144 EDIBLE BRITISH MOLLUSCA. 



Island Sound about fifty miles above New York.* From 

 information received in 1883, kindly given by the 

 manager of the restaurant, which is now carried on by 

 a son of Mr. R. Burns, it appears that since 1879 the 

 business has been doubled, and double the amount of 

 oysters consumed. 



It is not only in seaport towns in America that 

 oysters are eaten in enormous quantities, but towns a 

 thousand miles inland are well supplied, and oyster 

 suppers are as common in Cincinnati or St. Louis as in 

 New York or Baltimore. It was stated by Mr. Consul 

 Rainall, in 1869, that eight millions of bushels of oysters 

 are annually landed at Baltimore for home consumption 

 and packing, and as many more to other places. 

 Baltimore is the largest oyster-market in the world. 

 The average consumption for seven months in the 

 year is 35,000 bushels per day. One firm alone from 

 October 1st till June 1st, averages 4000 bushels a day, 

 packing from 16,000 to 25,000 cans daily, hermetically 

 sealed, containing lib. and 21bs. of oysters.f 



In the ' Report of the Commissioners of Fisheries in 

 Maryland, January, 1880/ is the following account of 

 the oyster-fisheries in Chesapeake Bay, given by Mr. 

 W. H. Brooks :— " The town of Crisfield, Maryland, is 

 situated at the junction of the two sounds of Pokamoke 

 and Tangier, two large and wide but shallow sheets of 

 water, whose muddy bottoms abound in oysters of the 

 best quality. The town is one of the most important 

 centres of the oyster-packing industry, and is built in 

 the water upon the shells of the oysters which have 

 been shipped to all parts of the country for consump- 



• 'Through America,' by W. G. Marshall, M.A.. 

 f ' Field,' May 8th, 1869. 



