OYSTER BOTTOMS IN VICINITY OF APALACHICOLA, FLA. 15 
OysTER GROWTH ON GOOSE ISLAND Bar. 
ee 
Oysters per acre. Esti- 
mated 
Character of oyster growth. , Area. content 
: Under 3 | Over3 Total of 
. é inches. | inches. * | oysters. 
Acres. | Bushels. | Bushels. | Bushels. | Bushels. 
24 115 358 
DONSO 62 8.2 6 os de HS Ra: SES ees ss ak: 473 11, 352 
Veryiseattering? >. 5-22 5she) eaters ros. non 126 24 58 82 10, 332 
0) la Freie Ic SES CSRS DEERE TE JG) imesh eceaipaeeager.| pia caren ee 21, 684 
DeETarLts OF EXAMINATION OF GOOSE ISLAND Bar. 
Oysters cape per Estimated quantity 
square yard. oysters per acre. 
Date of | Depth | Area 2 Z pols ioe ae : 
SS) ene of Gay ety jo tae | |= CEaracter'of 
tion. | nation. | water. | ered. py Mar- Ee Een a 
Spat.|Culls. | Counts.| Y®8"°: | Seed. kot, | Total. 
1915. Feet. | Sq. yds. Bush. | Bush. | Bush. 
Gois.s>. Jan. 23 3.0 2. 94 0| 48 12.4 10 41 286 327 | Dense. 
87 --do 5.5 1.87 | 6.4 | 12.3 16.5 15 159 382 541 Do. 
373 Feb. 11 5.0 2. 55 0} 17.2 17.6 10 146 406 552 Do. 
A ESs=s Jan. 21 2.0 3. 56 -3 | 2.5 2.5 2 24 58 82 | Very scattering. 
That portion of the bar immediately contiguous to Goose Island, 
and containing about five-sixths of the total area, has but a scatter- 
ing growth of oysters, while the remaining portion, which lies to the 
extreme west, has a dense growth. The oysters occur generally in 
large clusters, with sharp edges. Mussels were only fairly abundant, 
but the greatest disadvantage to the growth of oysters was the pres- 
ence of both red and green alge, which at times was in quantities 
sufficient to smother the oysters. Tonging was not carried on exten- 
sively, especially on the very scattering area, and during our obser- 
vations only one or two boats were engaged in the fishery on the 
dense portion. 
2. SILVIA BAR. 
This comparatively small bed of 69 acres is directly Connected with 
Goose Island bed on the east and Drum Bar on the southeast. There 
are, however, no distinct lines of demarcation separating the three 
beds, the divisions being more or less arbitrarity made. The bed is 
very irregular in shape, the northernmost half consisting of a project- 
ing point bearing a crude resemblance in outline to a turtle’s head. 
Its length is about five-eighths of a mile and the average width 
approaches 200 yards. The depth of water is from 24 to 9 feet, 
while the bed is elevated above the immediate level from 14 to 8 feet, 
the greatest difference being along the western border, which is near 
the ship channel. The bottom consists of sand or sand and mud. 
