OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 
29 
The scattering area is a small spot near the inner end of the shoal, 
where the quantity of market oysters is sufficient to yield to the 
tonger between 7 and 8 bushels per day. The very scattering growth 
is found on each side of this and beyond it for a distance of about 
two-thirds the length of the shoal, bearing a growth yielding about 
3^ bushels of oysters per day’s work. On both sides of the very 
scattering area and beyond it along the line of the shoal is a depleted 
bottom on which, as a whole, less than 1 bushel of oysters can be 
taken per day, the edges of the area being practically barren. 
Along both sides of the shoal, even on the so-called depleted 
bottom which surrounds it at its outer end, is a heavy growth of 
young and many shells, which will yield on the average about 35 
bushels of culls and spat per day. The market oysters on this bed 
will average about 400 to the bushel and the culls or seed oysters 
about 750. 
Details of Examination of Ballards Marsh Rock. 
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. 
86 
Aug. 14,1909 
Feet. 
3.0 
Scattering 
13.7 
9.7 
2.6 
Bush. 
152 
Bush. 
31 
Bush. 
183 
85 
do 
6.0 
Very scattering 
3.2 
3.2 
2.1 
42 
25 
67 
462 
Sept. 3,1909 
5.0 
.....do 
6.6 
21.7 
2.0 
184 
25 
209 
514 
Sept. 9, 1909 
4.0 
do 
10.8 
42.3 
1.8 
346 
22 
368 
87 
Aug. 14,1909 
6.0 
Depleted 
.3 
2.3 
1.4 
17 
17 
34 
88 
do 
7.0 
do 
.0 
.0 
.0 
0 
0 
0 
89 
do 
9.0 
do 
.0 
.0 
1.7 
0 
21 
21 
90 
.....do 
7.0 
do 
.0 
.0 
.0 
0 
0 
0 
91 
.....do 
7.0 
do 
.0 
.3 
1.8 
2 
22 
24 
461 
Sept. 3,1909 
7.0 
do 
4.7 
27,7 
1.3 
211 
16 
227 
504 
Sept. 9,1909 
6.0 
do 
.0 
.0 
.0 
0 
0 
0 
505 
do 
5.0 
do 
5.7 
22.5 
.4 
183 
5 
188 
506 
do 
4.5 
do 
7.4 
21.0 
.5 
185 
6 
191 
508 
.....do 
4.5 
do 
10.3 
22.4 
.2 
213 
2 
215 
513 
do 
6.0 
do 
.0 
.0 
.2 
0 
2 
2 
515 
do 
5.5 
do 
.0 
.0 
.9 
0 
11 
11 
516 
do. ..... . 
6.0 
do 
.0 
.0 
.7 
0 
8 
8 
517 
do 
6.0 
do 
.0 
.0 
.2 
0 
2 
2 
518 
do. 
7.0 
.....do 
.0 
.0 
.5 
0 
6 
6 
519 
do 
7.0 
do 
.0 
.3 
1.4 
2 
17 
19 
520 
..... do 
6.5 
do..... 
.0 
.0 
.0 
0 
0 
0 
521 
.....do ... 
5.5 
do 
.0 
.0 
.0 
0 
0 
0 
CREEK CHANNEL ROCK. 
This is a small bed about 2 acres in extent, covering a shoal 
marked by a buoy of the Light-House Establishment. It has the 
indications of having been a dense bed, but at the present time it is 
depleted, and a tonger could take on it an average of hardly a bushel 
of oysters per day, and the young growth is still more sparse. It is 
surrounded by private beds. It constitutes Public Ground No. 5, 
Isle of Wight County. 
