NATURAL OYSTER BEDS OF DELAWARE. 



17 



scattering growths, stretches from the northern apex to about the 

 middle of the bed, where it divides into two limbs astride the slough 

 before alluded to. 



It is evident that this bed, like Silver bed, is an old one, and without 

 doubt its central portions, those which now bear the heaviest growth 

 of oysters, were formerly elevated above the surrounding bottom to 

 form a shoal or ridge which has been pulled down and in large part 

 carried away by the oystermen, particularly the dredgers, until at 

 present the water over it shoals but little as compared with the sur- 

 rounding barren areas. The great deposit of shells which originally 

 existed has been taken up and the bottom so denuded that in places 

 the originally underlying mud has been brought to the surface. Many 

 little patches of bare mud were found where there was every reason to 

 expect a deposit of shells and oysters and it was apparent that the bed 

 was being overworked. 



The general condition and extent of the bed at the end of June, 

 1910, is shown in the following table: 



Oyster Growth on Ridge Bed. 



The dense areas are two in number, separated by an area of scat- 

 tered growth. The smaller of these areas lies at the northern apex 

 of the bed and the larger one is a long belt along most of its eastern 

 side. More or less soft mud is to be found in the former, especially 

 near its upper edge, but the latter rests on a solid substratum of 

 shells. 



The lower end of the larger dense area gradually verges into a 

 small spot of scattering growth, but most of the bottom bearing 

 a growth of this character is embraced in a long, somewhat S-shaped 

 strip limning from near the northern end of the bed almost to its 

 southwest corner. The northern end, especially between and adja- 

 cent to the dense growths, is most productive. 



The very scattering growth is all confined to the southern edge of 

 the bed, most of it being between the mud slough and the dense and 

 scattering growth. Excepting close to the more productive areas 

 there is much muddy bottom in this area. Most of the depleted 



