FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [46] 



shores. While in Massachusetts Bay the profitable season is during the 

 summer months, in Ehode Island the winter's fishing brings in tlie largest 

 return 5 a large number of the inhabitants of the shores being engaged 

 during that season in securing soft clams. The whole coast of Long 

 Island Sound is prolific, and one or two points are especially noted for 

 the abundance, or superior size and quality, of the clams usually fonnd. 

 Guilford, on the Connecticut coast, is especially prominent, the clams 

 from that vicinity sometimes being and 8 inches long, a pound or more 

 in weight, and retailing in New Haven markets for $1.25 per dozen. 

 These clams are, however, only obtained at extremely low tides and 

 are comparatively scarce. About 10,000 of the ordintay size are taken 

 per annum, and are sold at from 40 to 00 cents per dozen. All along 

 the southern shore of the sound are prolific clamming grounds, the prin- 

 cipal product of the fishery being shipped to New York. The south 

 shore of the island, especially Eockaway Bay, also sends its quota to 

 supply the New York market. New York and Newark Bays formerly 

 supplied large numbers of soft clams, but of late years those areas 

 have ceased to yield anything of consequence. Along the Jersey coast 

 the annual yield is about 70,000 bushels, valued at about $29,500. 

 Southward of New Jersey the Mya arcnaria ceases to be of commercial 

 importance, being eaten only by the negroes and a few of the inhabit- 

 ants of the shores. 



During the last few years this mollusk was carried out from the East 

 to San Francisco Bay, apparently by accident, with a cargo of oysters 

 intended for transplanting. Those taken out, however, were sufficient 

 to abundantly stock the bay, and the soft clam is now found there in 

 large numbers. 



There is very little in the methods of taking this species that calls for 

 peculiar apparatus or appliances. A spade and bucket are the usual 

 implements at the i)resent day, the use of the plow having been but 

 local, and abandoned when the abundance of the crop decreased. At 

 Bridgeport, Conn., it is still used by Mr. Hawley, but only in cultivating; 

 he having instituted a system of cultivation on a scale of considerable 

 magnitude. His method is, briefly, to plow long furrows in the flats, 

 and lay his clams in them, some 6 or 12 inches apart. Some five years 

 or more are necessary before the crop is realized, but it then pays exceed- 

 ingly well. 



The soft clam is very seldom eaten raw, but is cooked in a variety of 

 ways, usually as soup or chowder, and frequently fried. Some dealers 

 pickle them, and a small number are salted. They are to be bought in 

 the markets of any of the Middle or New England States, raw, and are 

 usually sold in strings of a dozen connected by a cotton cord. 



While extensively eaten, the larger portion of the annual crop is util- 

 ized as bait by the cod and mackerel fishermen. Unless the i)rospectlve 

 fishing voyage is short, the clams used for this purpose are removed from 

 the shell, salted, and packed in barrels; but when only a short trip is 



