OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 
47 
There is an abundant supply of shells on the dense area, a quantity 
of doubtful sufficiency on the bottoms bearing scattering and very 
scattering growths, and a deficiency on the depleted bottom. 
Details op Examination op Mulberry Swash Rock. 
Station 
num- 
Date of ex- 
amination. 
Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 
Character of growth. 
Oysters caught per 
square yard. 
Estimated 
quantity 
oysters per 
acre. 
ber. 
Spat. 
Culls. 
Counts. 
213 
Aug. 19,1909 
Feet. 
14.0 
Dense 
7.8 
13.3 
7.4 
1 Bushels. 
187 
219 
Aug. 20,1909 
10.0 
do 
48.8 
42.1 
3.3 
498 
220 
do 
12.0 
do 
13.9 
11.6 
2.9 
161 
226 
do 
17.5 
do 
20.5 
23.7 
8.7 
319 
227 
do. 
12.5 
3.2 
27.3 
9.6 
259 
230 
do 
12.0 
do 
16.1 
16.5 
.6 
173 
238 
do 
15.0 
26.5 
31.9 
2.3 
322 
331 
Aug. 25,1909 
16.5 
do 
16.8 
30.0 
6.8 
312 
338 
do 
9.0 
do 
23.8 
80.0 
4.2 
570 
346 
... .do 
11.0 
do 
28.9 
34.0 
.3 
324 
432 
Aug. 31,1909 
16.5 
27.2 
17.2 
2.3 
200 
433 
do 
13.0 
Scattering 
5.7 
10.9 
.3 
88 
435 
do 
13.0 
do 
5.8 
10.7 
2.7 
113 
436 
do 
14.0 
do 
3.6 
17.3 
1.0 
117 
345 
Aug. 25,1909 
18.0 
Very scattering 
5.4 
16.4 
1.8 
130 
434 
Aug. 31,1909 
17.0 
Depleted 
.5 
4.1 
1.8 
1 
43 
MARSHY ISLAND ROCK. 
This lies between Mulberry Swash Rock and the inshore boundary 
of the public ground, principally in the “ addition ’ ’ which was made 
a part of the ground subsequent to the Baylor survey. The name 
here employed is coined for the purpose of this report, as the name by 
which this area of oyster bottom is known to the oystermen, if it has a 
distinctive name, was not ascertained by the survey. The outer or 
offshore boundary of the bed is defined more or less sharply by a 
channel, carrying a maximum of from 21 to 27 feet of water, between 
this and Mulberry Swash Rock. 
The condition and extent of this bed about the middle of August, 
1909, was as follows: 
Oyster Growth on Marshy Island Rock. 
Character of growth. 
Area. 
Oysters 
per acre. 
Estimated 
total con- 
tent of 
oysters. 
Dense 
Acres. 
197 
322 
235 
387 
Bushels. 
231 
129 
85 
18 
Bushels. 
45,507 
41,538 
19,975 
6,966 
Scattering 
Very scattering 
Depleted 
Total 
1,141 
113,986 
The dense areas lie in three isolated patches which exhibit no mate- 
rial shoaling over the surrounding bottom, except where they touch 
the channel which bounds the bed offshore. The depth of water on 
68427—11 13 
