56 Report of the Board of Shell Fish Commissioners. 



opposite shore, along which line the waters of this branch are con- 

 sidered to enter those of the Wye river proper. 



At the time of the survey of this section, November and Decem- 

 ber, the prevailing conditions were such that oysters might have 

 been grown and fattened on the bottoms situated far above the 

 limits mentioned above, but the dry period of Fall and early Winter 

 is the one when the waters of Maryland are nearest ideal for oyster 

 production. With the inflow of fresh water due to rain fall and 

 melting snow and ice in the Spring, the upper waters of the ^tribu- 

 taries and the bay become too fresh for oysters. The observations 

 made at the examination stations during the survey showed the 

 density of the water to be from 1.0142 to 1.0138 at the mouth of 

 the Wye river, and about 1.0128 over the oyster bars situated far- 

 thest up its branches. 



The part of the Miles river situated within the territorial limits 

 of Queen Anne's County is so small and its waters are so closely 

 associated with those of the Wye river that its oyster grounds are 

 considered in this report with those of the Wye. The line along 

 which the waters of Miles river enter those of Eastern bay is con- 

 sidered by the Commission to be that connecting Bennett Point, at 

 the mouth of Wye river, with Tilghman's Point on the Talbot 

 County shore. Between this line and the line marking the mouth of 

 Wye river, the course of the Queen Anne's-Talbot County boundary 

 line is such that something less than a square mile of Miles river 

 bottom is thrown within the limits of Queen Anne County, practi- 

 cally all of which is occupied by Persimmon Tree and Coffee oyster 

 bars. 



In the part' of Wye river and its branch south of Wye Island 

 situated above the Queen Anne's-Talbot County boundary line, the 

 area of oyster ground which was surveyed and examined and found 

 to be sufficiently well stocked with oysters and cultch to justify its 

 reservation to the Public Oyster Fishery of the State, aggregates 

 327 acres, and it has been charted and reserved within the limits 

 of 9 natural oyster bars. In the branch of the Wye river west and 

 north of Wye Island eight natural oyster bars covering 393 acres 

 were charted and reserved. 



Oyster bars were nowhere found to extend upon the soft bottoms 

 and precipitous sides of the very deep and very narrow channels 

 which occupy the central portion of Wye river proper; the oyster- 



