NATURAL OYSTER BEDS OF DELAWARE. 

 Oyster Growth on Southwest Bed. 



21 



Character of oyster growth. 



Dense 



Scattering 



Very scattering 

 Depleted 



Total.... 



Area. 



Oysters per acre. 



Under 3 

 inches. 



Over 3 

 inches. 



Acres. 

 11 



Bushels. 

 40 



Bushels. 



744 

 48 

 13 



1 



Total. 



Bushels. 



784 



147 



31 



5 



Estimated 

 content of 



oysters. 



Bushels. 



8,624 



1,376 



961 



280 



11,241 



The area of dense growth is near the southern end of the bed and 

 is flanked on the east and west sides by a very scattering growth, and 

 on the north and south by depleted bottom. Most of the oysters are 

 over 3 inches long and they appear to be in numerous small patches 

 on the soft mud. The place has the appearance of bottom which has 

 been overlooked by the oystermen and may as a whole be somewhat 

 smaller in area than is indicated in the preceding table. 



The bottom bearing scattering growth lies at the northeast edge of 

 the bed and at its southwestern limits merges into a strip of very 

 scattering growth running along the western edge of the bed as far 

 as the densely covered bottom first described. There is another 

 small patch of very scattering growth near the southeast corner of 

 the bed. 



The depleted bottom lies in three patches, one at each end of the 

 bed and the other at the middle of the eastern edge. 



Although it is not known whether Southwest bed was dredged 

 during the past season, it bears every evidence that it has been over- 

 worked. Excepting on the small area of dense growth there are few 

 marketable oysters, and bare or almost bare muddy spots are of 

 frequent occurrence. Many oysters had been killed by drills and 

 manv of these animals and their egg cases were found. 



The following table shows the results of examinations : 



Details of Examinations of Southwest Bed. 



Character of growth. 



Oysters caught per 

 square yard. 



Spat. Culls. Counts 



Estimated quantity 

 oysters per acre. 



Seed. Market. Total. 



Dense 



Scattering 



Very scattering. 



do 



....do 



do 



Depleted 



do 



.do. 

 .do. 

 .do. 

 .do. 



No. 

 1.5 

 5.6 

 0.4 

 1.5 

 0.0 

 0.0 

 0.0 

 0.4 

 0.0 

 0.0 

 0.0 

 0.0 



No. 

 10.0 

 22.7 

 5.6 

 7.5 

 1.4 

 4.4 

 0.0 

 4.4 

 1.4 

 0.0 

 0.0 

 0.0 



No. 



74.4 

 4.8 

 0.4 

 0.4 

 3.0 

 1.5 

 0.0 

 0.0 

 0.4 

 0.4 

 0.0 

 0.0 



Bu. 

 40 

 99 

 21 

 31 

 5 

 15 

 

 17 

 5 

 

 

 



Bu. 



744 



48 



4 



4 



30 



15 











4 



4 











Bu. 



784 



147 



25 



35 



35 



30 







17 



9 



4 











