492 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
liquor becomes a slightly acid medium in which the growth of bac- 
teria and spoilage organisms is considerably retarded. A small, 
amount of dry ice or gaseous carbon dioxide can be introduced into 
the containers if necessary to improve the keeping qualities of the 
meats during shipment. 
HURRICANE DAMAGE TO OYSTER INDUSTRY ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF 
VIRGINIA 
At the request of Congressman S. O. Bland a survey was made by 
Dr. Prytherch of the situation on the Eastern Shore of Virginia to 
determine the amount of destruction of shellfish by the hurricane of 
September 17, and the most practical procedure for rehabilitating 
the oyster industry of that section. In Chincoteague Bay and vicin- 
ity it was found that the crops of oysters and clams on private beds 
had been almost totally destroyed as a result of severe wave action 
and smothering by mud and sand. These losses, estimated at $125,000, 
were not only an immediate and serious misfortune for the planters 
during a particularly favorable marketing season but were also re- 
sponsible for the closing of two large oyster -shucking plants which 
ordinarily provided employment for several hundred men during 
the winter months. It was found that 350 to 450 men in the Chin- 
coteague region would be deprived of their customary employment 
because of hurricane damage to private and public shellfish pro- 
ducing areas. 
In the vicinity of Hog Island and Willis Wharf the oysters were 
swept off most of the private beds and killed by “sanding” or by 
being buried under heavy deposits of mud and sand. The natural or 
public beds also differed severe damage chiefiy from the shifting of 
large volumes of soft mud from the tidal marshes which smothered 
the oysters with a thick layer of this material. In this region the 
labor situation was found to be less critical than at Chincoteague and 
involved creating employment for approximately 20 to 50 oystermen 
after the first of December. 
OYSTER REEFS IN MOBILE BAY, ALA. 
At the request of I. T. Quinn, State Commissioner of Conservation, 
and A. J. Bride, Chief Enforcement Officer of the Alabama Oyster 
Commission, the Bureau detailed James B. Engle, temporary assist- 
ant, to make a survey of the oyster bottoms in Mobile Bay with the 
view of assisting the State authorities in the rehabilitation of depleted 
oyster beds. After making a careful study of conditions on every 
oyster-producing reef in the bay, detailed recommendations were sub- 
mitted to the Alabama Oyster Commission indicating the necessary 
amount of shell and seed oysters that should be planted on each reef. 
The recommendations also comprised more general suggestions for the 
preservation of the present reefs and specifically mentioned the 
dangers of using long-toothed dredges which cause serious damage 
to the reefs. Dredging with short-toothed dredges can be permitted 
on some of the hard and deeper reefs but only when it is necessary to 
thin out the very dense growth of oysters. Further recommenda- 
tions include procuring of seed by the ‘State ; greater return of shells 
to the bottom; and a more liberal policy in leasing of the State-owned 
bottoms to private oyster growers. 
