OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 
67 
Blue Point Bocks there are but a few places where the young growth 
is prolific, and there are some in which neither young nor shells are 
found in even the minimum quantity requisite. On White Shoal 
Bock the condition on the areas of very scattering growth is in 
general satisfactory. 
On the depleted bottoms as a whole the average growth of young 
oysters is about equal to that on similar bottom across the river, and 
there appears to be but little prospect of the future improvement of 
these areas, although there are a few spots on Thomas Point and White 
Shoal Bocks, in proximity to productive areas, where the growth of 
young is good. 
MINOR PUBLIC GROUNDS. 
In the Nansemond Biver and on the right side of James Biver there 
are several small public grounds, all of which are insignificant both in 
area and productiveness, and some of which were examined not at all 
or unsatisfactorily. They are as follows (somewhat more detailed 
data concerning some of them may be found in the descriptions of the 
individual rocks) : 
Nansemond County Ground No. 3. This was intended to include 
Holland Bock and at present contains in depleted bottom about 22 
acres, on which there are a very few oysters and shells and about 33.9 
acres of barren bottom. 
Isle of Wight County Ground No. 2 contains about 9 acres of bottom 
of various degrees of productiveness, 24 acres of depleted and 16.8 
acres of barren bottom. Its general condition is related in the de- 
scription of Aaron Shoal Bock, its only natural bed. Isle of Wight 
County Ground No. 3 adjoins the preceding and has an area of 6J 
acres. It was not examined in the present survey. Isle of Wight 
County Ground No. 4 lies inshore of the preceding and covers about 
3 acres of apparently depleted bottom. 
Isle of Wight County Ground No. 5 embraces Creek Channel Shoal 
Bock, covering about 2 acres of depleted and 5.1 acres of barren 
bottom. Its present condition is described under the name of the 
rock. 
PUBLIC GROUND NO. 1 WARWICK COUNTY, ABOVE DEEP CREEK. 
The lower part of this ground, lying below Deep Creek, is within 
the area from which market oysters only can be taken and is there- 
fore subject to the operations of the cull law. Its beds have been 
discussed in the foregoing. Above Deep Creek and Days Point, on 
both sides of the river, the cull law is suspended so far as young 
oysters are concerned, and, while shells must be returned to the 
beds, there is no limit on the minimum size of oysters which may 
be taken, the whole area being set apart for the production of seed 
for replanting. 
