244 FISH-CULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 
the oyster interests, rather than legislation having a contrary 
effect. 
Lieut. WinsLow: Please explain how a resolution which is an 
incentive to individual cultivation of oyster area or propagation 
of oysters, and to an increase of the oyster supply of the market, 
is likely to result disastrously. 
Mr. Earti: The resolution urges the principle of private own- 
ership of oyster beds, and does not exclude the natural beds from 
such control. The natural beds in the South are capable of fur- 
nishing many more oysters than are now taken. If the princi- 
ple of private ownership were adopted here, the best beds would 
naturally come under the control of individuals, who could 
neither utilize them, nor allow their less fortunate neighbors to 
do so without charge. Many of the poorer fishermen would be 
thus shut out from the best localities, and would be put to in- 
convenience in being obliged to go further from home to obtain 
a supply. In addition, many of the farmers living five to twenty 
miles from the shore, who now make occasional visits to the 
coast to gather a supply of oysters for distribution among their 
neighbors, would meet with opposition from the oyster monop- 
olists, and a large quantity of food would thus be lést to the 
country. 
I believe that, as a rule, it is not best to introduce the principle 
of private ownership until the national supply of oysters is en- 
dangered; and even then it would seem unwise to give a man 
_control over more ground than he is willing to keep up to its full 
limit of production, and work regularly. 
Mr. Pike: I heartily concur in both the preamble and the res- 
olution. I do this not alone theoretically, but from practical 
experience. 
As I understand the resolution, it is not designed to exclude 
those who get their living from the natural beds; but simply to 
encourage private enterprise and systematic effort to develop 
the growth of oysters where they. are obviously disappearing. 
This can be done without interfering with the natural beds to 
any serious extent. There is room enough for both classes of 
oystermen to work, and work profitably. The States of Mary- 
