436 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



in Virginia. The Commissioners also did what they could 

 toward propagating the shad, although the season was un- 

 favorable for the fullest measure of success. 



INSPECTION OF FISH IN THE WASHINGTON CITY MARKET. 



The annual table of the inspection offish in the Washing- 

 ton city market has just been presented to the Board of 

 Health by Mr. C. Ludington, Inspector of Marine Products. 

 From this we learn that the number of shad inspected 

 amounted to 464,215 ; of tailors (a species of shad), to 56,430 ; 

 and of herring, to 1,674,465. The number of "bunches of 

 fish" sold was 557,203; of sturgeon, 1240; the whole of 

 which, reduced to pounds, is equivalent to 7,002,049. Of 

 oysters there were 305,737 bushels; of clams, 1,110,725 ; of 

 crabs, 446,525. 



This table, as compared with that of 1874, exhibits some 

 notable differences. Of shad scarcely more than two thirds 

 as many were marketed as in 1874, and about one half of 

 the number in 1873. Herring showed a still greater dim- 

 inution, the yield in 1874 having been 6,567,240. The 

 "bunches of fish" were about the same. On the other 

 hand, the yield of sturgeon was much greater, being nearly 

 three times that of 1873, and thirty per cent, more than that 

 of 1874. 



The total yield offish, in pounds, in 1873 was 8,548,851; 

 in 1874 it was 10,827,967, that of 1875 being a very notice- 

 able diminution from the yield of the previous year. Of 

 oysters and clams a considerable less number was marketed 

 in 1875, but a larger number of crabs. 



Some idea of the importance of a careful inspection of the 

 fish in the market may be learned from the fact that the 

 value of the fish condemned as unfit for food in 1875 amount- 

 ed to over $7000 ; in 1874 to over $10,000. 



It may be remarked that by far the greater portion of the 

 fish sold in the Washington city market is derived from the 

 Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay, as may also be said of 

 the oysters, clams, and crabs. The inferiority in the num- 

 ber of shad and herring taken in 1S75 is supposed to have 

 been due to the continued cold weather during the spring, 

 which prevented the waters from attaining a temperature 

 such as would invite the expectant fish to enter the rivers 



