MASSACHUSETTS: NEW BEDFOKD DISTRICT. 2(35 



oysters' to be planted upon the beds along the eastern shore of Bu/zard's Bay and the 'lieel' of 

 Cape Cod. This seed is never carried away to lie sold, but the purchasers eonie alter it in spring 

 and fall in sloops of alioiit 25 feet keel, locally known as -yacht boats'. This seed sells for .'id to 

 35 cents a bushel in spiiug, or CO to SO cents in fall, and is one and two years old, mixed. Some 

 experiments have been made in bedding Virginia oysters through the summer, but although they 

 lived well enough it was not found profitable. They brought only $4, while the native ousters 

 would fetch $0, a barrel. 



"Oyster affairs in Warebam can hardly be called a business. Ihe title to I lie grants, is very 

 uncertain, the impression being that the light to operate upon them exists only th-rough courtesy 

 of the owners of ihe adjacent uplands, and a vast amount of litigation would probably arise if any 

 one chose to object to the present status. This feeling, and the jealousy of anything smacking of 

 monopoly, has deterred capital fiom being invested in any considerable degree, although efforts 

 have been made to bring money from New Yoik and Boston to bear upon this industry. At 

 present the poor, ignorant, and shiftless portion of the community, for the most part, have to do 

 with the oysters, and have found it necessary, in order to protect each other from a common 

 thieving propensity, to decree among themselves that uo man shall fish after sunset, even upon 

 his own grant. It would be an outside estimate to say that 200 persons live upon the oyster in 

 Warehaui, at an investment of $3, 000." 



MARION. Marion, formerly known as Sippiean, is pleasantly located on the western side <>i 

 Buzzard's Bay. It has a large and accessible harbor, in which are several islands. From the 

 beaches of these islands, as well as from the shore of the mainland, are gathered clams, quahangs, 

 scallops, and oysters. At one time a fleet of twenty sail engaged in the whale lisheiy from this 

 place, but at present the fleet numbers only two vessels, aggregating 175.3$ tons, valued, with 

 their outfit, at $12,1X10. A very small amount of any kind of fishing is carried on at present, and 

 that by fifteen sail -boats, ten row-boats, twenty gill-nets, one pm.-e-sciiie. and one drag-seine, 

 having a total value of about 82.500. The number of persons employed, including the \\haling 

 crews, is fifty-nine. 



The catch of the fishing boats consists mainly of menhaden, alewives, and Ui<etish. The 

 catch of menhaden in 1877 was 2,500 barrels; in 1878,8,000 barrels; in 'l>-7'., ncur; in isso, 800 

 barrels. During 1879 4 shad aiid 11 striped bass were caught, I nt none in 1S80. The yield of the 

 shore fisheries iu 1880 was valued at $3,9G5, and included 2,(lliO bushels of quahaugs, 1.300 bushels 

 of soft claius, 500 bushels of scallops, 75 barrels of alewives, LO.OCO pounds of blnelish. and 800 

 barrels of menhaden. In former years numerous vessels were built here, and for 40 years quite 

 extensive salt manufactories were carried on. Neither of these indnstiies has been uros'-cnted 

 for several years. 



The oyster interests of this region are thus leported by Mr. Ingersoll: 



"Southwesterly from Wareham the head of Buzzard's Bay contains several oyster local 

 nf varying importance. They are: The Weeweautit Biver, for a mile or so in the -hood of 



the highway bridge; Wing's Cove, and the Blaukinsbip Cove of Sippicau harbor, in il.i town of 

 Marion. 



' In the Wceweantit, natural beds of vi ry good oysters have existed lor a long time and a 

 few years ago a large yield was obtained from them every \ear by Mr. Kohinson and others. Lat- 

 terly, however, the quantity has decreased, and the beds have IK en laked almost \\holly for the 

 sake of t-etd. There are grants here, but no improvement, as yet, of any consequence. 



In Sippiean haibor (the harbor of Marion) it is said that no oysters \\cie known until about 

 the year lS(il, when the shore of Bam Island, on the eastern side of the harbor, near the 



