114 



THE SCALLOP FISHERY 



are taken from Howell's "Physiology" (13). The comparative prices 

 were obtained in the Boston markets on Feb. 18, 1910. 



" Soaking." The " eye " is frequently put through a process famil- 

 iarly known as "soaking" before it is sent to market. If not done 

 by the fishermen it is completed by the dealer, in order to tempt the 

 purchaser with a beautiful white, plump " eye " instead of a small 

 yellow-colored specimen. Undoubtedly fishermen and dealers would 

 willingly sell unsoaked scallops at a proportionate price the moment the 

 market demands them ; but the consumer, through ignorance, prefers the 

 large, nice-appearing " eyes," and thus unwittingly favors the practice. 



From a practical standpoint " soaking " is a very simple affair, the 

 " eyes " being placed in fresh water for several hours until they have 

 absorbed sufficient water to increase their bulk about one-third. It has 

 been noticed that whenever salt-water products are allowed to soak in 

 fresh water an increase of bulk is found. This is due to a complicated 

 change, the most prominent factor being osmosis, which causes a swell- 

 ing of the tissues. The " eye " can be increased by this change to a gain 

 of more than one-third its natural size; that is, 4^ gallons can be in- 

 creased to 7 by judicious " feeding *' with fresh water. 



Two methods of swelling scallops are in use. When the scallops are 

 shipped in kegs which usually contain 7 gallons, the following method 

 is applied : 4^2 to 5 gallons of " eyes " are placed in each keg, and are 

 allowed to stand over night in fresh water; in the morning, before ship- 

 ment, more water is added and the keg closed, and by the time of arrival 

 to the New York or Boston market the scallops have increased to the 

 full amount of 7 gallons. The second method of " soaking " is slightly 

 more elaborate. The " eyes " are spread evenly in shallow wooden sinks, 

 5 by 3 feet, with just enough fresh water to cover them, and left over 

 night. In the morning a milky fluid is drawn off, and the " soaked " 

 scallops are packed for market in kegs or butter tubs. 



The process of " soaking " was not instituted until some years after 

 the start of the scallop industry. In 1886 Ingersoll (8) reports that 

 scallops were not being " soaked " in Rhode Island and Connecticut. 

 Dr. Hugh M. Smith (12) attributes the beginning of soaking to the fact 



