54 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 

 ROCK WHARF SHOALS ROCK. 



This bed lies near the western end of Public Ground No. 1, Isle of 

 Wight County, across the river from the group of seed beds previously 

 described. It forms two patches surrounding shoals and consists 

 principally of productive bottom, as shown in the following table : 



Oyster Growth ox Rock Wharf Shoals Rock. 



Character of growth. 



Area. 



Estimated 

 Oysters total con- 

 per acre. tent of 

 oysters. 



Dense 



Acres. 

 18 



Bushels. Bushels. 

 140 2. 520 



Depleted 



8 



11 88 



Total. 



26 



The dense area should yield an average of about 22 bushels of 

 oysters per day, and is fairly covered with clean shells. The de- 

 pleted bottom is practically bare of both oysters and shells. 



Details of Examination of Rock Wharf Shoals Rock. 



Station 

 num- 

 ~ ber. 



Mean 

 Date of ex- depth 

 amination. of wa- 

 ter. 



Character of growth. 



Oysters caught per 



square yard. Estimated 



quantity 

 oysters per 



Spat. 



Culls. Counts. 



421 

 422 

 420 



Aug. 28,1909 i 



do 



....do 



Feet. 



4 i 



Dense 



....do ... 

 Depleted. 



7.3 



11.3 



.0 



13.6 



15.7 



.2 



2.1 

 1.4 



Bushels. 

 129 

 152 

 11 



BEDS BETWEEN ROCK WHARF SHOALS AND SPINDLE ROCK. 



These cover the largest area of productive bottom in the ground, 

 distributed in three patches. Their aggregate area and extent are 

 as follows: 



Oyster Growth on Beds Between Rock Wharf Shoals and Spindle Rock. 



Character of growth. 



Area. 



Oysters 

 per acre. 



Total con- 

 tent of 

 oysters. 



Dense 



Very scattering. 

 Depleted 



Total. 



Acres. Bushels. 



45 140 



5 t 46 



37 18 



87 



Bushels. 

 6.300 

 230 



7,196 



The dense areas are close to the shoal spots and in various places 

 bear from 101 to 178 bushels per acre, the average density being 

 sufficient to yield about 22 bushels per day to the tonger. 



