FISHERIES OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC STATES. 
345 
two firms which purchased hides and teeth from hunters and other dealers, mostly in 
the southern part of the State. In 1889 these firms handled about 00,000 skins and in 
1890 about 20,000. In the opinion of these dealers, the noticeable decline in the business 
lias been due to the fact that the hunters have been obtaining more remunerative 
employment in working the phosphate beds, and that much of the trade that formerly 
went through Jacksonville now goes directly to New York. 
Live and stuffed alligators enter largely into the trade in Florida curiosities In 
Jacksonville there are 12 dealers in alligators and 18 other dealers in shells, fislf scale 
jewelry, alligator teeth, etc. In 1890 about 8,400 alligators were disposed of to tour- 
ists in Jacksonville. The taking of small alligators to be sold as curiosities is now a 
prominent feature of the business; large numbers are annually secured and disposed 
of at prices, varying with the season, supply, and size, ranging from $20 to $35 per 
hundred, although as low as $10 has at times been received. The price for stuffed 
alligators is about 25 cents more than for live ones. Alligators from 6 to 12 feet long 
bring from $12 to $14 each. It is estimated that about 450 pounds of alligator teeth 
were sold in 1890. Of the best teeth about 70 make a pound, but from 150 to 200 of 
the smaller ones are required. The teeth of alligators have some commercial value to 
the hunter, but in many places of late not much attention has been given to them on 
account of the difficulty of extracting them and the low price received ($1 to $2 per 
pound). They are removed by burying the head and rotting out the teeth. The 
stuffing of alligators and the polishing of alligator teeth give employment to about 40 
persons in addition to the regular dealers. 
SHORE INDUSTRIES. 
At nearly all the principal fishing centers there are firms engaged in buying fishery 
products from the fishermen and shipping them to northern and other markets. In 
the lower St. Johns and the interior lake region there are also wholesale dealers in 
alligator hides, teeth, etc. The only shore fishery industry which requires separate 
notice, however, is the canning of oysters. 
Two factories established for this purpose are located at Fernandiua, which utilize 
most of the oysters taken in the vicinity of that place; these are raccoon oysters and 
are found mostly between high and low water. At one time most of the stock came 
from Nassau Sound and Bell Biver, but the supply has been nearly exhausted and the 
adjoining county in Georgia is now furnishing a large part of the product. The prices 
paid range from 7 to 10 cents a bushel. The oysters are put up in 5 and 10 ounce 
cans, packed in cases holding 4 and 3 dozen cans, respectively. The extent of this 
industry is shown in the following table: 
49 . — Table showing the extent of the oyster-canning industry of Florida in 1889 and 1890. 
Items. 
1889. 
1890. 
2 
18 
101 
$10, 000 
$3, 500 
10, 333 
$4, 033 
242, 000 
$15, 950 
2 
12 
118 
$10, 000 
$5, 000 
78, 000 
$7, 875 
471, 900 
$35, 504 
Persons employed: 
White 
Cash capital 
Oysters utilized bushels. . 
Cans prepared number.. 
