76 OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 
otherwise subjected to abnormal conditions. The various locations 
of the natural-bed oysters and the consequently variable conditions 
to which they are exposed introduce a factor for which it is difficult 
to make allowances, and it seems impossible to do more than hazard 
a guess as to the proportion of young oysters now on the beds which 
will die before becoming marketable. It is probable that it will be 
somewhere between 25 and 50 per cent. Considering the size of 
young oysters found by the survey, the mortality may be less than 
the former and excepting under unfavorable conditions can hardly 
be greater than the latter. Assuming that 25 per cent of the young 
now on the beds will die before reaching a marketable size, there 
should be on the beds, in order to maintain their present condition, 
2.66 young for each marketable oyster removed. If the loss be 
assumed at 50 per cent there should be 4 young per market oyster. 
The following table exhibits the actual average numerical propor- 
tion of young oysters to marketable found on the several beds : 
Numerical Proportion of Young Growth and Market Oysters in the Market- 
Oyster Area on Bottoms Bearing very Scattering Growth. 
Name of rock. 
Oysters 
less than 
1 inch 
long. 
Oysters 
between 
1 and 3 
inches. 
Total. 
Nansemond Ridge 
0. 42 
1.82 
2.24 
Drum Shoal 
.62 
3.29 
3.91 
Newport News 
.50 
5. 27 
5.77 
Cruiser Shoal 
.55 
3.83 
4. 38 
Flat Rock, etc 
.69 
2. 58 
3.27 
High Shoal 
1.81 
2. 47 
4. 28 
Trout Shoal 
. 55 
6.81 
7.36 
Dog Shoal 
.27 
1.13 
1.40 
Fishing Point 
1.11 
1.94 
3.05 
Between Fishing Point and Ballards Marsh 
.06 
.00 
.06 
Ballards Marsh 
3.50 
11.40 
14.90 
Aaron Shoal 
.66 
8. 00 
8.66 
Browns Shoal 
.80 
4.00 
4.80 
Gun 
.19 
4. 28 
4. 47 
Kettle Bottom 
.63 
8.27 
8. 90 
Thomas Point 
.21 
4. 06 
4. 27 
Blunt Point 
.35 
4.56 
4. 91 
White Shoal 
.87 
5.36 
6.23 
Average 
.76 
4. 39 
5.15 
It will be observed that on the assumption of the smaller death 
rate, Nansemond Ridge, Dog Shoal, and the small beds near Ballards 
Marsh are the only rocks which appear to lack sufficient young 
growth on the very scattering areas to maintain them in their present 
condition. Assuming the higher rate of mortality, Drum Shoal, the 
small bed near Flat Rock, and Fishing Point Rocks must be added to 
the list, though when we consider that many of the market oysters 
now on the bottom can not be taken with profit, it would appear 
that even these rocks are capable of improving under a rigid observ- 
ance of the cull law. The other rocks, under either assumption 
as to mortality, probably bear a sufficient number of young to 
