters can be made to furnish; and every 

 one who is interested in Maryland, all business men 

 who will be benefited by an increase in wealth and 

 population, all farmers who pay taxes to the State, and 

 all persons who own property here, should awaken to 

 the fact that our greatest source of wealth is almost 

 absolutely undeveloped. 



The wealth which is within the reach of our people 

 and their descendants from the oyster-grounds of the 

 State is great, almost beyond expression, and it is not 

 too much to affirm that the money value of the grounds 

 under the water is equal to that of the dry land. 



I have attempted to form a rough approximation to 

 the area which is at present occupied by oysters in 

 Maryland, and while, in the absence of exact surveys, 

 the result cannot be regarded as strictly accurate, the 

 conclusions which are given in the following table are 

 certainly not excessive. 



