OF MASSACHUSETTS. 177 



III. The Development of Inland Markets. — The consumption of 

 clams for food in the coast towns continued throughout the rise and 

 gradual decline of the bait industry, but the creation of inland markets 

 did not begin to be an important factor until 1875. It was about this 

 time that the clam came to be generally looked upon throughout the 

 State as an article of food, and consequently an important industry 

 was gradually evolved to meet this growing demand. This step marked 

 the beginning of the extensive fishery of the present day. 



The mistaken policy of the average shellfish community, which 

 regarded clam grounds as natural gardens of inexhaustible fertility, 

 still persisted even after the fallacy of this policy had long proved 

 apparent through the depletion of extensive tracts. The same ill- 

 advised methods were pursued to the ultimate ruination of much valuable 

 territory. All wise regard for the future was overshadowed by the 

 immediate needs of the present ; local legislation fostered the evil ; State 

 legislation was conspicuous by its absence; and, left to the mercy of 

 unsystematic overdigging, these natural resources rapidly wasted away. 

 The disastrous tendencies which have lurked hi the ruling policy of 

 the clam fishery have been shown in the rise and fall of the industry in 

 certain localities. Forty years ago Duxbury and Plymouth ranked as 

 the greatest clam towns of the coast. Their supply has long since 

 become insignificant. Newbury port and Ipswich have become the chief 

 producers of the State clam harvest; but Essex and Gloucester, in the 

 same fertile regions, have greatly declined, and the industry at Rowley 

 has become nearly extinct. In the Fall River district the digging of 

 small seed clams for food has brought the fishery to the verge of ruin. 

 The few resources of Buzzards Bay have become nearly exhausted, 

 while on Cape Cod the industry has shown here and there a temporary 

 increase, overshadowed by a far more extensive decline, such as at 

 Chatham. Furthermore, the sewage contamination of coast waters in 

 the harbors of Boston and several other large cities have closed exten- 

 sive regions for the production of food. 



IV. Attempts to develop the Industry. — Various efforts have been 

 made to restrain overdigging the clam flats, by local regulations, par- 

 ticularly by " close " seasons. These attempts have been productive of 

 little good. Other efforts, designed to develop extensive tracts made 

 barren by wasteful methods of fishing, have been put in operation. 

 These efforts have been along two independent lines : the first, an effort 

 on the part of the community to seed in common flats by the appro- 

 priation of money for that purpose, as in the case of Wellfleet; the 

 second, an attempt to arrive at the same end by leasing private grants 

 to individuals, as at Essex and Plymouth. These efforts, while tending 

 in the right direction, have not as yet yielded the results that might 

 be wished for. Within the past three years the State has taken hold 

 of the problem, and by an extensive series of experiments is endeavor- 

 ing to devise practical means of developing the great inherent possi- 

 bilities in this extensive industry. 



