THE LOBSTER FISHERY. 681 



ranged from 75 cents to $1.25 for the spring and summer season of four months, April 1 to 

 August 1, but in some instances it was as low as 60 cents and occasionally as high as $2. The 

 lobstermen of Isle au Haut, who fish during nine months, or from March to December, stocked 

 on an average about $300 for the entire period ; those who continue for five months, March to 

 August, stocked about $200; and those, finally, who fish from the middle of September to Decem- 

 ber 1, a period of two and one-half months, stocked about $75. At Vinal Haven the earnings for 

 the full season of two and one-half months was about $85, and at Deer Isle for the same season 

 about $150. 



On the coast of New Hampshire the earnings ranged from $25 to $50 a month ; and on the 

 coast of Massachusetts they were estimated as follows : Gloucester, $50 to $75 a month, or about 

 $200 for the season, some of the men hiring out at the rate of $35 to $40 a month ; Provincetown, 

 about $75 for the season of three months ; Truro, $50 for the same season, and between Hyannis 

 and N&w Bedford, $100 to $300 for the same season, in good years. In Rhode Island the earn- 

 ings were about $400 for a season of five or six months; at Stonington, Conn., about $1.50 a day; 

 New London, $25 to $30 a month ; South Norwalk, $2 to $5 a day ; New Haven, $8 to $14 a 

 week. 



5. THE FRESH LOBSTER MARKETS. 



GENERAL, REVIEW. The demand for lobsters generally exceeds the supply, and the fishermen 

 seldom have difficulty in disposing of their catch. For convenience, the lobster markets may be 

 divided into three classes, the canneries, the towns and smaller cities located along the coast in 

 the lobster region, and the large distributing centers for supplying the inland trade. The can- 

 neries are entirely confined to che coast of Maine and are fully described elsewhere. They gener- 

 ally receive only the smaller sizes of lobsters, such as are below the limit of 10 or 10 inches in 

 length, and which may be purchased at considerably reduced prices. The local demand takes 

 whatever is brought in by the fishermen, in some places small lobsters, in others large ones being 

 preferred. Custom, however, prescribes for the principal markets or distributing centers lobsters 

 above a length of 10 or 10.J inches, which, from the fact that these are the only ones bought by 

 the well smacks, have earned for them among fishermen the name of "smack lobsters." On 

 the coast of Maine, as a rule, the smaller lobsters are sold to the canneries and the larger ones to 

 the smacks, while either size indifferently is disposed of to the local trade. In other States, where 

 the law prescribes the minimum size of lobsters that can be marketed, small lobsters are supposed 

 to be thrown back into the water and only the larger ones sold. 



Lobsters are carried to market in fishing boats and smacks, and by steamers and railroads. 

 Wherever markets, whether large or small, are located very near the fishing grounds the fishermen 

 of the vicinity generally bring in their catch in their own boats. Two of the largest distributing 

 centers, Portland and Boston, are closely surrounded by rich lobster grounds, and both receive 

 many supplies brought in from the neighboring traps in fishing boats. A limited trade of the 

 same character once existed at New York, when the bay of New York furnished a small fishery, 

 but that has long since ceased. Fishing boats and dry smacks supply the canneries of the coast 

 of Maine and the small distributing centers scattered along the entire New England coast. From 

 the latter and from the fishermen themselves, the larger part of the market supplies intended for 

 the western trade is carried by well smacks to Portland, Boston, and New York. Steamers and 

 railroads now transport to the same markets fiom many stations favorably located a large amount 

 of fresh lobsters packed in barrels. The inland distribution of lobsters is made mostly by railroad. 



THE PRINCIPAL MARKETS. There are three principal markets or distributing centers for 



