22 OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 
Details op Examination of Flat Rock and Small Beds Between Nansemond 
Ridge and Fishing Point. 
Station 
num- 
Date of ex- 
amination. 
Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 
Character of growth 
of market oysters. 
Oysters caught per 
square yard. 
Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 
ber. 
Spat. 
Culls. 
Counts. 
Seed. 
Market. 
Total. 
31 
Aug. 11.1909 
Feet. 
10.5 
Dense 
0.2 
0.2 
6.7 
Bush. 
3 
Bush. 
108 
Bush. 
Ill 
48 
Aug. 12,1909 
10.0 
Very scattering 
1.8 
6.7 
2.6 
55 
42 
97 
32 
Aug. 11.1909 
10.5 
Depleted 
.0 
2.4 
1.6 
16 ' 
26 
42 
HIGH SHOAL ROCK. 
High Shoal Rock is conspicuous from its position, near the middle 
of James River, surrounding a shoal of sand and broken shells bare 
at practically all times. The highest part of the shoal is near the 
channel, from which it extends shoreward toward Fishing Point. 
The .bed, including the depleted parts, is quadrangular in shape, 
with its more productive areas extending at right angles to the shores 
along its major diameter. Its extent and density of growth are as 
follows : 
Oyster Growth on High Shoal Rock. 
Character of growth of market oysters. 
Area. 
Oysters per acre. 
Estimated 
content of 
market 
oysters. 
Seed. 
Market. 
Dense 
Acres. 
24 
13 
24 
95 
156 
Bushels. 
134 
127 
58 
8 
Bushels. 
90 
48 
25 
Si 
Bushels. 
2,160 
624 
600 
807 
Scattering 
Very scattering 
Depleted 
Total 
4,191 
The dense area extends along practically the entire length of the 
shoal, as a narrow strip on both sides but especially to the eastward 
of the highest ridge. The market oysters are somewhat smaller 
than those in water a little deeper, but on the bed as a whole they 
were found to average about 400 to the bushel. It is estimated that 
on this area a tonger could take about 10 bushels of oysters per day. 
The area of scattering growth forms ft strip on the southern side of 
the bed along the edge of a deep swash channel which separates it 
from one of the neighboring Fishing Point Rocks. Market oysters 
are produced in sufficient abundance to yield the tonger about 6J 
bushels per day. The very scattering area lies to the eastward of the 
dense area and north of the scattering, and produces oysters suffi- 
cient to furnish the tonger about 3 to 3J bushels per day. 
