OYSTEE BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



27 





area the probable average yield is estimated at between 1| and 2 

 bushels per day of tonging. On the area of scattering growth on the 

 bed inside of High Shoal young growth is almost absent, giving the 

 bottom the appearance of having been planted. On the very scat- 

 tering area in the same bed the quantity of young is sufficient to 

 yield about 6 bushels per day per tonger. 



On the dense and scattering areas of the other bed there is a dense 

 growth of young oysters, sufficient to yield on the former about 18 

 bushels and on the latter about 13 bushels per day. On the depleted 

 bottom as a whole it would probably be impossible to take more 

 than 3 bushels of young per day, though there are spots where the 

 yield might be double that amount. 



The following results were obtained from examinations: 



Details of Examination of Fishing Point Rocks. 



Station 

 num- 



Date of ex- 

 amination. 



Mean 

 depth 

 of wa- 

 ter. 



Character of growth 

 of market oysters. 



Oysters caught per 

 square yard. 



Estimated quantity oys- 

 ters per acre. 



ber. 



Spat. 



Culls. 



Counts. 



Seed. 



Market. 



Total. 



466 



Sept. 3,1909 

 do 



Aug. 13,1909 



Sept. 3,1909 

 do 



Aug. 13,1909 



.....do 



do 



Aug. 14.1909 

 do 



Feet. 

 8.0 

 8.0 



14.0 

 9.0 

 9.5 



13.0 

 8.5 



10.0 

 9.0 

 8.0 





3.8 



1.2 



.0 



6.2 



2.5 



4.0 



2.6 



.0 



.3 



.3 



27.4 



24.7 



.3 



39.7 



18.3 



6.8 



6.9 



1.3 



7.3 



.3 



8.5 

 11.2 

 6.7 

 6.1 

 7.5 

 3.6 

 2.0 

 .7 

 2.4 

 1.2 



Bush. 



203 



168 



2 



298 



135 



70 



62 



8 



49 



4 



Bush. 



103 



135 



81 



74 



91 



44 



24 



8 



29 



14 



Bush. 

 306 



467 

 62 



do 



Scattering 



303 

 83 



468 



469 



66 



73 



do 



do 



Very scattering 



372 

 226 

 114 



86 



84 

 99 

 100 



.....do 



do 



do 



16 



78 

 18 



ROCKS BETWEEN FISHING POINT AND BALLARDS MARSH ROCKS. 



In this region there are two small rocks for which no names were 

 obtained. One of these lies close to the Baylor line and is encroached 

 on by planted areas. It consists of a dense area inshore, the oysters 

 becoming very scattering farther out, surrounded by a fringe of de- 

 pleted bottom. The other bed is a small patch of very scattering 

 growth about 400 yards farther out, in the direction of Dog Shoal 

 Rock. 



The following table exhibits the extent and condition of these 

 beds: 



Oyster Growth on Rocks Between Fishing Point and Ballards Marsh Rocks. 



Character of growth of market oysters. 



Area. 



Oysters per acre. 



Estimated 

 oontent 



Seed. 



Market. 



of markel 



oysters. 



Dense 



Acres. 

 5 

 8 

 18 



Bushels. 

 L83 



1 

 



Hits lids. 



268 



31 







Bushels. 

 1 340 



Very scattering 



248 



Depleted 



o 







Total 



31 







1.588 









