THE OYSTER INDUSTRY OF MARYLAND. 
275 
Lieut. Paul de Broca, who visited this country in 1862 to study the oyster industry 
in the interests of the French Government, reported the following as the extent of the 
Maryland industry in 1861 : * 
Maryland oyster fishery in 1861. 
3, ooo, ooo 
$1, 050, ooo 
500 
3,000 
$1,800, 000 
$3, 000, 000 
Bushels of oysters caught 
Value of same 
Number of vessels and boats employed. . 
Number of persons. 
Capital invested 
Commercial value of marketed products. 
.No data exist to verify or dispute any of these statements, and it is supposed that 
they fairly represent the extent of the industry during the periods for which they were 
respectively recorded. 
Beginning with 1865, the record of the number of tonging, dredging, and scraping 
licenses issued, as exhibited on other pages of this report, is a good index to the 
growth and prosperity of each branch of the fishery. The data relative to the quan- 
tity of oysters obtained since then are also more voluminous and reliable than for the 
preceding period. 
During the first season in which the general license system was operative, 1865-66, 
according to Mr. O. S. Maltby, the catch by tongs amounted to 1,216,375 bushels and 
by dredges and scrapes 3,663,125, a total of 4,879,500 bushels. 
For the seasons 1868-69, 1869-70, and 1870-71 the following statistics have been 
presented by Mr. Hunter Davidson, who was then in command of the fishery force: 
Maryland oyster fishery in 1868-69, 1869-70, and 1870-71. 
Items. 
1868-09. 
1869-70. 
1870-71. 
Vessels dredging and scraping: 
Number 
563 
12, 660 
$449, 400 
1,907 
$143, 025 
3, 560 
6, 305! 600 
1, 735, 379 
642 
14, 436 
$513, 600 
1, 647 
$123,525 
4, 060 
3,410 
7, 190, 400 
2, 043, 075 
637 
14, 425 
$509, 600 
1, 792 
$134, 400 
3, 775 
3, 807 
2’, 26l! 403 
Tonnage*.. 
Value 
Boats tonging: 
Number 
Value 
Men dredging and scraping 
Men tonging 
Catch, dredging and scraping bushels.. 
Catch, tonging 
Total bushels.. 
Value 
8, 040, 970 
$2, 814, 340 
9, 233, 475 
$3, 231, 716 
8, 947, 803 
$3, 031, 731 
The following data were reported in 1880 by the IT. S. Fish Commission, as repre- 
senting the extent of the industry in 1879-80: 
Maryland oyster fishery in 1879-80. 
Branches of the industry. 
No of 
boats and 
vessels. 
Value of 
boats and 
vessels. 
No of 
persons 
employed. 
Dredging 
700 
$1, 050, 000 
5, 600 
Scraping 
550 
440, 000 
2,200 
Tonging 
1,825 
182, 500 
5,148 
Transporting 
200 
300, 000 
800 
Total 
3,275 
1, 972, 500 
13, 748 
Oysters caught, number of bushels = 10,600,000. 
Etude sur l’lndustrie Huitri&re des fitats-Unis. Paris, 1865. 
