OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



MOORES ROCK. 



51 



The bed known to the oystermen by this name lies on a shoal 

 surrounded by deep water about halfway between Point of Shoals 

 Light-House and Mulberry Point. It consists principally of bottom 

 bearing a dense growth, with a scattering fringe along the southern 

 half of its western edge. Its general extent and condition are as 

 follows : 



Oyster Growth on Moores Rock. 



Character of growth. 



Area. 



Oysters 

 per acre. 



Estimated 

 total con- 

 tent of 

 oysters. 





Acres. 



37 



6 



Bushels. 

 265 



168 



Bushels. 

 9,805 





1,008 









Total 



43 





10,813 







On the dense area the oysters, as developed by the survey, range 

 between 134 and 351 bushels per acre, and it is estimated that the 

 bottom as a whole will produce about 28 bushels of oysters per day 

 of tonging. 



The area of scattering growth lies in the deeper water close to the 

 adjoining barren bottom, and its estimated yield to the tonger is 

 about 8 bushels per day. The deposit of shells is good over the 

 entire area of the bed. 



Details of Examination of Moores Rock. 



Station 

 num- 



Date of ex- 

 amination. 



Mean 

 depth 

 of wa- 

 ter. 



Character of growth. 



Oysters caught per 

 square yard. 



Estimated 

 quantity 



ber. 



Spat. 



Culls. 



Counts. 



acre. 



241 



Aug. 20,1909 

 Aug. 23,1909 



do 



do 



Aug. 20,1909 



Feet. 

 9.5 



10.5 

 6.5 

 5.5 



20.5 



Dense 



33.4 



19.6 

 28.3 

 13.3 

 10.4 



35.4 

 19.2 

 33.4 

 13.0 

 12.5 



0.0 



2.5 



3.3 



.0 



.0 



Bushels. 

 351 



265 

 266 

 267 

 242 



do 



do 



do 



Scattering 



225 

 350 

 134 

 168 









HORSEHEAD ROCK. 



This bed covers several shoals along the edge of deep water south 

 of Mulberry Point, and for the purpose of this report is considered to 

 include a small patch close to the Baylor line to the eastward. The 

 apex of the bed is detached, but the remainder is continuous, though 

 of varying productiveness. East of this rock and north of Marshy 

 Island Rock the survey found small patches of oysters close to the 

 Baylor line, adjoining or included in various planted beds. This re- 

 gion is shown on the charts, included within red lines but without 

 shading. 



