72 



Table showing estimated number of oysters removed in 1879 — Continued. 



Section 2.— MIDDLE TANGIER SOUND. 





Number of sail. 



First class. 



Second class. 



m 

 a 



■a 



3 

 H 



oi 



'o 



u 



5 

 ft 



o 



<D 

 CO 



>S 



a 



C3 

 as 



X 



bj,-; 



O P< 





By 634 sail 



2, 463, 800 

 144, 929 



1, 623, 860 

 95, 521 



1,132,060 

 66, 591 



384, 220 

 22, 600 





6,400 

















240, 450 













Section 3.— LOWER TANGIER SOUND. 













Total number of oysters removed in 34 days. 





By 951 sail 



2, 329, 600 

 68,223 



1, 413?'610 

 41, 576 



1, 407, 230 

 41, 389 



558, 900 

 16, 438 





3 900 















109, 799 











Section 4.— POCOMOKiE SOUND. 











- 



Total number of oysters removed in 9 days.. 



, By 169 sail 



256, 809 

 28, 534 



121, 103 ' 

 13, 567 



88, 800 

 9,866 



20, 108 

 2,234 





2,200 



Total first and second classes per day . 



42, 



101 





Total number of ovsters first and secon 



d classes removed in one dav 









746. 226 







It will be noticed that the number of dredging vessels increases on each succeeding section in 

 Tangier Sound, but that the number taken by each sail, and the yield per day, decrease. Also, 

 that the number of sail in Pocomoke Sound is much smaller than in any other section, and that the 

 yield per day is also much smaller. The character of the bottom and the depth of the water mate- 

 rially influence the yield of the beds, those in shoal water with soft bottoms allowing more frequent 

 hauls of the dredges than those in deep water or on hard bottoms. But as the dredges used in 

 deep water and on hard bottoms are usually much heavier, this inequality is overcome to some 

 extent. Again, the large vessels take a greater proportion of the oysters than the small ones, 

 and those large vessels usually work on the deep-water beds. Considering the different sizes of 

 the vessels and the superiority of the crews of the larger ones, and the heavier dredges used by 

 them, I am of the opinion that the disparity between the yields of the Upper and Lower Tangier 

 Beds is greater than it should be. The beds of the Middle Section are, with the exception of Piney 

 Island Bar, similar to those of the upper section; yet, with a larger number of vessels working, the 

 yield of that section is less than the upper. These facts, I think, show that the beds in Lower 

 Tangier Sound are less productive than those in the upper. 



The dredging in Pocomoke Sound was principally on the upper beds, and none was done as far 

 as we could ascertain on either the Brig or Parker's Beds. As the middle and upper beds in this 

 Sound are very similar in character of bottom and depth of water to the middle and upper beds 

 in Tangier Sound, it would be inferred that the yield per day in Pocomoke would be about the 

 same. On the contrary, as shown by the table, it is absurdly small; and, considering its size, it 

 is not astonishing that the beds have been to a great extent abandoned. 



Taking the number of oysters removed each day, and considering, for the reasons given in my 

 previous report, the working season to be of 120 days, I have compiled the following table, in which 

 is given the number of oysters removed from each section and from the Sounds in one day and in 

 the season. I have also given the same estimated in 1878 for comparison. 



