76 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



otherwise subjected to abnormal conditions. The various locations 

 of the natural-bed oysters and the consequently variable conditions 

 to which they are exposed introduce a factor for which it is difficult 

 to make allowances, and it seems impossible to do more than hazard 

 a guess as to the proportion of young oysters now on the beds which 

 will die before becoming marketable. It is probable that it will be 

 somewhere between 25 and 50 per cent. Considering the size of 

 young oysters found by the survey, the mortality may be less than 

 the former and excepting under unfavorable conditions can hardly 

 be greater than the latter. Assuming that 25 per cent of the young 

 now on the beds will die before reaching a marketable size, there 

 should be on the beds, in order to maintain their present condition, 

 2.66 young for each marketable oyster removed. If the loss be 

 assumed at 50 per cent there should be 4 young per market oyster. 

 The following table exhibits the actual average numerical propor- 

 tion of young oysters to marketable found on the several beds : 



Numerical Proportion of Young Growth and Market Oysters in the Market- 

 Oyster Area on Bottoms Bearing Very Scattering Growth. 



Name of rock. 



Oysters 



less than 



1 inch 



long. 



Ovsters 

 between 

 1 and 3 

 inches. 



Total. 





0.42 

 .62 

 .50 

 .55 

 .09 



1.81 

 .55 

 .27 



1.11 

 .06 



3.50 

 .66 

 .80 

 .19 

 .63 

 .21 

 .35 

 .87 



1.82 

 3.29 

 5.27 

 3.83 

 2.58 

 2.47 

 6. SI 

 1.13 

 1.94 

 .00 

 11.40 

 8.00 

 4.00 

 4.28 

 8.27 

 4.06 

 4.56 

 5.36 



2.24 





3.91 





5.77 





4.38 



Flat Rock, etc 



3.27 



High Shoal. . 



4.28 



Trout Shoal 



7.36 



Dog Shoal.. 



1.40 





3.05 





.06 





14.90 





S. 66 





4.80 



Gun 



4.47 



Kettle Bottom 



8.90 





4.27 





4.91 



White Shoal 



6.23 









.76 



4.39 



5.15 







It will be observed that, on the assumption of the smaller death 

 rate, Nansemond Ridge, Dog Shoal, and the small beds near Ballards 

 Marsh are the only rocks which appear to lack sufficient young 

 growth on the very scattering areas to maintain them in their present 

 condition. Assuming the higher rate of mortality, Drum Shoal, the 

 small bed near Flat Rock, and Fishing Point Rocks must be added to 

 the list, though when we consider that many of the market oysters 

 now on the bottom can not be taken with profit, it would appear 

 that even these rocks are capable of improving under a rigid observ- 

 ance of the cull law. The other rocks, under either assumption 

 as to mortality, probably bear a sufficient number of young to 



