814 HISTORY AND MKTHODS OF TLIE FISHERIES. 



EUROPEAN COUNTRIES SUPPLYING LEECHES TO THE UNITED STATES. Originally the leeches 

 imported into tbi.s country came from Northern Europe, but since the failure of supplies in that 

 region and the successful cultivation of leeches in France and Hungary, they have been received 

 almost entirely from the latter countries, Paris being the center of the export trade. 



SEASON AND METHODS OF TRANSPORTATION. Leeches are imported during most of the year, 

 but only to a slight extent in summer, as they are easily killed by an excess of heat. June, July, and 

 August are the mouths when the smallest quantities are received, and when the greatest mortality 

 occurs, reaching sometimes 25 per cent. They are imported packed in swamp earth, in air- and 

 water-tight wooden cases, holding 1,500 leeches each. These, cases are made rather light, aud 

 are about -1 inches long, 15 inches wide, and 13 inches high. In shipping leeches to customers in 

 this country, the same cases are used for sending large quantities, aud tight wooden pails for the 

 smaller quantities, the packing of swamp earth being also employed. American leeches, on the 

 contrary, are kept best in water, in earthen or glass jars, in a cool place. Although considerable 

 quantities of leeches are kept constantly on hand in the importing houses, Mr. Witte is obliged 

 to draw on his storage-ponds on Long Island, between Winfleld and Newtou, for supplying large 

 amounts, and especially for the export trade. 



EXPORT TRADE FROM THE IGNITED STATES. The value of the American import trade iu 

 leeches is increased by the fact that a large share, it- not nearly all, of the European leeches used 

 in South America, pass through the New York market. Mr. Witte claims to dispose of 100,000 

 leeches a year in this way; he sends to ports on both the Atlantic aud Pacific sides of the South 

 American continent. 



EXTENT OF IMPORTATIONS, SALES, PRICES, &<. The import trade in leeches, including the 

 quantity sent to South America, amounts to from 300,000 to 350,000 a year. The regular leech 

 importing houses in this country are only two in number, both being located in New York 

 City. They sell in quantities of 25 to 1,000 and upwards, at prices ranging from $25 to $50 a 

 thousand, though the smaller quantities, say from 100 downward, generally bring a higher price. 

 The retail prices for single leeches varies from 18 to 25 cents. The average wholesale price of 

 leeches sold by the two New York houses is about $35 per thousand, which for an annual sale of 

 300,000 leeches would amount to $10,500. 



It is stated that about one-half of the leeches regularly disposed of by the dealers of Paris 

 are sent to this country, or sold to England for her colonial trade, but the latter trade is not 

 extensive. It is likewise affirmed that the greater part of the leeches sold in this country are 

 used by emigrants from Europe, and that were it not for that large element in our population the 

 leech trade would become of comparatively slight importance. 



THE TRADE IN AMERICAN LEECHES. A Philadelphia leecher of long practice informs us that 

 thirty or forty years ago very many more American leeches were used in that city than foreign 

 ones, but as the importation of the latter increased and the prices declined, they gradually took 

 the place of the natives. The market price of the American leeches in New York at that time 

 was about $10 per thousand. Now. perhaps, scarcely more than 1,000 are actually used a year, 

 though more than that quantity are brought to the city and sold. About ten years ago the 

 practice of leeching declined greatly in Philadelphia, and about that period fewer leeches were 

 used than iu any previous year for a long time. Since then some physicians have again strongly 

 advocated the use of leeches, and the practice is once more increasing. Philadelphia is supplied 

 with native leeches by a single person, who collects them iu Bucks and Berks Counties, Pennsyl- 

 vania, and about, Trenton, N. J. The value of the native leeches used iu Philadelphia annually 

 is very small. 



