THE LANDINGS 113 



motor boat, however, some improvement 

 in those methods has taken place. 



In the early days of the steam trawler 

 industry one of the greatest factors in 

 retarding progress was the glut. In 

 winter time bad weather often hindered 

 fishing, but trawlermen were always will- 

 ing to hazard the risk, knowing that a 

 short supply, coupled with the increased 

 demand that cold weather always brought, 

 guaranteed high prices : whereas in 

 summer time, although the calm hot 

 weather gave them more success in getting 

 in a cargo, the demand was not nearly so 

 great. There is in the summer an abun- 

 dance of fruit, some of which is usually 

 preferred to fish by the housewife because 

 it is edible without cooking and needs no 

 fire. Also the warm weather makes fish a 

 perishing commodity, and the consumer is 

 very chary of the risk. A few years ago 

 these conditions often resulted in a glutted 

 market and a poor demand. In the early 

 days the surplus was occasionally so great 

 that huge quantities went on the land as 

 manure, or the fishermen threw overboard 

 the cheaper class and retained only the 

 8 



