OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 67 



Blunt Point Rocks there are but a few places where the young growth 

 is prolific, and there are some in which neither young nor shells are 

 found in even the minimum quantity requisite. On White Shoal 

 Rock the condition on the areas of very scattering growth is in 

 general satisfactory. 



On the depleted bottoms as a whole the average growth of young 

 oysters is about equal to that on similar bottom across the river, and 

 there appears to be but little prospect of the future improvement of 

 these areas, although there are a few spots on Thomas Point and White 

 Shoal Rocks, in proximity to productive areas, where the growth of 

 young is good. 



MINOR PUBLIC GROUNDS. 



In the Nansemond River and on the right side of James River there 

 are several small public grounds, all of which are insignificant both in 

 area and productiveness, and some of which were examined not at all 

 or unsatisfactorily. They are as follows (somewhat more detailed 

 data concerning some of them may be found in the descriptions of the 

 individual rocks) : 



Nansemond County Ground No. 3, This was intended to include 

 Holland Rock and at present contains in depleted bottom about 22 

 acres, on which there are a very few oysters and shells and about 33.9 

 acres of barren bottom. 



Isle of Wight County Ground No. 2 contains about 9 acres of bottom 

 of various degrees of productiveness, 24 acres of depleted and 16.8 

 acres of barren bottom. Its general condition is related in the de- 

 scription of Aaron Shoal Rock, its only natural bed. Isle of Wight 

 County Ground No. 3 adjoins the preceding and has an area of 6| 

 acres. It was not examined in the present survey. Isle of Wight 

 County Ground No. 4 lies inshore of the preceding and covers about 

 3 acres of apparently depleted bottom. 



Isle of Wight County Ground No. 5 embraces Creek Channel Shoal 

 Rock, covering about 2 acres of depleted and 5.1 acres of barren 

 bottom. Its present condition is described under the name of the 

 rock. 



PUBLIC GROUND NO. 1 WARWICK COUNTY, ABOVE DEEP CREEK. 



The lower part of this ground, lying below Deep Creek, is within 

 the area from which market oysters only can be taken and is there- 

 fore subject to the operations of the cull law. Its beds have been 

 discussed in the foregoing. Above Deep Creek and Days Point, on 

 both sides of the river, the cull law is suspended so far as young 

 oysters are concerned, and, while shells must be returned to the 

 beds, there is no limit on the minimum size of oysters which may 

 be taken, the whole area being set apart for the production of seed 

 for replanting. 



