FISHERIES OF THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC STATES. 449 
Statistics of oyster-pucldng mul crah-pacl'ing trades . — One of tlie most important 
brandies of the fishing industry of Virginia is the wliolesale trade in raw and canned 
oysters, which is centered at Norfolk. In 1891, 50 firms were engaged in this busi- 
ness. These gave employment to 2,395 persons on shore, to whom $405,000 was paid 
in wages. The quantity of oysters utilized was 2,017,647 bushels, for which $1,184,694 
was paid. The products as sold consisted of 1,667,040 gallons, for which $1,509,542 
was received; 225,013 bushels disposed of in the shell, bringing $269,208; and 396,626 
cans of oysters, having a market value of $56,610. The details of this branch in 1890 
and 1891 are shown in the table : 
Summary of the oyster-pacldHg trade of Virginia. 
Designation. 
1890. 
1891. 
39 
1.902 
$310, 500 
$208, 300 
$337, 196 
2, 135, 078 
$971, 847 
1, 348, 600 
$1, 208, 798 
228, 753 
$290, 848 
374, 026 
$52, 947 
50 
2, 395 
$355, 000 
$295, 000 
$105, 306 
2, 617, 047 
$1, 184, 694 
1, 667, 040 
$1, 509, 542 
225, 013 
$269, 208 
396,626 
$56, 610 
Number of persons employed 
Ovstershiaudled bushels. . 
Sold opened : gallon.s . . 
Sold in the shell bushels. . 
Canned quart cans.. 
The business of extracting the meat of cooked hard crabs and shipping it in 
buckets is engaged in by a few firms at Norfolk and Hampton, In 1891 three firms 
employed 317 persons, to whom $15,367 was paid in wages. Over 10,000 barrels of hard 
crabs, equivalent to 3,352,000 crabs, having a value of about $12,500, were utilized in 
preparing 216,480 pounds of meat, worth 840,776. A summary of this branch of the 
fishing industry for 1890 and 1891 is given in the following table: 
Summary of the crah-pacldng industry of Virginia. 
Designation. 
1890. 
1891. 
2 
17 
Number of persons employed : 
22 
40 
255 
25 
190 
Total 
232 
317 
$24, 000 
$14, 000 
$19, 250 
10, 363 
$9, 090 
252, 624 
$50, 637 
$24, 000 
$17, 000 
$15, 367 
10, 158 
$12 461 
Cost 
216, 480 
$40,770 
F. C. B. 1894-29 
