58 OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI SOUND, ALA. 



from H^ron Bay were examined, but some of excellent equality were 

 seen in the last three localities mentioned. The State bed in Porters- 

 ville Bay was planted too dense and the quality of its product was 

 correspondingly inferior. 



The private beds at the time of the survey were apparently all or 

 practically all held under rights attaching to the ownership of the 

 adjacent shores, this until recently being the only manner in which 

 oyster culture could be legally conducted. 



It is now possible, however, to procure from the State the lease of 

 barren bottoms beyond riparian control, and this should result in a 

 material increase in the extent of oyster planting and in the pros- 

 perity and development of the entire oyster industry of the State. 



As is shown in the chart and explained in the section relating to 

 barren bottoms, there are considerable areas of suitable bottom 

 remote from the shores, and in some cases lying well out in the 

 sound in a depth of water permitting the use of methods warranting 

 operations on a large scale. The possible drawback to some of these 

 offshore locations is the occasional high salinity of the water, which 

 may permit the drill to flourish at times and prove destructive, but 

 on the other hand it might operate to prevent an undue develop- 

 ment of young oysters on seed too large for the drill to injure. On 

 the other hand, they are less subject than the inshore waters to dam- 

 age by freshets. For operations on a smaller scale, in which ease of 

 guarding against theft and facility in tonging are considerations, the 

 shallower waters off Portersville and Grand Bay offer advantages. 



RESUME, CONCLUSION'S, AND RECOMMENDATIONS. 



The following epitomizes the facts developed by the survey, the 

 deductions made therefrom, and recommendations based on them 

 and a consideration of the general conditions obtaining in Mobile 

 County : 



1. The survey embraced Mississippi Sound in Alabama and the 

 adjacent part of Mobile Bay, including both the natural oyster beds 

 and the barren bottoms. 



2. It was found that the natural oyster beds within this region 

 embraced 4,008 acres, nearly all being near the junction of Mobile 

 Bay and Mississippi Sound. Of this area practically one-half bore 

 oysters in sufficient quantity to warrant tonging and, to a less extent, 

 dredging. On the remainder the oysters are too scattered to be com- 

 mercially available; but between 500 and 1,000 acres are likely to 

 become productive eventually should there be several years of heavy 

 strike. Probably 1,000 acres are not likely to become productive 

 under natural conditions for many years. 



3. It is conservatively estimated that in January, 1911, these beds 

 contained approximately 600,000 bushels of oysters over 3 inches long 



