186 



TPIE FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



improYement, and during the last few years it has developed very rapidly. Mr. Edmonds' report upon this phase 

 of the oyster-business in Virginia is very complete, and I quote him as follows : 



In Norfolk, as in Baltimore and other cities of Maryland, the trade is largely in the hands of northern men, one difference, however, 

 being quite noticeable, and that is, that whereas in Maryland the packers are principally natives of Connecticut, in Norfolk they are 

 nearly all either New York or Boston men. The enterprise aud capital of these geutlemen has largely developed this business, which now 

 forms one of the most important branches of Norfolk's trade. The increase in the packing-trade of Norfolk has been instrumental in 

 decreasing the shipments of oysters in shell by saU vessels from the bay to New York and Boston, as these two cities receive, by means of 

 the Old Dominion line and the Merchants' and Miners' Transportation Company lines, the great bulk of Norfolk oysters. This important 

 change in the course of trade has been very beneficial to Norfolk, as the shucking and handling of oysters give employment to a large 

 number of workmen. 



The trade of Norfolk is almost exclusively in raw oysters, there having been only 3,000 gallons of steamed-oysters packed during the 

 entire season. Shipments are made in bulk in barrels, and, although, as jireviously stated, the largest part of the trade is with New York 

 and Boston, there are considerable shipments to all points of the North and West. 



Although Baltimore is pre-eminently the great packing center of the bay, it is nevertheless true that, considering the amount of 

 capital invested in the business, Norfolk handles proportionately a much larger trade than the former city. The number of shuckers 

 employed and their wages are in about the same proportion in the two cities. The number of oysters packed at Norfolk during the season 

 of 1879-80, was much larger than the combined totals of all packing points in Maryland, excluding Baltimore. The exact figures are as 

 follows : 



-oil* Buabels of raw 



Packed at- „^3j,.,.^ 



Crisfield, Maryland 4:>7,270 



Cambridge, Maryland 205, 410 



Annapolis, Maryland — 156,703 



Oxford, Maryland 108,900 



Saint Michael's, M.aryland - 37,788 



Sundry small places, Maryland 224,817 



Total 1,160,948 



Norfolk, Virginia 1,370,855 



Difference in favor of Norfolk 209,907 



Outside of Norfolk the packing of raw oysters in Virginia is very light. At several places a light business is done, but too small to be 

 noted separately. At Hampton and at two places on the Rappahannock river quite an extensive trade in steamed or cove oysters is con- 

 ducted. The word "cove", as applied to oysters, has two entirely distinct meanings. When used by tongers it refers to large oysters 

 caught in the small coves tributary to all creeks and rivers, while with packers and others it means oysters which have been steamed 

 and hermetically sealed. 



Table showing the packing trade of Virginia for 1879-'80 {by B. H. Edmonds). 



Number of firms 



Capital invested 



Estimated value of buildings and grounds occupied 



Average number of bands employed 



Wages of same .... 



Number of busbela packed raw 



Value of ^amo 



Number of busbela steamed 



Value of same 



Total number of busbels packed 



Value of same 



Number of tin cans used 



Value ofsame 



Number of wooden cases, barrels, etc., used 



Value ofsame 



At Norfolk. 



13 



$96, 350 



$138, 500 



1,027 



$154, 584 



1, 370, 855 



$589, 127 



3,000 



$1, 500 



1, 373, 855 



$585, 273 



91, 000 



$3, 615 



16, 871 



$11, 119 



Elsewhere 

 in Virginia. 



12 



$23. 000 



$29, 000 



501 



$46, 367 



58, 275 



$22, 020 



190, 000 



$119, 400 



248, 275 



$141, 420 



620, 000 



$18, 500 



1,000 



$1, 939 



Total 



25 



$119, 350 



$167, 500 



1,528 



$200, 951 



1, 429, 130 



$611,147 



193, 000 



$120, 900 



1,622,130 



$726, 693 



711,000 



$22, 115 



17, 871 



$13, 058 



Since Mr. Edmonds' visit to ISTorfolk, a large steaming-house has been put up there by representatives of the 

 Union Oyster Company of Baltimore. This employs many hands, additional to the number counted above, and 

 uses a large quantity of oysters which otherwise would rot, or at least not find sale to the " raw " houses. This 

 conduces to the general prosperity of Norfolk, in that it makes the chance of selling at some price more certain than 

 before, and thus induces a larger number of boats to come to the town and do their trading as well as sell their 

 catch there. The steaming-house also gives employment to many girls and women. Previously, very few females 

 had been em|)loyed in the packing-houses of Norfolk, but of the 501 shuckers in other parts of the state, 244 are 

 females. I suppose this new establishment would add at least 10 per cent, to the totals of the above-given table ; 

 but as I have no precise figures, I prefer not to enter into the summary of statistics. 



