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 b}^ the crabbers 

 throughout the crab region varied in 1001 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. 



Maimer of shijyment. — 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 onl}^ 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 6 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 perfectl}^ 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 j^ears 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 verj' 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 divddcd into three classes — flakes, ordi- 

 nar}^, 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- 



