FISHEKIES OF THE GULF STATES. 143 



are sold by the gallou, to compete with the trade at Baltimore, Md. 

 However this may be, the oysters are shipped without any water 

 except what accumnlat'es from the ice used to keep them cool. The 

 l)rice received by the 1,000 fluctuates considerably, but is approximately 

 from $0.25 to iG.oO for plants, $3.25 to $3.50 for selects, and about $2 

 for reefers. The number of gallons to 1,000 oysters is generally esti- 

 mated to be about 7i for plants, 4J for selects, and 3 for reefers. The 

 quantity of opened oysters sold in 1S97, expressed in number, was 

 31,015,950, or about 154,711 gallons, having a value of $119,911. The 

 greater part of these was the product of the packing-houses, the 

 quantity prepared at the oyster canneries being only 2,755,000, or about 

 13,947 gallons, valued at $11,420. It should perhaps be noted that the 

 trade in opened oysters, as shown by the above figures, is little more 

 than half as large as it has been in previous years, but the decline is 

 probably only temi)orary. 



A small number of terrapin are handled by dealers at Biloxi. These 

 are derived from the fisheries of Mississippi and Louisiana, a jjart of 

 them being shipped from New Orleans. The value of the terrapin trade 

 amounted to $2,805. A few years since a terrapin i3en was constructed 

 at Biloxi which is used principally for keeping the animals and improv- 

 ing their condition. It is built on the shore at the water's edge, an«l is 

 500 feet square, A part of its area is covered with water having an 

 extreme depth of about C feet. 



The trade in fresh fish is carried on chiefly by four of the firms located 

 at Scranton. It has not so far become very extensive, apparently on 

 account of not being sufficiently well established to enable the dealers 

 to buy all the fisb that may be brought to them, and consequently it 

 sometimes happens that when fish are needed the fishermen, who follow 

 the business in a somewhat irregular manner, are not prepared to 

 supply the demand. The quantity of fish handled aggregated 382,200 

 pounds, valued at $19,321. In nearly all the localities along the coast 

 considerable quantities are handled at retail. At Biloxi there are also 

 from 700 to 1,000 barrels shipped annually by rail to New Orleans and 

 other points by the fishermen. There are no fish salted in this section 

 except a small quantity of mullet. 



There is a very small trade in hard and soft crabs at Biloxi, Ocean 

 Springs, and Scranton. The crabs are packed with ice in baskets, boxes, 

 and tubs and shipped to Mobile and other jjoints. The number of crabs 

 shipped was 70,800, the value of which was $733. In addition to this, 

 a much larger quantity was shipped by individual fishermen. 



The number of establishments in the State which handled fishery 

 products at wholesale was 20 ; the value of shore property, $ 123,950 ; the 

 amount of cash capital used, $249,300; of wages paid, $87,648. The 

 number of persons employed in canneries and packing houses, exclu- 

 sive of fishermen, was 1,504. The aggregate value of the products 

 prepared was $525,186 



