HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN MENHADEN. 343 



take large parcels. The sales, siuce our last issue, have been 200 bbls. 

 to arrive, at 35c., and a resale of 90 bbls., and some selected on private 

 terms. Bleached, pressed, are all easier, and somewhat irregular in 

 prices, tending downward. 



May 31. 



Menhaden oil is firm under light arrivals, only two or three parcels 

 coming in that had not previously been placed and reported. The news 

 from the fishermen is, that at Barren Island the fishing is fair, but the 

 yield only 3 gallons good quality. The east end of Long Island report 

 few fish and little oil of poor quality. An arrival of 80 bbls. was placed, 

 mostly for export, at 35c., and a parcel of 74 bbls., from New Haven, 

 "Q" brand, as it ran, mostly light colored, at 35c. There has been a 

 small sale of herring oil at 30c. 



June 7. 



Crude menhaden has not arrived very freely, and the fishermen re- 

 port few fish, but we are inclined to think that more are caught than 

 reported. At the close we also hear of several parcels at the works 

 offering for sale. Last week there were arrivals of 4G5 bbls. of fair 

 brown oil, most of which sold to dealers ; one lot of 150 bbls. was placed 

 for export, all at 35c. In New Bedford, 3,000 gallons choice light sold 

 at 36c. 



June 14. 



We note a decided improvement in our menhaden oil market. Ee- 

 ports from the fishing grounds state that the fish are very scarce, and 

 unless they become more plentiful most of the gangs will haul up 

 as they are not able to pay their expenses, and are going behind 

 every day. In the absence of positive sales it is a hard matter to give 

 any reliable quotations ; a prime lot would no doubt bring 36c. Deal- 

 ers are on the lookout for small parcels of prime, but do not feel dis- 

 posed to bid over the above price ; a lot was offered at 37c., but was not 

 taken that we hear of. 



A letter to hand to-day says : "I give you our report for the past two 

 weeks, which is probrfbly identical with all the sound fishing, viz : The 

 catch has been exceedingly small and the fish very poor, not yielding 

 some of the time but about two quarts to the thousand. They improved 

 slightly the latter part of last week, but are still in small quantity and 

 comparatively poor. The Maine fishermen are just about commencing 

 work, and unless they have better success there will be a scarcity of oil 

 and an advance in prices." 



June 21. 



Menhaden oil has continued to advance with small arrivals. The de- 

 mand from dealers is not large, but their stocks became almost entirely 

 exhausted, and were willing to pay higher prices. Until to-day there 

 have been hardly any lots in, and though the steamer today brought 

 several large parcels, most of them had been placed before arrival. The 

 sales are37 bbls. at35ic., 30 bbls. at 36c., 50 bbls. at 37|c., 200 bbls. at 38c., 



