194 THE MOLLUSK FISHERIES 



The deposit of sewage from the city drainage has undoubtedly had a 

 prejudicial effect on much of this area, as the unpleasing scum which 

 covers the soft, sticky mud and eel grass bears abundant witness. 

 Whether measures undertaken to reclaim this lost area would in the 

 long run yield profitable returns is an undecided question, but much 

 might be done, by the employment of judicious cultural methods, to 

 increase the yield of those flats which are properly productive. No 

 exact returns of the annual clam harvest for this region are obtainable, 

 as most of the output is disposed of at retail, but it cannot exceed 1,000 

 bushels, and probably falls far short of that figure; $1,000, then, or 

 thereabouts, represents the total monetary income from this fishery. 



SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY. 



Number of men, .......... 7 



Capital invested, . . ..... . . . $100 



Production, 1907 : 



Bushels, . . . . 1,000 



Value, $3,000 



Total area (acres) : 



Sand, 90 



Mud, 300 



Gravel, ........... 5 



Mussels and eel grass, . 5 



Total, . . . . . . 400 



Productive area (acres) : 



Good clamming, . .- . . . . . . . . 10 



Scattering clams, . . . ... . . . 30 



Barren area possibly productive (acres), ...... 160 



Waste barren area (acres), . . . . V . . . . 200 



Possible normal production, ........ $26,000 



Saugus. 



At Saugus conditions in many respects parallel those at Lynn. The 

 clam grounds, while they by no means equal those of the neighboring 

 city in area, are on the whole better, as they are freer from contami- 

 nating sewage. Of the 250 acres which comprise the normal tide flat 

 area, only 100 acres, or 40 per cent., can be said to be strictly barren. 

 The remaining 150 acres is an undeveloped asset, as its value lies far 

 more in its prospects than in its present productivity. While scattering 

 clams occur throughout, no more than 25 acres can be accounted paying 

 property. This remunerative territory lies chiefly in the Saugus River 

 and in the vicinity of the Point of Pines. Here 10 men dig quite 

 regularly, particularly in the summer, though none of them depend 

 wholly upon this source of revenue for a livelihood. The annual output 

 equals that of Lynn, both in amount and valuation. To these flats, 

 with their undeveloped resources, local legislation gives practically no 

 attention. 



