FISHERIES OF THF MIDDLE ATLANTIC STATES. 515 



Table showing, by counties, the extent of the crab fishery of Maryland in 1901 — Continued. 



a Exclusive of duplication. 



bThese lines are used primarily for hard crabs, the soft or shedding crabs being taken with the 

 hard crabs as " doublers." 



e Includes 95.000 hard crabs, valued at 1235, taken in crab scrapes, and 67,000 hard crabs, valued at 

 8600, taken while dredging for oysters. 



THE WHOLESALE FISHERY TRADE. 



In the quantitj^ of oysters handled Baltimore ranks first not only 

 in the State, but in the entire country. This is largely due to its 

 accessibility from the oyster grounds and its transportation facilities. 

 So important is the shucking and packing trade of Baltimore that 

 during the oyster season the leading railroads send out daily trains, 

 several cars in length, loaded entirely with shucked oysters, which are 

 widely distributed throughout the Western States. Many dealers, 

 however, are finding it cheaper to have their oysters shucked in small 

 towns contiguous to the oyster-grounds and shipped to Baltimore by 

 steamer. This is also the case with firms engaged in the crab- meat 

 industiy. While Baltimore handles the larger portion of the State's 

 oyster catch, owing to direct connection of towns on the eastern shore 



