50 OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



V ROCK. 



This bed takes it name from the shape of a bare shoal near its 

 southwestern edge. It is inshore of the preceding rock and adjoins 

 Swash Rock to the southeast. 



The area and character of growth on the bed are epitomized in the 

 following table: 



Oyster Growth on V Rock. 



Character of growth. 



Area. 



Oysters 

 per acre. 



Estimated 

 total con- 

 tent of 



oysters. 





Acres. 



240 



73 



73 



Bushels. 



227 



84 



15 



Bushels. 

 54,480 

 6,132 

 1,095 



Verv scattering 



Depleted 





Total 



386 





61, 707 







The dense area occupies the middle belt of the bed and carries a 

 growth of between 144 and 344 bushels per acre, the average estimated 

 yield per day to the tonger being about 21 bushels. 



The very scattering growth lies along the northwestern edge of the 

 bed and on a comparatively shallow ridge along the swash channel 

 near its mouth. It bears oysters in a quantity to yield about 7 

 bushels per acre. 



The depleted area adjoins similar bottom on Swash Rock and is 

 practically bare of both oysters and shells. The supply of shells on 

 the rest of the bed is ample to secure their reseeding under proper 

 conditions. 



The data for the bed are as follows : 



Details of Examination of V Rock. 



Station 

 num- 

 ber. 



229 

 235 

 236 

 268 

 303 

 304 

 305 

 306 

 317 

 302 

 315 

 316 



Date of ex- 

 amination. 



Aug. 20,1909 



do 



....do 



Aug. 23,1909 

 Aug. 24,1909 



do.. 



....do.. 

 ....do.. 

 ....do.. 

 ....do.. 

 ....do.. 

 ....do.. 



Mean 

 depth 

 of wa- 

 ter. 



Feet. 



9.0 



12.5 



10.5 



12.5 



9.5 



7.5 



6.5 



15.5 



10.0 



9.5 



10.0 



10.0 



Character of growth. 



Oysters caught per 

 square yard. 



Spat. Culls. Counts 



Dense 



do 



....do 



....do 



....do 



....do 



....do 



....do 



....do 



Very scattering. 



Depleted 



do 



31.8 



10.8 



20.6 



4.4 



21.7 



18.3 



47.7 



13.9 



22.5 



2.5 



1.3 



.0 



16. 5 

 45.7 

 19.4 

 15.2 

 10.4 

 10.0 

 19.7 

 14.6 

 18.7 

 7.9 

 .4 

 .0 



1.7 

 .4 



.0 



.0 



.0 

 4.8 



.8 

 2.9 

 2.1 



.0 



Estimated 



quantity 



oysters per 



Bushels. 

 265 

 293 

 204 

 203 

 173 

 144 

 344 

 197 

 219 

 84 

 31 

 



