68 



OYSTEE BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



It is necessary, therefore, in the discussion of the productiveness 

 of this part of the James River oyster grounds, to adopt a different 

 standard of productiveness. The whole oyster product of whatever 

 size is involved in the question of the present value of the beds, 

 whereas in the areas previously discussed the- market oysters only 

 could be considered, and the quantity of young was of interest merely 

 as indicating the probability of the beds being maintained or repleted. 

 In the discussion which follows here the maximum potential yield is 

 considered as the production in excess of that which will give the 

 tonger 4 bushels of oysters per day of tonging, not taking into con- 

 sideration the time emplo}^ed in culling out the shells and returning 

 them to the beds. 



This part of Ground Xo. 1 includes all oyster rocks on the left bank 

 of the James River, from the mouth of Warwick River to the upper 

 limit of oyster growth, near Deepwater Shoals Light-House. The 

 following is a summary of the extent of the several rocks and the 

 barren bottoms embraced within the Bavlor lines: 



Areas of Oyster Growth, 



Public Ground Xo. 

 Deep Creek. 



1 Warwick County, Above 



It will be noticed at once that the proportion of barren bottom to 

 that actually included in the rocks as determined by the survey is 

 somewhat smaller than in the grounds previously discussed, consti- 

 tuting about 53 per cent of the total. The depleted bottom, which, 

 with practically no exceptions, is at present and potentially valueless, 

 covers an additional 12 or 13 per cent, so that, assuming all the rest 

 to be at present productive or capable of becoming so in the future, 

 the oyster bottom covers about 35 per cent of the whole. 



The following table exhibits the estimated total content of the sev- 

 eral rocks and their subdivisions at the opening of the oyster season 

 on September 15, 1909: 



