Report of the Board of Shell Fish Commissioners 



NUMBER OF OYSTERS PER BUSHEL.* 



COUNTS. 



While sufficient quantities of oysters were frequently caught 

 during the examinations to be measured more or less accu- 

 rately, it was more often the case that the number taken was 

 few and could only be recorded by number. It was therefore 

 necessary to determine the average number of marketable oys- 

 ters required to fill an oyster, bushel measure in order to 

 calculate from the results of the examinations the condition 

 of the oyster grounds. 



Oysters of all sizes, from two and one-half inches to more 

 than five inches in length, are caught by oystermen when at 

 work on the oyster grounds and thrown together, usually 

 without reference to size. The number of oysters, just as they 

 come from the grounds, was therefore that which the Commis- 

 sion desired for its computations and not the number of oysters 

 of any given size required to fill a bushel tub. 



No better way suggested itself to the Commission to ascer- 

 tain the number desired than to take an average from all the 

 measurements and counts made during the examinations of the 

 oyster grounds in Anne Arundel County. By this method it 

 was found that 329 oysters fill a legal oyster-bushel measure 

 and this number was adopted by the Commission to represent 

 one bushel of marketable oysters. 



CULLS. 



i 



The estimate of the condition of the oyster grounds during 

 the season following the survey, which is made in the tables on 

 pages 140 and 176, is based upon the assumption that one-half of 



"The dimensions of an oyster-bushel measure, as established by the 

 Maryland Legislature, are: 16.5 inches across bottom, inside to inside; 

 21 inches diagonally from inside chime to inside top, and 18 inches 

 across top, inside to inside. This measure has a capacity of 2800.6 

 cubic inches. The capacity of the standard bushel measure is 2150.4 

 cubic inches. 



