48 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



the several areas ranges between 6 and 16 feet, and the density of 

 growth between 142 and 410 bushels per acre. It is estimated that 

 the bottoms are capable of producing an initial yield of about 18 

 bushels per day. 



The scattering area occupies a general central position in the bed 

 surrounding one of the dense spots. The depth varies from 10 feet 

 inshore to about 22 feet at the edge of the channel, and the quantity 

 of oysters varies between 92 and 186 bushels per acre. The estimated 

 daily yield to the tonger is about 10 bushels. 



The bottom covered by a very scattering growth forms a zone 

 encircling the inner edge of the preceding. It lies in a depth varying 

 from 7 to 16 feet, and, although the examinations were not as numerous 

 as they should have been, they indicate that the growth is sufficient 

 to yield an average of between 6 and 7 bushels per day. 



The depleted bottom lies in a belt on the inside edge of the bed. 

 It is practically bare of oysters and shells. 



Shells are found in fair quantities on the dense bottom and on the 

 outer parts of the scattering growth, but are deficient on the inshore 

 parts of the latter, on most of the area of very scattering growth, and 

 on the depleted area. 



The following observations were made : 



Details of Examination op Marshy Island Rock. 



Station 

 num- 

 ber. 



Date of ex- 

 amination. 



Mean 

 depth 

 of wa- 

 ter. 



Character of growth. 



Oysters caught per 



square yard. 



Spat. 



Culls. 



Counts. 



5.4 



12.7 



4.6 



6.2 



23.1 



1.9 



10.4 



54.3 



8.3 



7.7 



11.5 



9.6 



6.7 



9.6 



.8 



8.1 



9.2 



1.2 



2.1 



8.8 



7.5 



10.9 



23.6 



.9 



7.3 



12.1 



2.8 



1.2 



5.8 



4.2 



4.5 



15.9 



.5 



.0 



.8 



1.3 



Estimated 



quantity 



oysters per 



acre. 



217 

 225 

 232 

 239 

 221 

 222 

 224 

 231 

 233 

 223 

 234 

 218 



Aug. 19, 

 Aug. 20, 



do... 



....do... 

 ....do... 

 ....do... 

 ....do... 

 ....do... 

 ....do... 

 ....do... 

 ....do... 

 Aug. 19, 



1909 

 1909 



Feet. 

 13.0 

 12.5 

 14.0 

 11.5 

 13.0 

 14.0 



9.5 

 17.0 

 11.0 



9.0 

 16.0 

 12.0 



Dense 



....do 



....do 



....do 



Scattering 



do 



....do 



....do 



....do 



Very scattering 



do 



Depleted 



Bushels. 



142 

 170 

 410 

 201 



92 

 102 

 136 

 186 

 129 



81 

 109 



18 



LONG SHOAL ROCK. 



This triangular bed flanks a shoal, ebbing bare in many places, 

 which extends eastwardly from Point of Shoals light-house for a 

 distance of upward of 1^ miles. As understood in this report, its 

 boundary is an imaginary line running from Point of Shoals light 

 toward Jail Island at an average distance of about 300 to 400 yards 

 from the crest of the shoal, as far as the swash channel opening toward 

 the northwest, along the edge of this channel to its mouth, and thence 

 to the starting point. The main body of the rock, therefore, lies 

 north of the crest of the bar. Its condition and extent about the 

 beginning of September, 1909, were as follows: 



