OYSTER BOTTOMS IN VICINITY OF APALACHICOLA, FLA. 7 
killing many of the oysters that were not protected by sand and mud. 
On February 7, 1895, the thermometer registered 10° F., being the 
lowest known in that section, it is said, for 60 years. The fishermen 
could not catch enough oysters the next year to make a living, and 
consequently the plants operated for only a short time. 
Up to this time the shipments of raw oysters were mainly in the 
shell to local or near-by points, but during this season the first active 
shipments of shucked raw oysters were made. 
Another freeze occurred on January 28, 1897, at a time when the 
tide was very low. Owing to the exposure many oysters were destroyed 
and for the season 1896-97 the dealers handled only about one-half 
the quantity of the usual yield. However, during the following 
season, although of shorter duration, production was increased, 
showing that the beds were recovering in productivity. 
On August 2, 1898, a severe gale covered some of the oysters with 
sand and mud, and in September of that year a very heavy freshet 
occurred, the combined effects being the destruction of many of the 
oysters at Cat Point and practically all at St. Vincent. On February 
12, 1899, there was another freeze, the temperature dropping to 10° 
for a few days, but not for as long duration as in 1895. The operation 
of the two canneries and the shipments of raw oysters during the 
season of 1898-99 were nearly equal to those for seasons prior to 1895, 
thus again showing the great productivity of the bars. The output 
for 1899-1900 was less than for the preceding season, but there was 
an increase of about 50 per cent in 1900-1901. 
A temperature of 20° F., December 16 to 18, 1901, did not result 
seriously to the oysters, and the output of the canneries and raw 
shipments for 1901-2 increased, although the season was shorter than 
the year before. The following year gave about the same returns. 
A gale on August 13 and 14, 1903, covered the oysters on Porter 
Bar with sand and mud, practically destroying them. Cat Point and 
East Hole Bars were also injured, and St. Vincent Bar, which was 
regaining its productivity after the disaster of 1898, was covered with 
sand. The season’s operation was very short and the output greatly 
reduced. 
The season of 1904-5 was mostly very favorable. A strike closed 
one canning plant shortly after it started, but did not interfere with 
the other. The shipments of raw stock, however, were about as usual, 
and in the aggregate the output was fully equal to the previous year. 
There was a temperature of 22° F., February, 1905, but as the winds 
were favorable for high tides the oysters were not affected. 
Although a heavy gale on September 27, 1906, covered many oysters 
with mud and sand, they were able to recover readily and the damage 
was slight. The yield of the two seasons, 1905-7, was about normal. 
The total output from all sources for 1907-8 was quite large. During 
