OYSTER BOTTOMS IN VICINITY OF APALACHICOLA, FLA. 61 
The symbols on the chart designating the character of the bottom 
do not show all of the places at which examinations were made, but 
only those which have been selected as representative of the general 
conditions obtaining in the vicinity. It may be assumed that between 
any two adjacent symbols of different significance the change in the 
character of the bottom is more or less gradual. 
The large number of soundings and bottom testings made during 
the course of the survey furnish valuable data for the determination 
of the character of the floor of the entire district. About 119 square 
miles, or 91 per cent of the region, exclusive of the depleted grounds 
of or adjacent to the recognized oyster reefs, consist of unoystered 
areas. 
Of the productive portion of St. George Sound the eastern half has 
for the most part a firm hard bottom suitable for the development of 
oyster beds. The depth of water in this section is about 9 feet at 
mean low level. In certain portions, however, as between Porter 
and Green Point Bars and for some distance to the eastward of the 
latter bar, the bottom varies in quality from very soft to stiff mud 
and is unfavorable for the planting of shells or other cultch. The 
western half of the sound, barring the shore line, has generally very 
soft bottoms. Between Porter and Cat Point Bars and south of 
Peanut Patch there are stretches having ooze. Hard or stiff mud 
bottoms are found east of Drum Bar, between Silvia and Porter Bars, 
and northeast of signal Bulkhead. 
With the exception of the margins, the greater portion of Apa- 
lachicola Bay has many soft or ooze bottoms. At a station west of 
St. Vincent Bar the testing pole recorded a depth of 8 feet of mud. 
Good firm bottoms are found on a small area west of Cat Point Bar, 
an extended section (of which a part was a bed of dead shells when 
examined by the Bureau 20 years ago) west and northwest of Pelican 
Bar, a stretch off signal Scaffold, a portion south of Green Point, a 
stiff mud area east of St. Vincent Bar, and a series of small patches 
northeast of West Pass. Depth of water ranges from 5 to 10 feet. 
The eastern half of St. Vincent Sound has rather soft bottoms, but 
the western division is hard, firm, and more or less covered with scrap 
shells. 
The location of barren bottoms which appear to be suitable for the 
development and culture of oysters may be approximately deter- 
mined by consulting the chart. 
GENERAL PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS. 
TIDES AND CURRENTS. 
In order to reduce the great number of soundings made during the 
survey to approximate mean low-water level, four widely separated 
tide-gauge stations, consisting of plain staffs graduated in feet and 
