Oysters and other Edible Mollusca, 143 



the Northern States as Baltimore and Fair Haven do for 

 the Central and the Western. 



Baltimore is the most important of all the cities 

 engaged in the oyster trade, as far as regards interior and 

 foreign transportation. 



Twenty years ago, an official report on the oyster beds 

 of Baltimore gave the aggregate value as follows : — 



Oysters packed in tins ... ... ... ;!^6oo,ooo 



Consumed in the neighbourhood ... ... 200,000 



Shells converted into lime for agricultural purposes 10,000 



Total ... ;^8oo,ooo 



They obtain all their oysters south of the mouth of the 

 Patapsco river, a great portion by dredging in 20 fathoms 

 water ; these, however, are not so large as those taken with 

 tongs in the numerous shallow inlets and bays, and near 

 the mouth of the Chesapeake. When planting or parking, 

 they take small oysters from deep water, and plant them 

 in places where in three years they grow to a very large 

 size, without being in the least affected by any kind of 

 weather ; consequently . the increase is unfailing. The 

 number of vessels employed in the trade then amounted to 

 1000, some of which cost £^00, and were capable of 

 cariying 3000 bushels. 



The number of houses engaged in this business was then 

 25 ; the number of hands employed in opening and packing, 

 2500. In some establishments 3000 bushels were opened 

 in a day, and in all the establishments 17,000 bushels 

 daily. Of this quantity, 9000 bushels were packed in cans 

 in a raw state, and the rest pickled, spiced, and hermeti- 

 cally sealed for exportation everywhere. About half of the 

 packed oysters are consumed in the cities of the Western 

 States, and are invariably sold for cash. Within 12 years 



