FISHERIES OF THE COASTAL WATERS OF FLORIDA. 61 



sufficiently great to permit a very large expansion of the fisheries over 

 their present extent. 



The oyster industry. — There are probably more extensive natural oys- 

 ter-grounds in the vicinity of Apalachicola than elsewhere on the west 

 Florida coast. The physical features of the entire coast of Franklin 

 County are very favorable for oysters, a series of islands and reefs 

 forming protected bays and sounds which have an abundant growth of 

 oysters and are admirably adapted to oyster cultivation. 



The oyster-grounds have been rather seriously damaged by natural 

 causes within the past two or three years and their productiveness has 

 been impaired, as shown b}' the comparative statistics available. The 

 approximate location and extent of some of the principal grounds in the 

 Apalachicola region are as follows: 



Sneed Bar: This, the most important bed, is located east of Apa- 

 lachicola in St. George Sound near East Point. It is about 2^ miles 

 long and one-quarter of a mile wide. There are no evidences of decrease 

 on this ground. The freezes in December, 18!)4. and February, 1895, 

 affected only the edges of the bed near the shore, but the hurricane 

 of 1891 swept a great many oysters off the bar into deep water, where 

 they were smothered in the mud. 



Peter Bar: This ground is about 3 miles east of Sneed Bar, and is 2 

 miles long but quite narrow. It was ruined during the hurricane of 

 1891 and the two freezes mentioned. Xo oysters are now taken from it. 



Bulkhead Bar: This ground lies south of Sneed Bar, and is practi- 

 cally a continuation of the latter. It is about a mile long and one-half 

 to three-quarters of a mile wide. Only a few oysters are taken from it. 

 It was affected somewhat by the hurricane of L894. 



East Hole Bar: This bar is south of Bulkhead Bar and is somewhat 

 over a mile long and from one-quarter to one-half of a mile wide. The 

 extreme cold in 1891 and 1895 killed some oysters, and the hurricane 

 also did considerable damage. Oysters are taken from this ground 

 every year. 



Porter Bar: This lies east of Sueed Bar. It is several miles in 

 length but quite narrow. A few years ago it was one of the most 

 important oyster-grounds in this region, but its productiveness has 

 been greatly reduced by the natural phenomena mentioned. 



Silby Bar: This lies southeast from Porter Bar, near St. George 

 Island. It is about half a mile long and very narrow. The oysters 

 taken from this ground have been used chiefly for canning, as they 

 have a thin shell which prevents their being shipped to any great dis- 

 tance. The supply is reported to be increasing, probably on account 

 of the small amount of tonging recently carried on. 



West of the Apalachicola River, in St. Vincent Sound and the west- 

 ern end of St. George Sound, there are a number of small bars con- 

 taining oysters of good quality, but the supply has been greatly 

 reduced by storms and excessive tonging. Northeast of Apalachicola, 

 in Apalachicola Bay, there are good oyster-grounds, the most important 



