﻿OYSTER 
  BOTTOMS 
  OF 
  LAVACA 
  BAY, 
  TEX, 
  

  

  29 
  

  

  The 
  oystere 
  of 
  this 
  lump 
  are 
  in 
  clusters 
  and 
  singles, 
  long, 
  flat, 
  and 
  

   with 
  sharp 
  edges 
  but 
  of 
  fair 
  flavor. 
  It 
  is 
  fished 
  but 
  little. 
  

  

  Oyster 
  Growth 
  on 
  Hoppe 
  Lump. 
  

  

  Details 
  op 
  Examination 
  of 
  Hoppe 
  Lump. 
  

  

  HALF 
  MOON 
  REEF. 
  

  

  This 
  lies 
  one-half 
  mile 
  south 
  of 
  Long 
  Reef 
  and 
  a 
  quarter 
  of 
  a 
  mile 
  

   north 
  of 
  Hoppe 
  Lump. 
  Its 
  length 
  is 
  one-half 
  mile, 
  and 
  its 
  greatest 
  

   width, 
  300 
  yards, 
  is 
  near 
  the 
  southern 
  half, 
  whence 
  it 
  contracts 
  sud- 
  

   denly 
  to 
  the 
  northward 
  to 
  a 
  width 
  of 
  50 
  yards. 
  

  

  The 
  depth 
  of 
  water 
  ranges 
  from 
  3 
  to 
  5 
  feet, 
  and 
  the 
  reef 
  is 
  approx- 
  

   imately 
  on 
  the 
  general 
  level 
  of 
  the 
  surrounding 
  bottoms, 
  excepting 
  

   along 
  the 
  western 
  margin, 
  where 
  there 
  is 
  an 
  elevation 
  of 
  about 
  1 
  

   foot. 
  

  

  Three 
  stations 
  were 
  made, 
  one 
  on 
  the 
  50-yard 
  projection, 
  which 
  

   gave 
  the 
  best 
  returns^ 
  — 
  about 
  11 
  counts, 
  3 
  culls, 
  and 
  6 
  spat 
  per 
  

   square 
  yard. 
  An 
  average 
  of 
  the 
  other 
  stations 
  near 
  the 
  center 
  of 
  

   the 
  reef 
  showed 
  4 
  counts, 
  3 
  culls, 
  and 
  4 
  spat. 
  Mussels 
  and 
  barnacles 
  

   were 
  found 
  at 
  all 
  stations. 
  

  

  The 
  oysters 
  of 
  this 
  reef 
  resemble 
  those 
  of 
  Hoppe 
  Lump. 
  They 
  

   are 
  of 
  fair 
  flavor, 
  of 
  good 
  shape, 
  but 
  generally 
  too 
  small 
  for 
  market, 
  

   excepting 
  on 
  the 
  edges, 
  where 
  they 
  occur 
  in 
  clusters. 
  They 
  sell 
  for 
  

   98 
  cents 
  per 
  barrel, 
  2 
  cents 
  tax. 
  The 
  reef 
  was 
  first 
  fished 
  in 
  1910, 
  

   and 
  the 
  work 
  has 
  been 
  carried 
  on 
  during 
  most 
  of 
  the 
  present 
  season 
  

   (1912-13). 
  One 
  man 
  can 
  tong 
  seven 
  barrels 
  per 
  day. 
  During 
  

   "northers" 
  the 
  reef 
  is 
  liable 
  to 
  become 
  dry. 
  

  

  As 
  a 
  rule, 
  fishing 
  does 
  not 
  begin 
  in 
  the 
  upper 
  bay 
  until 
  October. 
  

   However, 
  if 
  freshets 
  are 
  early 
  and 
  the 
  weather 
  becomes 
  cool, 
  fishing 
  

   is 
  pursued 
  earlier. 
  

  

  