OF MASSACHUSETTS. 101 



The larger scallops in the deep water are from 2V2 to 2% inches in 

 length, taking 5 pecks to open a gallon of " eyes." On the flats are 

 smaller scallops, from 2 to 2% inches in length, of which 6% pecks are 

 required to make a gallon. About 4,000 gallons were bought in Chat- 

 ham by two dealers, paying $1.30 per gallon; the rest were shipped to 

 Boston and New York by the individual scallopers, shipments being 

 made semiweekly to New York. The scallops were shipped in butter 

 tubs containing from 4 to 6 gallons, on which the express charges were : 

 to New York, 65 cents; to Boston, 35 cents. The 1907-08 production 

 was 20,000 gallons, valued at $40,000. 



In 1905-06 practically all the catch were " seed " scallops of the 

 set of 1905; only about 5 per cent, of the catch were scallops of the 

 1904 set. Owing to the exceptional cod fishing, only 15 men made a 

 business of scalloping, going mostly one man to a boat, and averaging 

 31/2 bushels per day after the scalloping " struck in," Dec. 1, 1905. The 

 high prices alone made it profitable to catch these small scallops, which 

 gave only 3 pints of " eyes " to a bushel of shells, — just one-half the 

 amount yielded by a bushel of large scallops. The fishermen were all 

 from South and West Chatham. The entire catch was estimated at 

 2,800 gallons. 



Dennis. 

 The scallop grounds of Dennis and Yarmouth are common property 

 for the inhabitants of both towns, while other towns are excluded from 

 the fishery. The West Dennis scallopers fish mostly on the Yarmouth 

 fiats at the mouth of Parker River, and between Bass and Parker rivers 

 on the shore fiats. There is also scalloping along the shore on the 

 Dennis grounds. These grounds are for the " pushers." Dredging is 

 carried on at Dennisport, and the boats cover a wide territory at some 

 distance from the shore. The town possesses a large area, which either 

 has scattering scallops or is well stocked one year and barren the next. 

 Nearly 2,250 acres of available territory is included in the waters of 

 the town. The flats, which are of sand with thick or scattering eel 

 gTass, according to the locality, afford a good bottom for scallops. 

 Were it not for the eel grass, the scallops would perish by being washed 

 on the shore by southerly winds. 



Thirty men make a business of scalloping in the town of Dennis, 22 

 from Dennisport and 8 from West Dennis. At Dennisport scalloping 

 is practically all done by dredging, while at West Dennis scallops are 

 all taken by the use of "pushers." At Dennisport 9 boats, 3 sail and 

 6 cat boats, with power, carrying 18 men, are employed in the business. 

 Here also are 4 dory scallopers. At West Dennis the scallopers go 

 mostly in pairs, using only 5 dories. 



The dredges used at Dennisport are similar to the Chatham dredge. 

 At Dennisport the scallopers open the scallops and also employ openers, 

 while at West Dennis the scallopers do the entire work. 



In 1907-08 the production was 2,950 gallons, valued at $3,865. Seal- 



