428 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 
localities where the catch is small the crabs are sold locally either 
alive or deviled. The price received per barrel by the crabbers 
throughout the crab region varied in 1901 from 50 cents to $2, the 
latter being the price received by those marketing their own catch. 
In some instances only 10 cents a barrel was realized, but few were 
shipped at this price. In 1902 the price was nearly double that in 1901. 
Manner of shipment.—Live hard crabs are shipped in either barrels 
or boxes. At Cambridge a box 22 inches long, 10 inches wide, and 12 
inches deep is used. There are spaces between the boards on the top 
of the box for the admission of air. At practically all of the other 
crabbing localities sugar and slatted barrels serve the purpose, or 
occasionally banana baskets. With the exception of about 20 pounds 
of ice placed over the crabs, nothing is put in the shipping packages 
with them, the only other provision to keep them alive being small 
holes in the top and sides of the barrel. This is not necessary in the 
case of slatted barrels or banana baskets. 
Preparation of crab meat.—At Oxford, St. Michaels, Tilghman, and 
several neighboring localities almost the entire catch is utilized in 
cooking the meat which is shipped in tin buckets having perforated 
bottoms and holding from 5 to 6 pounds. Oxford is probably the 
pioneer locality in this branch of the industry, which has been carried 
on there for more than twenty years. About 1880 a Mr. Thomas 
began canning crab meat. He is said to have succeeded perfectly in 
preserving the meat, but as this was a new industry the demand for 
the product was limited, and on account of the expense of operating 
and advertising the factory was soon closed. About three years later 
the method at present in use—namely, steaming the crabs, extracting 
the meat, and shipping in unsealed packages—was begun by Mr. J. G. 
Schultz. This business has extended until now there are 7 firms at 
Oxford alone, and 20 in the entire state. 
The crab meat is prepared as follows: Immediately upon arrival at 
the factory the crabs are dumped into a large box, through which 
steam is forced from the bottom. They are steamed from twenty to 
forty minutes, the time varying at different factories, and according 
to the number cooked. After this the crabs are distributed among 
the pickers, some of whom, with long experience, become very expert 
in extracting the meat. The pickers in most cases are white women 
and children, though at some factories all are colored. The price 
received by the pickers is usually from 4 to 5 cents a quart of meat 
(about 2 pounds). The meat is divided into three classes—flakes, ordi- 
nary, and fat meat, the flakes being considered much superior to the 
other because they are whiter and firmer. They are taken mostly 
from the ‘‘hip” of the crab. The sale of fat meat is confined to one or 
two firms, who use it principally in preparing deviled crabs. After 
the meat has been extracted ice water is thrown over it and about 3 
ounces of salt added to each 20 pounds of meat. Some dealers, how- 
