1G8 



THE FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



these are arranged in rows in a long wooden box, with a block of ice between each row, or they are emptied into a 

 keg, half-barrel, or barrel made for this purpose. When the latter plan is pursued, the keg or barrel is filled to 

 about five-sixths of its capacity, and then a large piece of ice is thrown in, after which the top is fastened on as 

 closely as possible, and it is at once shipped to the West, usually by special oyster-trains or by express. Packed in 

 this way, with moderately cold weather, the oysters will keep very well for a week or ten days. During the most 

 active part of the "raw" season there are daily oyster-trains of from thirty to forty cars from Baltimore to the West, 

 where nearly all the Baltimore oysters are consumed. From the shores of the Chesapeake bay, as far as Detroit, 

 there is scarcely a city or town (connected with any of the great trunk lines) which is not supplied with Maryland 

 raw-oysters. Farther west, and to a considerable extent in European countries, the demand is supplied by steamed 

 oysters. The oysters used in the raw trade are of a finer quality, and consequentlj' command better prices than 

 steamed. In fact, nothing in the shape of an oyster is too small to be available for the 'steamed' trade. And 

 from this arises one of the great sources of injury to the oyster-beds. So long as dredgers are able to sell their 

 entile catch, regardless of the size of the oysters, it will be useless to expect any improvement in the beds. Young 

 oysters of a very small growth can be disposed of almost as promptly as larger ones, and while this is the case, it 

 need not be expected that dredgers will have foresight enough to see the wisdom of throwing all small oysters back 

 on the bars. During the past season the supply of oysters was often iusufBcient to meet the demand, and the 

 'steamed' trade was compelled to suspend work for a considerable length of time on account of a scarcity of 

 oysters, all that were received being quickly taken by the ' raw ' men at prices which woidd be unprofitable for 

 steaming. 



Statistics of the Baltimoeb packing-houses. — '' Baltimore, the great oyster-market of the United States, 

 annually packs more oysters than any other city in the world. It is the great center of the packing-trade, 

 surpassing in that particular all other cities, and yearly handling more oy.sters than all the other jiackiug points of 

 Maryland and Virginia combined. During the season, extending from September 1, 1879, to May 15, 1880, the 

 jiumber of vessels loaded with oysters arriving at Baltimore, was 9,543 (or a daily average of 37 for the 257 days), 

 bringing 7,252,972 bushels, which would make the avei'age cargo 760 bushels. In addition to the amount brought 

 by sail-vessels, there were 25,000 bushels received by steamers and consigned directly to hotels and restaurants, 

 making a total of 7,277,972 bushels, of which there were packed raw 3,709,353 bushels, hermetically sealed 2, ':89, 939 

 bushels, and used for city consumption 818,080 bushels. 



" Engaged in oyster-])ackiug in Baltimore there are 45 firms, with a capital of $2,338,300, occupying, in their 

 business, houses and grounds with an estimated value of $1,300,900. During the summer these firms are generally 

 engaged in fruit-packing, and their capital and buildings are thus in active use during the entire year. 



"These firms employ 4,107 males and 2,400 females — total, 0,627 ; and during the season of 1879-''S0 paid to 

 them in wages $002,427. The total number of bushels of oysters packed was 0,459,292, which required 25,540,780 

 tin cans and 929,614 wooden cases. The value of the oysters packed, including shucking, cans, etc., was $3,517,349. 

 For the tin cans $794,919 was paid, and for the wooden cases $102,022. 



Crisfield as a packing center. — " Next to Baltimore, Orisfield is the most important packing point in the 

 state. Had the oyster-beds in the vicinity of Orisfield not been so greatly depleted, I think the trade at that city 

 would have increased much more rapidly than it has. Crisfield is literally built upon oysters, or i-ather oyster-shells, 

 almost the entire sjiace now occupied by the business part of the city having been under water. The shells from 

 the packing-houses have been utilized to make new ground, and gradually the city has pushed out nearly a half a 

 mile into the bay. At the ])resent time some of the houses are built on piles, and are entirely surrounded by water, 

 having no means of communication with the land except by boats. 



Statistics of the oyster-packing in Maryland, 1879-'80. — " From the books of the 98 oyster-packing 

 firms of Maryland, the following table has been comj^iled, showing the amount of business done at each city from 

 September 1, 1879, to May 1, 1880 : 



Oyster-paeking in Mari/laiid, season 1879-'80. 



