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about i mile wide; for the next three it is about one-half mile wide. Besides the Middle Marsh 

 Islands and Egg Islands, situated in this river, and the flats which make off from them, at 

 least one-third of the above area is too shoal and bottom shifting to admit of oyster cultivation. 



In the channels, and where the depth is 8 feet or more, the bottom is hard, generally marl, 

 and suitable for oyster cultivation. 



A series of density observations were made near Egg Island, the maximum being 1.0219, 

 the mean 1.0198, and the minimum 1.0169. Similarly at the mouth of the Florida Passage we 

 have maximum 1.0180, mean 1.0161, and minimum 1.0138. 



The total area in that part of the river described is 1,809 acres; area beyond 1,000 feet from 

 shore, 612 acres; area of natural oyster beds, 38.5 acres. 



The oysters are for the most part inferior, and partly ebb out at low water, being scattered 

 along the edges of the marshes. 



Bradley s River comes into Ossabaw Sound from the north end of Ossabaw Island. It is 

 about 5 miles long, and averages about 200 yards in width for the first 3 miles, and having a 

 general direction of southwest. 



Only the first 2 miles of this river were examined. There is only about 4 feet at the mouth, 

 but once in the river the depth for the first 2 miles ranges from 6 to 15 feet. 



The bottom is generally soft, increasing in hardness as you ascend the river; but very 

 little area is considered suitable for oyster culture. 



Around the mouth, and scattered along and near the shore, are a series of natural oyster 

 beds, generally of the raccoon grade. About the mouth of this river were observed several 

 beds, 10 or 20 yards in diameter, of raccoon oysters, which ebb out at low water, and show 

 that the formation of the bed has taken place on soft mud, and each year the spat have caught 

 on the previous year's growth, thus forming a mass of coon oysters and dead shells at least 2 

 feet in thickness. 



At low water the specific gravity at the mouth was 1.0224; 2 miles above the mouth, 1.0208. 



It is very natural to infer that the upper and narrow portion of this river is well adapted 

 to the cultivation of oysters so far as concerns the density of the water. 



Total area of first 2 miles of the river, 128 acres. Area of natural oyster beds, 8.5 acres. 



The Florida Passage is a tributary of the Ogeechee, and, with Bear River, separates Ossabaw 

 Island from the main land. It is about 2 miles long, and averages about 400 yards in width. 

 The depth of water ranges between 10 and 20 feet for the greater portion. The bottom is soft 

 mud, with occasional small areas of sticky bottom, particularly near the shore, where a few 

 oysters of an inferior grade may be found. 



The specific gravity at the lower mouth, where it is joined by Buck Head Creek and Bear 

 River, was 1.0146, being the mean of 25 observations, the maximum being 1. 0176, the mininum 

 1. 01 19. The total area is 320 acres. 



Freshets in the Ogeechee will endanger the lives of oysters in this river, otherwise the 

 area of sticky and hard mud bottom is suitable for oyster planting. 



Red Bud Creek, a small narrow stream about 3 miles wide, comes into the Florida Passage 

 on the west side, about 1 mile from its mouth. The water in this creek is too fresh for oysters, 

 except near the mouth, and even there oysters are liable to be killed by the overflows from the 

 Ogeechee. The total area of this creek is 112 acres. Theareaof natural oyster beds* is 25 acres. 



Queen Bess Creek is a small stream coming into the Florida Passage on the east side, and 

 nearly opposite Red Bud Creek. It is not considered suitable for oyster culture by reason of 

 the very soft bottom, and is also liable to become too fresh from its proximity to the Ogeechee 

 River. 



Buck Head Creek comes out of the marshes on the west side of Ossabaw Island, and joins 

 Bear River at its junction with the Florida Passage. It is about 2 miles in length. The first 

 mile averages 400 feet in width; the second about 100. The depth of the water ranges from 4 

 to 16 feet. The bottom for the most part is hard sticky mud, with an occasional deposit, 

 especially along the shores. This creek has a total area of 96 acres, and contains no natural 

 oyster beds of any consequence. 



