SCALLOP INDUSTRY OF NORTH CAROLINA 



185 



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plain. In some countries all of the soft parts are used. Americans 

 who have eaten them prepared have pronounced them excellent. 



Shucking or opening is much as follows : A scallop is held, top 

 L«ide up, in the left hand with the hinge away from the shucker. The 

 knife, usually a wooden-handled oyster knife, inserted at the side 

 not far from the hinge, cuts the adductor muscle close to the upper 

 shell, and throws this shell back. The region of the stomach is then 

 seized between knife and thumb and the undesired soft parts re- 

 anoved in one motion in such a Avay as to leave the muscle standing 

 h>y itself. The mus- 

 cle is then cut off 

 close to the lower 

 shell and dropped 

 into a container. 

 The rejected soft 

 parts may be cast 

 into a tub to be used 

 for fertilizer or 

 thrown w i t h the 

 shells and dumped 

 -with them into the 

 water. The chief 

 knack in scalloj) 

 shucking lies in re- 

 moving the unde- 

 sired soft parts 

 deftly, without tear- 

 ing, in one motion. 

 Severing the muscle 

 close to the shell, 

 top and bottom, also 

 is important. 



Scallop meats or- 

 dinarily are sold un- 

 der three grades, 

 known as " medi- 

 ums," " large me- 

 diums " or " extra 

 m e d i u m s ,'"' an d 

 ^' large." The term 

 *■'■ j u m b o s " some- 

 times is applied to the largest sizes. Very small scallop meats are 

 termed '' smalls." There seems to be no definite basis for separating 

 the different grades. In one sample count made by the writer 224 meats 

 were found in a quart of "' mediuuis," 180 in a quart of '' extra medi- 

 ums," and 113 in a quart of "" lai-ge." In another count 127 were 

 found in a quart of " extra mediums," and in a third (in March) 241 

 in a quart of '' mediums " and only 63 in a quart of " large." 



To restrict responsibility foi- soaking or swelling, scallop meats are 

 now (1928) held unwashed till sold to the dealer, who thus assumes 

 entire responsibility in this 'matter. 



In the past it has been necessary to ship scallop meats by boat 

 from the various points on Core and Bogue Sounds to Beaufort and 



Fig. 



(i. — Small jicallop boat with two drodges aft aud the 

 pule l.ving along the port side 



