[43] 



FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



227 



"Tonging," that is, taking oysters by tongs, is permitted at any 

 point, and small tracts of bottom, contiguous to the land of the person 

 desiring to plant or cultivate oysters, may be secured for that purpose ; 

 very little in that line is, however, attempted. 



Virginia. — This State has also extensive natural oyster beds, and, 

 consequently, but little attention is given to planting and cultivation. 

 Dredging is no longer allowed, but the law on that point is frequently 

 disregarded by the lawless dredging vessels of the bay. A certain 

 amount of a rude species of cultivation is carried on, consisting merely in 

 transplanting oysters from one locality to another, but the yield is incon- 

 siderable when compared with that of the natural beds. These, like the 

 Maryland areas, are fast being exhausted by the excessive fishery. No 

 li fishery force" is maintained, and the law is enforced by local peace 

 officers, occasionally assisted by the militia of the State. 



None of the remaining Southern States are important oyster centers. 

 The fishery is confined to supplying the local demands, and no packing 

 or canning is attempted. As a general thing the natural beds afford 

 as many oysters, and those of as good a quality, as is desired. In the 

 neighborhood of Charleston, South Carolina, Mobile, Alabama, New 

 Orleans, Louisiana, and Galveston, Texas, a rude system of cultivation, 

 similar to that of Virginia, is carried on to a limited extent. 



On the Pacific coast, cultivators have made many attempts to intro- 

 duce the Eastern oyster or that from Mexican waters, but without ma- 

 terial success. The Eastern variety will live and increase in size, but 

 does not breed, and unless the supply is continually augmented by 

 fresh importations from the East the planted beds gradually die out. 



The following statistical summary from the United States Census 

 Eeport shows the volume of the oyster industry of the whole country. 



Table showing, by States, the persons employed, capital invested, and value of products in the 



oyster industry. 





Grand total. 



Persons em- 

 ployed. 



Apparatus and capital. 



States. 



m 



§ 



CO 



■- . 

 CO -3 

 ft S3 



c° 

 u ft 



8 a 



r 



3 



Bushels of oysters 

 produced. 



Value of oysters as 

 sold. 



a 



CD 



B 



a 



m 



d 



ID 



a 



m 

 o 



Total capital in- 

 vested in oyster 

 industry. 



m 



"o 

 m 



GQ 



> 

 cm 

 O 



U 

 f 



Value of vessels. 



Total 



52,805 22,195,370 $13,438,852 



38, 249 



14, 556 



$10, 583, 295 



4,155 



$3, 528, 700 







Maine 



New Hampshire- . . 

 Massachusetts 



15 



9 



896 



650 



1,006 



2,724 



2,917 







! a37,500 



1,000 6,050 



36,000 ! 405,550 



163,200 1 SRfi 9'3<i 



5 

 6 



409 



300 



672 



1,958 



2,605 



10 

 3 

 487 

 350 

 334 

 766 

 312 



4,210 

 2 400 



1 



3,000 



303, 175 



110, 000 



301, 200 



1,013,000 



1, 057, 000 







56 



227, 000 



Connecticut 



New York 



New Jersey 



Pennsylvania 



336, 450 

 1, 043, 3C?0 

 1, 975, 000 



672, 875 

 1,577,050 

 2, 080, 625 

 a 187, 500 



100 

 426 

 575 



69, 000 

 397, 000 

 530, 000 



a This quantity represents only the enhancement, the first cost being included in the Maryland aud 

 Virginia statistics 



