OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 37 
BLUNT POINT ROCK. 
This is the uppermost bed in that part of Public Ground No. 1, War- 
wick County, in which the cull law is enforced. All beds above this, 
excepting the small one in Warwick River, are within the area which 
is set apart for seed production. This rock is rather attenuated in 
most of its parts, being in the shape of an irregular ring surrounding 
a deeper barren area, with a long tail running along the Baylor line 
in the direction of Deep Creek. The highly productive area is very 
limited and the very scattering growth constitutes more than half of 
the total area. The extent and general condition of the bed at the 
time of the survey are shown in the following table : 
Oyster Growth on Blunt Point Rock. 
Character of growth of market oysters. 
Area. 
Oysters per acre. 
Estimated 
content of 
market 
oysters. 
Seed. 
Market. 
Dense 
Acres. 
16 
69 
225 
118 
Bushels. 
171 
193 
105 
42 
Bushels. 
161 
60 
45 
14 
Bushels. 
2,576 
4, 140 
10, 125 
1,652 
Scattering 
Very scattering 
Depleted 
Total 
428 
18,493 
The bottom covered with a dense growth occurs on two small 
patches on small shoals, on which about 15 bushels of market oysters 
could be taken in a day. 
There are three areas of scattering growth, of about equal produc- 
tiveness so far as market oysters are concerned. One of these is at 
the extreme end of the rock off Deep Creek, which is in close proximity 
to planted beds and bears some indications of being itself planted 
ground. These areas as a whole will yield, it is estimated, an average 
of about 6 bushels per day. 
The very scattering growth consists of a narrow zone almost encir- 
cling the included barren area above alluded to and a prolongation 
northward toward Deep Creek. The examinations made on it 
indicate a probable yield of about 31 bushels per day of continuous 
tonging. 
The depleted area skirts the preceding for a good part of its length, 
and in addition forms a projection on the western part of the bed and 
a small isolated patch on a shoal just beyond it. Its content of 
oysters is such that it could furnish the tonger with hardly more 
than a bushel per day. 
The young growth is in good quantity on the dense and scattering 
areas of oysters, excepting that nearest Deep Creek, where it is prac- 
tically absent. With the exception noted, the tonger should be able 
to gather about 15 bushels per day. On the narrow annular part of 
