OYSTER BOTTOMS IN VICINITY OF APALACHICOLA. FLA. « 18 
The instrument employed has been thoroughly tested and is reli- 
able for the purposes of oyster surveys, but there may be errors in 
cases where hard bottom is overlaid by several inches of soft mud 
and ooze. Such bottoms are always readily detected by probing 
with a pole. 
THE BAY AND SOUNDS. 
The oyster grounds and barren bottoms covered by the present 
survey and reported on in this paper embrace all of Apalachicola Bay 
and St. Vincent Sound and the western part of St. George Sound. 
Neither East Bay, with the exception of its southern border, nor 
Indian Lagoon at the extreme western limits of St. Vincent Sound 
were included in the work. Although bearing some good oysters, 
they were not deemed of sufficient economic importance to warrant 
the expenditure of the time and money. Sheephead and Big Bayous 
on the northern shore of St. Vincent Island have some good oyster 
growths, but as these were within the confines of the island they were 
not examined. 
St. George Sound lies within the southern limits of Franklin County, 
Fla., and is situated between the mainland and St. James Island on 
the north and east and St. George and Dog Islands and Dog Island 
Reef on the south. It connects with the Gulf of Mexico at East 
Pass, Duer Channel, and the shallow water on Dog Island Reef. 
On the west it unites with Apalachicola Bay on a line between 
Cat Point and St. George Island. Its length is about 26 miles, 
and it has an average width of about 34 miles. Carrabelle River 
is the only stream flowing into the sound. As only the western 
portion of the sound supports productive oyster beds, the sur- 
vey was conducted westward from signals Marsh and Spartan. 
This part of the sound has an area of about 34 square miles and 
measures about 7 by 44 miles and carries about 9 feet at low 
water. It contains many bars and shoals but is well buoyed for 
navigation. 
Apalachicola Bay is bounded on the north by the mainland and 
East Bay, on the east by St. George Sound, on the south by St. George 
Island, and on the west by St. Vincent Island and Sound. Its length 
is about 14 miles and the greatest width about 7 miles. The direct 
connection with the Gulf is through West Pass. There are three 
dredged channels, one through Bulkhead to St. George Sound, one 
near West Pass, and one in the vicinity of Apalachicola, which afford 
depths for moderate-draft vessels. The bay receives the waters from 
the Apalachicola, St. Marks River, and other affluents of East Bay. 
The greater part of the oyster bars are located in the western portion 
of the bay; elsewhere the bottom is generally barren and soft. 
