472 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



about 16 men are required to unload each cargo from the transporting 

 vessel. 



The dredging- vessels are hired with their crews at $7 per day for sail 

 vessels and $25 per day for steamers. If it becomes necessary for the 

 men to work overtime, as is not infrequently the case, in order to have 

 the oysters ready at the proper time to fill the buyers' order, they 

 receive extra ]iay, and thus amicable relations are maintained between 

 employers and employes. 



The average length of time which the planting business in all its 

 branches is estimated to afibrd employment each year is about six 

 months. 



The oyster boats. — The boats in use are of two kinds, designated, 

 respectively, as skifts and scows. The skiffs are used as tonging boats 

 and the scows in the various processes of handling the oysters after 

 they are taken from the beds, either for carrying them ashore from the 

 grounds or in connection with operations in the creek. 



The oyster skiff" is a style of row boat different from that used in 

 any other branch of the fisheries, and is designed especially to meet 

 the needs of the oyster business. It is clinker-built, has a square stern, 

 rounding sides, with moderate sheer, raking stem and stern, and flat 

 bottom. The bottom is about 18 inches wide amidships, and converges 

 with a gradual curve fore and aft, coming to a point at the stem and 

 stern. The object of the flat bottom is for convenience in hauling the 

 boat on the beach, in order that it may be handled easily and lie with- 

 out listing. The timbers are of white oak and the planking is cedar. 

 The length is 26 feet over all and 22 feet on the bottom. The width is 

 6 feet. A smaller skiff' is also used, being 21 feet long over all, 18 feet 

 on the bottom, and 5 feet wide. The skiffs are ceiled on the inside 

 with white pine, to make a smooth surface for shoveling oysters. The 

 cost of the larger size when new is about $140, and of the smaller size 

 from $100 to $120. The larger size has two thwarts forward of the 

 ceiling and is used as a double skiff, while the smaller size has only one 

 thwart and is used as a single skiff. 



The scows are square-ended and very strongly built. They are 

 usually 40 feet in length with a depth of 2 feet inside. The width out- 

 side is 8 feet 4 inches on top, and 8 feet on the bottom. The sides and 

 bottom are constructed of white-pine planks and the ends of white 

 oak. The thickness of the sides is 3i inches at the top and 4J at the 

 bottom 5 that of the ends is 2 inches and of the bottom about 4 inches. 

 A keelson, 8 inches high and 5 inches wide, runs through the center, 

 and not only adds strength to the scow, but also forms a partition, 

 which may be used for keeping different grades of oysters separate 

 from each other. At each end there is a platform 4 feet wide, flush 

 with the top. The scows cost when new about $140 each. They are 

 propelled either by being sculled with an oar or pushed with an oar or 

 pole. The average value of skiffs and scows, new and old together, is 

 estimated to be not more than $75. 



