8 FISHERY INDUSTRIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



• 



to be destroyed for lack of markets. On this account demonstrations 

 on the west coast were brought to a close in January, 1919, and the 

 demonstrators detailed to the middle west, giving a series of demon- 

 strations in St. Louis, Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Cincinnati, 

 and Cleveland. At these meetings special attention was directed to 

 the value of frozen fish for food, particularly to the little-known 

 varieties with whose merits the average housewife was unacquainted. 



A successful series of demonstrations was later given in Boston and 

 Cambridge, Mass. To enable local agents of the States Relations 

 Service of the Department of Agriculture to profit from training in 

 this field and extend its benefits to their respective communities, 

 one of the Bureau's assistants gave demonstrations in Key West, 

 Miami, West Pahu Beach, Titusville, and St. Augustine, Fla.; in 

 Savannah, and Valdosta, Ga.; at the Agricultural and Mechanical 

 College of Mississippi; and before a gathering of State agents in 

 Washington, D. C. 



It is the consensus of opinion, as attested to verbally and by letter 

 by those attending the demonstrations, that the housewives are very 

 grateful to their Government for its interest in their problems of pro- 

 viding wholesome protein food at low cost. The value to the trade, as 

 evidenced by reports of increased demand for fish in places in which 

 demonstrations nave been given, is well vouched for. During the 

 year m which this work was conducted more than 125 demonstra- 

 tions were held, by means of which approximately 15,000 persons 

 were reached directly and many more indirectly. 



In reviewmg the work, consideration should be given to the fact 

 that protein is the high-priced element of food; that fish compares 

 favorably in protein content and digestibility with meats; that our 

 estmiated annual per capita consumption of meat is more than 160 

 pounds, while that of fish is only about 18 pounds; and that our 

 fisheries ammally yield millions of pounds of food fishes which are 

 not so marketed, due in large part to lack of demand by the consum- 

 ing pubUc. Although the value of these demonstrations has been 

 attested by the consumers, home demonstration agents, the trade, 

 and others, and although the Bureau has been urgently requested 

 to continue this work, it was compelled to abandon it in June for 

 lack of funds. 



In addition to the practical demonstrations in the field, experi- 

 ments have been made to determine the best methods of preparing 

 various fishery products for the table. This has been confined largely 

 to products with which the housewife was little acquainted. Sucn 

 information has been supplied directly to the trade or used in the prep- 

 aration of economic circulars. A cookbook on fishery products has 

 been prepared, but will be broadened in scope before it is published. 



GROUPERS. 



The groupers occur in abundance on the east coast of Florida and 

 on the snapper banks in the Gulf of Mexico, where they outnumber 

 the more highly prized red snappers. Until quite recently the snap- 

 per fishermen were required to limit their catch of grouper to from 10 

 to 25 per cent of the fare because of lack of demand. Gradually this 



Eercentage was increased until during the war period, when the num- 

 er of vessels operating and men engaged were considerably reduced, 



