﻿OYSTER 
  BOTTOMS 
  OF 
  LAVACA 
  BAY, 
  TEX, 
  

  

  11 
  

  

  In 
  the 
  sui'vey 
  16,153 
  soundings 
  were 
  made 
  on 
  lines 
  aggregating 
  

   362 
  miles, 
  the 
  position 
  of 
  the 
  boat 
  being 
  instrumentally 
  fixed 
  at 
  

   about 
  800 
  places. 
  The 
  character 
  of 
  the 
  oysters 
  and 
  the 
  nature 
  of 
  

   the 
  bottom 
  were 
  determined 
  at 
  464 
  stations, 
  of 
  which 
  228 
  were 
  on 
  

   the 
  reefs 
  and 
  236 
  on 
  barren 
  bottom, 
  in 
  addition 
  to 
  continuous 
  chain 
  

   readings 
  over 
  a 
  distance 
  of 
  362 
  miles. 
  The 
  data 
  available, 
  therefore, 
  

   are 
  sufficient 
  to 
  give 
  an 
  unusually 
  accurate 
  idea 
  of 
  the 
  conditions 
  for 
  

   both 
  natural 
  growth 
  and 
  oyster 
  culture. 
  

  

  DESCRIPTION 
  OF 
  NATURAL 
  BEDS. 
  

  

  SAND 
  POINT 
  REEF. 
  

  

  This 
  reef 
  is 
  located 
  on 
  the 
  northwest 
  side 
  of 
  Sand 
  Point 
  and 
  extends 
  

   in 
  a 
  southwesterly 
  direction 
  to 
  join 
  the 
  more 
  productive 
  Middle 
  

   Ground 
  Reef. 
  There 
  is 
  no 
  distinct 
  line 
  of 
  demarcation 
  between 
  

   these 
  two 
  reefs, 
  but 
  there 
  is 
  a 
  gradual 
  change 
  in 
  the 
  character 
  of 
  the 
  

   bottom 
  from 
  sand 
  to 
  stiff 
  mud. 
  The 
  average 
  width 
  of 
  the 
  reef 
  is 
  

   about 
  one-fourth 
  of 
  a 
  mile, 
  the 
  length 
  is 
  about 
  seven-eighths 
  of 
  a 
  

   mile, 
  and 
  the 
  area 
  is 
  about 
  160 
  acres. 
  Comparison 
  of 
  the 
  charts 
  of 
  

   the 
  present 
  survey 
  with 
  the 
  coast 
  survey 
  charts 
  shows 
  that 
  this 
  bed 
  

   is 
  gradually 
  extending 
  westward. 
  

  

  This 
  reef 
  bears 
  singles 
  and 
  scattering 
  bunches 
  of 
  good 
  oysters, 
  

   nearly 
  all 
  of 
  which 
  are 
  marketable. 
  It 
  has 
  been 
  fished 
  for 
  at 
  least 
  

   the 
  last 
  16 
  years 
  and 
  has 
  never 
  been 
  entirely 
  depleted, 
  and 
  at 
  the 
  

   time 
  of 
  the 
  survey 
  the 
  average 
  tonger 
  could 
  take 
  about 
  three 
  barrels 
  

   of 
  oysters 
  per 
  day. 
  On 
  account 
  of 
  the 
  protection 
  afforded 
  by 
  Sand 
  

   Point 
  it 
  is 
  fished 
  principally 
  when 
  weather 
  conditions 
  prevent 
  the 
  

   working 
  of 
  the 
  more 
  productive 
  neighboring 
  beds. 
  The 
  area, 
  con- 
  

   dition 
  of 
  oyster 
  growth, 
  and 
  estimated 
  content 
  of 
  this 
  bed 
  are 
  shown 
  

   in 
  the 
  following 
  table: 
  

  

  Oyster 
  Growth 
  on 
  Sand 
  Point 
  Reef. 
  

  

  