226 THE MOLLUSK FISHERIES 



completely when it came to collecting them. In short, after a thorough 

 trial it was pronounced a failure and had to be abandoned. 



The main peculiarity of this region, and a far more important one 

 than the type of soil or the methods of digging, is the nature of the 

 clams which are produced. The inadequate territory and the constantly 

 increasing demands of the Fall River markets have led to abuses which 

 have had a most disastrous effect on the clam industry, and unless 

 checked, and soon, these abuses will certainly cause its complete annihila- 

 tion. The abuses in question are the universal custom of digging small 

 seed clams for food. So importunate have the markets of Fall River 

 and the vicinity become, that when the supply of suitable clams proves 

 inadequate they demand and will gladly take " anything with a shell 

 on," as the dealers say, so that it is no uncommon sight to see exposed 

 for sale in the city markets clams of only 1 inch in length. This 

 deplorable condition is fostered by the custom of digging under water, 

 for the fine mesh of the woven-wire baskets retains even the smallest 

 clams, which are saved for market. 



No quicker or surer Avay of destroying the industry completely could 

 have been devised than this method of digging seed clams for food. 

 One barrel of these clams would produce 10 to 15 barrels of marketable 

 clams if left for one year under favorable circumstances. Thus, when 

 a clammer digs 1 barrel of these clams he is in reality destroying 10 or 

 more barrels. This is truly reaping the " seed " before it has had any 

 time to mature the proper harvest. Also, these " seed " clams are so 

 immature that in many cases they have not spawned, and thus the 

 clammer by destroying the clams in this manner damages irrevocably 

 all chances of restocking the flats. 



From the inherent difficulties of the problem, however, local regula- 

 tion seems powerless to cope with the evil. The short-sighted clammers, 

 while they know that these methods, if pursued very far, will ultimately 

 destroy the industry, seem willing, nevertheless, to sacrifice the future 

 for the present. The other clammers are inevitably brought into line 

 on this mistaken policy, as they cannot but argue that if a few will 

 persist in exploiting a natural resource it is the right of every man 

 to have an equal chance, and take his share of the proceeds as long 

 as they last. Another potent factor in this wastefulness is the irre- 

 sponsible foreign element of the mill districts, who dig clams for their 

 own use, large or small, with entire indiffei'ence. It might perhaps 

 prove unjust and difficult to enforce laws preventing individuals 

 digging "seed" clams for their own use; but legislation could possibly 

 be enacted preventing the sale of such seed in the public market. This 

 would strike a blow at the abuse sufficient to rob it of its worst 

 features. The most casual glance at the facts in the case prove that 

 there is a pressing need for some legislative action. The history of the 

 clam industry in this region is one of steady and rapid decline. Any 

 clammer of the vicinity is willing to acknowledge that conditions at 



