OYSTER CULTURE IN AMERICA. 803 



away and the cultch exposed, a growth of young oysters 

 was noticed in all the beds about and above Jail Island. 

 In 1877 the oysters about Deep Water Light were good, 

 and probably during the coming seasons (iSyS-'yg) the 

 catch on all the beds will be large, as at the time of our 

 observations the oysters were numerous, with the young 

 growth predominating. Apparently,, then, it requires from 

 three to five years for the beds to recover from the effects 

 of heavy freshets, and as the oyster becomes marketable 

 in about two years, from five to seven years must elapse 

 from the date of the freshet before the beds can be profit- 

 ably worked. 



. . . . In addition to the deposit by the James 

 River, the Nasemond Ridge and beds off Pig Point receive 

 a portion of the sediment brought down by the Nasemond 

 River ; but other causes not operating, that deposit would 

 not be sufficient to seriously injure the beds. Below Jail 

 Island, on the northern side of the river, the beds are not 

 so much affected by the deposit, and the oysters found on 

 them are of a better quality than those on the opposite side 

 of the channel. 



Without incurring an expense not justified by the end 

 sought, there is no practicable means of protecting the 

 beds from this evil. Natural efforts appear to have suffi- 

 ciently protected them in the past, and if they are guarded 

 in other respects, the loss on account of the deposit of 

 matter brought down by the current, which is but occa- 

 sional, will not interfere to any great extent with the 

 industry. 



Mulberry Point Beds. These beds comprise an area 

 (approximate) of 3,656,000 square yards. 



Point of Shoals Bed. Comprise an area of 14,941,000 

 square yards, approximately ; and the Jail Island Bed has 



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