OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



35 



HALF-MOON PATCHES. 



This name, which is not used by the oystermen, serves to desig- 

 nate a number of small areas of oyster growth lying west of the lower 

 end of Cedar Point. Most of these patches are not more than an 

 acre or two in extent and bear scattering growth or are depleted. 

 They generally lie on a soft muddy bottom, but there is a hard reef 

 on which the water shoals to a minimum of 1^ feet about 500 or 600 

 yards west of the extreme end of Cedar Point. 



The following tables exhibit the area and condition of these patches. 



Oyster Growth on Half-Moon Patches. 



Character of oyster growth. 



Area. 



Oysters per acre. 



Estimated content of oysters. 



Under 3 

 inches. 



Over 3 

 inches. 



Seed. 



Market. 



Total. 



Dense 



Acres. 

 2 



8 

 4 



Bushels. 



8 



13 



60 



Bushels. 



154 



65 







Bushels. 



16 



104 



240 



Bushels. 



308 



440 







Bushels. 

 324 



Very scattering 



544 



Depleted 



240 







Total 



14 







360 



748 



1,108 











Details of Examination of Half-Moon Patches. 



Angle 



Date of 

 examination. 



Depth 



of 

 water. 



Character of growth. 



Oysters caught per 

 square yard. 



Estimated quantity oys- 

 ters per acre. 



No. 



Spat. 



Culls. 



Counts. 



Seed. 



Market. 



Total. 



263 



Dec. 7, 1910 

 Dec. 29,1910 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



Feet. 

 4.00 

 6.00 

 6.00 

 5.00 

 4.50 

 4.00 

 3.50 



Dense 









Bush. 



8 



31 







8 



12 



126 



41 



Bush. 



154 



69 



46 



50 















Bush. 

 162 



466 

 465 

 464 



462 



Very scattering 



do 



do 



Depleted 



0.0 

 .0 

 .0 

 .0 



3.5 



1.8 



4,3 

 .0 

 1.2 

 1.7 

 14.5 

 4.1 



4.3 



2.9 



3.1 



.0 



.0 



.0 



100 

 46 

 58 

 12 



460 

 459 



do 



do 



126 

 41 



HERON BAY, EAST SIDE. 



On the east side of Heron Bay there is an area of oyster growth 

 stretching along shore for nearly a mile south of the forks of the bay. 

 It consists principally of depleted bottom in which there are shells 

 more or less buried in the mud, with an occasional cluster of oysters. 

 The area and character of the growth on the several parts of this bed 

 are as follows: 



Oyster Growth in Heron Bay, East Side. 



Character of oyster growth. 



Area. 



Oysters per acre. 



Estimated content of oysters. 



Under 3 

 inches. 



Over 3 

 inches. 



Seed. 



Market. 



Total. 



Dense 



Acres. 



34 



11 



5 



52 



Bushels. 



101 



13 



110 







Bushels. 



190 



96 



72 







Bushels. 



3,434 



143 



550 







Bushels. 



6,460 



1,056 



360 







Bushels. 



9,894 



Scattering 



1,199 



Very scattering 



910 



Depleted 











Total 



102 







4,127 



7,876 



12 Oft? 











