20 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI EAST OF BILOXI. 



one-quarter of a mile at its widest part. It is covered by from 3 to 

 3^ feet of water, with a somewhat greater depth on the barren 

 bottom unmediately adjacent to its borders. The productive bot- 

 tom occupies the southern half of the bed, where a small number of 

 tongers were at work during the survey. The oysters are badly 

 clustered, sharp-edged, and of a poor quality. 



The general condition of the bed is summarized in the following 



table: 



Oyster Growth in Back Bay, East Bkd. 



The area of dense growth covers about 29 acres, on which there 

 are about 249 bushels of oysters over 3 inches long and 113 bushels 

 of smaller ones per acre. Numerically the two classes are practi- 

 cally equal, that is, thare is a young oyster for every one above 3 

 inches long. In some places the bottom is fairly compact and in 

 others the oysters lie on soft black mud with many buried shells. 

 The oysters are generaUy in large rough clusters. 



The scattering growth lies as a narrow strip on the eastern edge 

 of the preceding and covers about 6 acres. The young oysters are 

 more numerous in proportion to the large ones, but both are in 

 smaller quantity than on the dense part of the bed. 



On the area of very scattering growth, while the market oysters 

 are less numerous the young are found in greater quantity than on 

 the other parts of the bed. For each oyster over 3 inches long there 

 are more than 9 smaller ones. The clusters contain numerous 

 individuals, and it is apparent that the conditions are such as to 

 retard their growth. The bottom is hard on the surface. The de- 

 pleted bottom occupies the gradually narrowing northern end of 

 the bed and is deficient in oysters of all sizes. 



The following table gives the details of the examination made on 

 the bed: 



