12 
OYSTER BEDS OE JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 
on the James River, an oysterman can cover twice as much bottom 
per grab in 4 feet as he can in 8 feet, and about two and one-lialf 
times as much as he can using 20-foot tongs in 16 feet. Using the 
tongs stated, the average tonger observed in Maryland, and the data 
will hold in Virginia, will make about 2.7 grabs per minute in 4 feet, 
2.6 in 8 feet, and 1.8 in 16 feet of water. In other words, if he can 
cover 1 square yard of the bottom in a given time in 16 feet, he can 
cover 1.7 yards in 8 feet, and 3.3 yards in 4 feet of water. 
It is obvious that if a tonger in a given time is to obtain the same, 
quantity of oysters in each of these depths, the oyster growth must lie 
on the bottom with a density inversely to the areas stated above. 
The value of a bed, the price per bushel of the oysters being the same, 
depends on the quantity which a man can take in a given time, and 
it therefore happens that a bed in deep water may be valueless com- 
mercially, while another rock, with the same density of growth but 
covered by shoaler water, may be tonged with profit. 
Based on these principles, and taking into consideration the number 
of oysters per bushel on the different beds as determined by actual 
counts, tables were prepared showing the number of oysters per 
square yard for each foot of depth necessary to yield to the tonger 
1 bushel of oysters per day of tonging. From these data the beds 
were divided into areas, according to the number of bushels of 
oysters which they were capable of yielding per day to the tonger, 
based on nine hours of actual tonging and disregarding the time 
occupied in culling. The bottom was divided into 5 categories: 
Barren, on which there were neither shells nor oysters; depleted, on 
which the tonger could take less than 3 bushels of market oysters or 
4 bushels of seed, according to location; very scattering growth, on 
which between 3 and 5 bushels of oysters or 4 and 8 bushels of seed 
could be taken; scattering growth, on which the limits were 5 and 8 
bushels of market oysters or 8 and 12 bushels of seed; and areas of 
dense growth, on which upward of 8 bushels of market oysters or 12 
bushels of seed could be taken per day. 
During the survey 10,440 soundings were taken, and the position of 
the boat was instrumentally determined at 1,369 places. The chain 
was dragged for 226 miles, giving continuous indications of the char- 
acter of the bottom, which were plotted on the chart at 10,440 places. 
The density of oyster growth was determined by the 590 biological 
observations already referred to, and the extent and boundaries 
of the areas as charted were fixed by a combination of these observa- 
tions and the 10,440 records of the continuous chain readings. Dur- 
ing the work the writer was in charge of the sounding boat and in 
constant touch with all operations. The biological observations 
were all under the immediate charge of Mr. T. E. B. Pope, whose 
