182 THE MOLLUSK FISHERIES 



Barren area possibly productive (acres), - 



Waste barren area (acres), - 



Possible normal production, $70,000 



Newburyport. 



Newburyport is pre-eminently the clam town of Massachusetts. It 

 produces the most clams, gives employment to the most men, and has 

 on the whole the finest flats. 



The total clam-growing area of this town comprises about 1,080 acres ; 

 of this, some 800 acres are more or less productive, while the balance, 

 280- acres, is practically nonproductive. Scattering clams exist every- 

 where, so there are, properly speaking, no truly barren flats. 



The flats of Newburyport, broad, level and continuous, are peculiarly 

 adapted to clam culture. The general type of soil is mud, varying from 

 a soft, sticky variety on the west coast, and also along the shores of 

 Plum Island, to a firm, hard surface in the great middle section north of 

 Woodbridge's Island, where clams flourish most abundantly and furnish 

 the best digging within the city limits. Here nearly 100 acres are 

 covered with a heavy set of 1 to 2 inch clams. Altogether there are 

 some 930 acres of this mud. Much of this, especially to the west and 

 south, is apparently unfavorable to clams, being soft and unwholesome, 

 but even here at certain seasons clams are dug extensively. 



The sand flats include the shifting Hump sands that fringe the 

 Merrimae channel and the Cove on Plum Island. These and other 

 minor sections comprise about 150 acres. The Hump sands are quite 

 productive. The other sand flats are not entirely barren, but practi- 

 cally unutilized. 



The clam industry at Newburyport furnishes emplojrment for about 

 175 men, although over 200 depend upon it for some portion of their 

 income. The season lasts the year round, though on account of storms 

 and ice the winter's work is rather uncertain. A good fisherman will, 

 under favorable circumstances, dig several bushels of clams at a tide, 

 though the ordinary man will probably not average more than a bushel 

 and a half, taking the whole year into account. 



The outlay of capital invested is comparatively small. A flat-bottom 

 boat or dory, a clam hoe or two, and three or four wire-bottom baskets, 

 constitute a clammer's outfit, costing altogether perhaps $15 or $20. As 

 two or more men frequently go in one boat, even this expenditure may 

 be reduced. The shore property in use, consisting of from 8 to 10 

 shanties, is also inconsiderable. Several power boats are used, however, 

 and their added cost brings the aggregate money invested up to about 

 $2,700. 



The- flats of Newburyport are a large factor in its economic wealth. 

 During 1907 they produced nearly 55,500 bushels • of clams, exceeding 

 $61,000 in value. Nearly two-thirds of these clams were shucked, that 

 is, removed from the shell and sold by the gallon. In this form, usually 



