16 



OYSTER BOTTOMS OF MISSISSIPPI EAST OF BILOXI. 



and contains about 106 acres of all degrees of productiveness. Its 

 southwest edge is indeterminate, the oyster growth being continued 

 shoreward to or above low-water mark. 



The following table summarizes the area and distribution of oyster 

 growth on this' bed : 



Oyster Growth on Deer Island, East Point Bed. 





Area. 



Oysters per acre. 



Estimated content of oysters. 



Character of growth. 



Under 3 

 inches. 



Over 3 

 inches. 



Seed. 



Market. 



Total. 



Dense 



Acres. 



5 



19 

 35 



47 



Bushels. 



134 



21 



29 



1 



Bushels. 



184 

 94 

 40 



7 



Bushels. 



670 



399 



1,015 



47 



Bushels. 



920 

 1,786 

 1,400 



329 



Bushels. 

 1,590 



Scattering 



2,185 



Very scattering 



2.415 



Depleted 



376 







Total 



106 







2, 1.31 



4,435 



6, 566 











The area of dense growth is a small, narrow patch of not over 5 

 acres in extent, which is the most prolific part of the bed in bot'h 

 market and small oysters. The oysters are of excellent shape and 

 good quality. The scattering growth occupies the outer edge of the 

 bed in a depth of from 6 to 8 feet. The market oysters vary in 

 quantity in different places between about 75 bushels and 110 bushels 

 per acre, and are similar in shape and quality to those on the area of 

 dense growth, but small ones are much less numerous. The very 

 scattering growth is inshore of the two areas previously described, and 

 covers about 35 acres; and the depleted bottom, which occupies 

 approximately 47 acres, borders the southern and western edges of 

 the bed. The boundaries of this growth are indeterminate on the 

 landward side, as scattered clusters occur in the shallow water to 

 low-water mark or beyond. 



This bed, as a whole, produces the best oysters found in Mississippi 

 during the survey. The examinations made gave the data shown in 

 the following table: 



Details of Examination of Deer Island, East Point Bed. 



Angle 

 No. 



Date of 

 exami- 

 nation. 



Depth 

 of 



water. 



Character of 

 growth. 



Oysters caught per 

 square yard. 



Shells 



per 

 square 

 yard. 



Estimated quantity 

 oysters per acre. 



Spat. 



Culls. 



Counts. 



Seed. 



Market. 



Total. 



1232 



1911. 

 Feb. 25 



...do 



...do 



...do 



...do 



...do 



...do 



...do 



...do 



...do 



Feet. 

 6.5 

 8.0 

 8.0 

 6.0 

 6.3 

 5.0 

 4.5 

 5.0 

 5.3 

 6.0 



Dense 



4.6 

 1.0 

 .0 

 1.4 

 .0 

 .0 

 .0 

 .0 



14.6 



4.0 



.9 



3.6 



7.2 



.0 



.6 



.0 



11.5 

 7.0 

 4.8 

 2.9 

 2.1 

 2.5 

 .0 

 .6 





 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Bush. 



134.4 



35.0 



6.3 



35.0 



50.4 



.0 



4.2 



.0 



Bush. 



184.0 



112.0 



76.8 



46.4 



33.6 



40.0 



.0 



9.6 



Bush. 

 318.4 



1227 

 1233 



Scattering 



...do 



147.0 

 83.1 



1230 

 1231 



Very scattering. . . 

 do 



81.4 

 84.0 



1234 

 1228 

 1235 

 1236 



do 



Depleted 



do 



do 



40.0 

 4.2 

 9.6 



1237 



....do 



.0 



.0 



.7 







.0 



11.2 



11.2 









