34 OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 
the river. It lies on the north side of a shallow ridge, extending 
thence shoreward toward Watts Creek as far as the Baylor line. 
Its extent and present general condition are as follows: 
Oyster Growth on Kettle Hole Rock. 
Character of growth of market oysters. 
Area. 
Oysters per acre. 
Estimated 
content of 
market 
oysters. 
Seed. 
Market. 
Dense 
Acres. 
258 
66 
111 
11 
Bushels. 
317 
207 
180 
0 
Bushels. 
105 
82 
42 
0 
Bushels. 
27,090 
5,412 
4,662 
0 
Scattering 
Very scattering 
Depleted 
Total 
446 
37, 164 
The principal area of dense growth starts from the ridge and 
extends as a broad belt as far as the Baylor line inshore. The pub- 
lic ground includes but a portion of the shoal, possibly because the 
southern part was taken up as private ground prior to the Baylor 
survey. The productive bottom probably extends across the ridge, 
but as it is not included in the public grounds and is staked as a pri- 
vate holding it was not examined. The growth of market oysters on 
the public ground is rather uniform and is sufficient to provide the 
tonger with from 8 to 13 bushels per day, the average being about 
9 or 10. Near the middle of the inner part of the dense area is a small 
spot where market oysters are deficient in quantity, but the growth 
of young is so prolific that it has not been thought advisable to differ- 
entiate it on the chart. There is also a small area of dense growth on 
a shallow spot east of the main area. 
The scattering growth on Kettle Hole Rock forms a fringe along the 
western border of the dense area, with a broad tongue thrust into the 
latter near its middle. The growth of market oysters is sufficient to 
yield to the tonger an average of about 6 bushels per day. 
The areas of very scattering growth form a border on the eastern 
and inshore edges of the dense growth, and it is estimated that about 
3 or 3J bushels of oysters could be tonged per day on the areas taken 
in their entirety. 
The depleted bottom is insignificant and bare of everything except 
a few buried shells. 
There is a heavy growth of young oysters over practically the entire 
extent of this bed. On the dense areas they are estimated to be pres- 
ent in sufficient quantities to yield to the tonger about 28 bushels per 
day as an average at the beginning of the season, while on the scatter- 
ing and very scattering areas the yield would probably average about 
16 or 17 bushels. Undoubtedly the entire bed can be regarded as 
