﻿185 
  

  

  such 
  proportions 
  are 
  the 
  only 
  ones 
  that 
  can 
  be 
  accepted 
  as 
  

   standards. 
  

  

  We 
  have 
  established 
  that 
  upon 
  the 
  unworked 
  beds 
  in 
  the 
  

   Bay 
  the 
  ratio 
  of 
  young 
  growth 
  to 
  mature 
  oysters 
  is 
  about 
  1.5, 
  

   but 
  as 
  this 
  is 
  the 
  result 
  of 
  but 
  one 
  season's 
  observations, 
  and 
  

   those 
  over 
  a 
  somewhat 
  limited 
  area, 
  it 
  would 
  be 
  rash 
  to 
  ac- 
  

   cept 
  that 
  standard 
  exactly 
  or 
  to 
  draw 
  rigid 
  inferences 
  from 
  

   comparison 
  with 
  it. 
  

  

  In 
  order 
  to 
  allow 
  a 
  sufficient 
  margin 
  for 
  the 
  variations 
  of 
  

   different 
  seasons 
  and 
  localities, 
  it 
  will 
  be 
  better 
  to 
  consider 
  

   the 
  normal 
  ratio 
  as 
  between 
  1 
  and 
  2, 
  and, 
  hence, 
  an^ 
  increase 
  

   or 
  decrease 
  of 
  those 
  ratios 
  will 
  be 
  an 
  indication 
  of 
  diminished 
  

   fecundity, 
  and, 
  consequently, 
  all 
  things 
  remaining 
  the 
  same, 
  

   the 
  eventual 
  destruction 
  of 
  the 
  beds. 
  

  

  Comparing 
  the 
  ratios 
  of 
  the 
  beds 
  in 
  the 
  Sounds 
  with 
  that 
  

   established 
  as 
  a 
  standard, 
  we 
  find 
  that 
  — 
  

  

  1st. 
  All 
  beds 
  above 
  the 
  Grass 
  Tangier 
  fall 
  below 
  the 
  mini- 
  

   mum 
  ratio. 
  

  

  2d, 
  That 
  the 
  groups 
  including 
  Tangier 
  Grass 
  and 
  Muscle 
  

   Hole 
  are 
  within 
  the 
  limit, 
  as 
  are 
  the 
  beds 
  in 
  the 
  Manokin 
  and 
  

   Big 
  Annemessex 
  Rivers 
  and 
  the 
  Woman's 
  Marsh 
  Rock. 
  

  

  3d. 
  That 
  all 
  other 
  groups 
  exceed 
  the 
  maximum 
  ratio. 
  

  

  4th. 
  That 
  all 
  beds 
  in 
  Pocomoke, 
  with 
  the 
  exception 
  of 
  

   Parker's 
  Rock, 
  are 
  below 
  the 
  minimum. 
  

  

  Instituting 
  another 
  comparison, 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  percentage 
  of 
  

   debris 
  to 
  the 
  total 
  amount 
  brought 
  up, 
  we 
  find 
  that 
  with 
  the 
  

   exception 
  of 
  Drumming 
  Shoal 
  and 
  Harris' 
  and 
  Jane's 
  Island 
  

   Rocks, 
  the 
  percentage 
  constantly 
  increases 
  to 
  the 
  southward, 
  

   and 
  that 
  in 
  Pocomoke 
  it 
  is 
  larger 
  than 
  elsewhere, 
  and 
  larger 
  

   on 
  the 
  Muddy 
  Marsh 
  and 
  Bird 
  Rocks 
  than 
  on 
  any 
  others. 
  

  

  A 
  coincidence 
  will 
  here 
  be 
  noticed 
  in 
  the 
  increased 
  ratios 
  

   in 
  lower 
  Tangier 
  and 
  the 
  increased 
  percentage 
  of 
  debris, 
  and, 
  

   in 
  Pocomoke, 
  in 
  the 
  small 
  ratios 
  and 
  very 
  large 
  percentage 
  of 
  

   debris. 
  

  

  