36 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



The area covered by scattering marketable oysters stretches from 

 the western side of the longer shoal across some intervening deeper 

 water to two small shoals to the westward. Over the whole area the 

 density of growth is such that about 6 bushels of oysters may be 

 taken per day. 



The very scattered growth is in three areas fringing the denser 

 parts of the bed. Its productiveness varies between areas which 

 will yield 2\ and those which will yield 4^ bushels per day, the gen- 

 eral average at all places examined being about 3J bushels. 



The best of the depleted bottom, which is in the areas lying on the 

 edge of the deep-water channel, will yield about 2\ bushels per day, 

 while the inshore area and that lying in the midst of the scattering 

 growth will not yield an average of over 1 bushel. 



The young growth is in good quantity, though not so abundant as 

 on Kettle Hole Rock. On the dense and scattering areas it is suffi- 

 cient to yield an average of about 15 bushels per day. On the very 

 scattering area near the inshore end of the eastern edge of the rock it 

 is in about the same abundance, but elsewhere it will yield not more 

 than 4^ bushels per day's tonging. On the best of the depleted bot- 

 tom, along the edge of the deep-water channel, it is estimated that 

 about 10 or 11 bushels per day could be taken by the tonger, but on 

 other parts of the depleted area young oysters are practically absent. 



The oysters on this bed, as on all others on this shore of the river, 

 are of fair size, the marketable stock averaging about 350 per bushel 

 and the young approximately 750. 



The following observations were made: 



Details of Examination of Thomas Point Rock. 







Mean 

 depth 



of wa- 





Oyst 



ers caught per 



Estimated quantity oys- 



Station 

 num- 



Date of ex- 

 amination. 



Character of growth 

 of market oysters. 



square yard. 



ters per acre. 



ber 



















ter. 





Spat. 



Culls. 



Counts. 



Seed. 



Market. 



Total. 







Feet. 











Bush. 



Bush. 



Bmh. 



127 



Aug. 17,1909 

 do 



12.5 



Dense 



0.8 



2.1 



11.2 



19 



154 



173 



132 



12.5 



do 



9.6 



33.0 



8.9 



277 



123 



400 



366 



Aug. 26,1909 



8.5 



do 



3.9 



33.1 



10.3 



241 



142 



383 



367 



do 



8.5 



do 



13.4 



13.8 



5.8 



177 



80 



257 



374 



do 



13.0 



do 



5.8 



13.6 



5.5 



126 



76 



202 



128 



Aug. 17,1909 

 do 



14.5 



Scattering 



2.0 



21.2 



6.0 



151 



83 



234 



129 



12.5 



do 



2.5 



24.0 



4.5 



172 



62 



234 



130 



do 



13.5 



do 



1.5 



9.5 



5.5 



71 



76 



147 



131 



do 



9.5 



do 



5.5 



24.0 



5.5 



192 



76 



268 



160 



Aug. 18,1909 



9.0 



do 



3.0 



31.1 



5.7 



221 



79 



300 



161 



do 



9.0 



do 



2.9 



27.7 



5.1 



199 



70 



269 



368 



Aug. 26,1909 



8.5 



do 



10.0 



28.6 



1.8 



251 



25 



276 



372 



....7do 



11.0 



do 



2.3 



13.2 



7.1 



101 



98 



199 



162 



Aug. 18,1909 



13.0 



Very scattering 



1.2 



13.5 



2.4 



97 



33 



130 



166 



do 



15.5 



do 



2.7 



45.9 



5.5 



316 



76 



392 



371 



Aug. 26,1909 



14.0 



do 



.0 



4.5 



3.3 



29 



46 



75 



375 



do 



17.0 



do 



.0 



6.8 



3.6 



44 



50 



94 



376 



do 



13.0 



do 



.0 



4.5 



3.8 



29 



52 



81 



168 



Aug. 18,1909 



do 



Aug. 26,1909 



9.5 



Depleted 



1.3 



18.5 



1.8 



129 



25 



154 



172 



15.0 

 13.0 



do 



2.7 

 .0 



24.6 

 1.2 



2.7 



.9 



177 

 8 



37 

 12 



214 



\\7.\ 



do 



20 



377 



....fdo.. 



13.0 



do 



.3 



1.0 



" 



s 



10 



18 



