TRADE IN FRESH AND FROZEN FISHERY PRODUCTS 



49 



in the trunk, and are refrigerated with a small amount of finely 

 crushed ice. Live hard crabs are received in boxes with a net content 

 of about 50 pounds. They may or may not be refrigerated with ice. 

 Usually moist sea grass is found in the top of each box. 



Clams in the shell are received in sacks holding a net weight of 

 about 90 pounds, bo.xes holding a net weight of 180 pounds, and 

 barrels holding a net weight of 270 pounds. Sometimes they are 

 refrigerated with large cubes of ice. Turtle meat is received packed 

 loose in boxes holding a net weight of about 50 pounds. These 

 shipments are refrigerated with crushed ice. 



Outgoing shipments usually are sent in the container in which they 

 arrived in Atlanta. Small shipments are made in boxes of no standard 

 dimension, the boxes used usually being those that have already 

 served their purpose for shipping other forms of merchandise. 



RETAIL TRADE 



During 1927 Atlanta retail fish dealers handled 4,683,000 pounds 

 of 57 varieties of fresh and frozen fishery products. These consisted 

 of 4,427,000 pounds of salt-water varieties and 256,000 pounds of 

 fresh-water varieties. The majority of these products were pur- 

 chased from local wholesale dealers, although some retailers pur- 

 chased direct from producers. 



Important commercial products.- — Five species of fish, amounting to 

 4,063,000 pounds, are considered as the important commercial fish 

 in this city and constitute appro.ximately 80 per cent of the retail 

 trade. Florida and Virginia supply the majority of these fish. All 

 were received in 200-pound barrels, except headless and viscerated 

 sea trout, which at times were received in 20-pound tins. 



The large consumption of mullet and croaker in the city is due 

 mainly to their being used by the colored trade. These varieties of 

 fish are comparatively inexpensive. The other three species of fish 

 in the important commercial group are considered to be of good 

 quality, and although somewhat higher in price than mullet or 

 croaker find a ready sale, especially with the white residents. The 

 fish in this group are fairly abundant. 



Table 2. — Fishery products upon which approximately 80 per cent of the trade is 



based ' 



■ Tables 2, 3, and 4 are to be considered together as regards the relative rank of importance of the prod- 

 ucts as a whole. 



2 Listed in order of importance. 



Note. — The above fish are received in 200-pound barrels, and in addition, sea trout that has been dressed 

 is received in 20-pound tins. 



112267—28 2 



