Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-11-02
FIaH AND GAME,

day ." pass along Louisiana avenue, between
9th and 10th streets, or through the south
tier OF stalls In the Center market, where
the principal trade In nsh and game Ia car
ried on, have little idea Of the quantity con-
sumed here, and but few are fully informed
from, or how they are supplied. It is, Of
course. generally known that the Chesa-
peake bay and the grand old Potomac river,
onnd u, =, ahe supply most Of the n
all the year round, and that the extensive
forests Of Virginia and Maryland furnish
much OF the game In Its season; but 1t Is not
generally known that
wAsHINGToN 10 ONE OF THE LARGEST
MARKETS
for these luxuries, especially for marine pro-
vestieation, BY means of interviews with
fishermen and hunters heTea bouts, demon
strates that this city Is not only large mar
extent, is a distributing point for an import
ant branch OF trade In marine products.
The fish season" here Is all the year round,
tiers should not be eaten in any months with
out an "r' In IL, very appetizing ones can be
bad here In the bot months, with every other
Find Of nsh that can be obtained in the con:
the large supply OF shad and herring which
char acterized the markets of this District In
former years has Of late somewhat dimin-
ished, owing TO the want OF adequate laws
In the states of Virginia and Maryland regu-
latiDg the fisheries on the river and bay.
Ire swaTns OF gill METERS and seine haulers
WHO WI Annually congIegate ON this river from
years more, IL left undisturbed, effectually
clean out the shad. The rapid increase OF
porplstion. with consequent increase in
fishermen lively all seasons OF the year, and
the business Of winter fishing In the lower
Potomac is now turned to very good profit.
FISH FOR EVERY MONTH.
Th9 EQnncog (rthgnna KniQhfa- Qtawarfo
ard many others. all have their fishing
smacks and oyster boats skimmtng the
lower river and bay continually ont and al do
at cur wharves comprise the shad, herring,
salt and fresh water tsyl ors, rock, sturgeon,
white and yellow perch, trout, spots, Span
crOcus. Then there are sturgeon, catfish and
cells. The present Is the season for rock ish,
and white and yellow perch. Our saloons,
botels and boarding houses are furnished
order: In October, November, December,
January and February, white and yellow
perch and rock being In best flavor, are
most sought after IN Ms.ch shad and her,
wafer tsylors and sturgeon are added; in
Nsy and June, all those named are yery
abundant, and In July, August and Septem-
shepherds, hog fish, crocus and spots, are
supplied. Catfish are mostly used In the
chowders, and cells in stews. The latter are
10
have become quite an article Of commerce
here. Our markets are of course Supplied
with salt water and fresh water fish from
other localities AZ the year round. These
cod, hacdock, smelts, founders, white fish.
lake salmon and Holsters.
sHAD MYSTERY.
Sb9d have generally been more plentiful
every third year, which is accounted for by
the fact that 1t requires three years for
them to attain their growth, and wnere thew
migrate TO between seasons is q question
which has never been satisfactorily ex-
planned. So completely futile have been
all efforts to ascertain their whereabouts be.
tween The seasons for spawning and the De
riod OF full growth, that IL has almost ceased
to be matter of Investigation, being regard.
ed as among the things that are past finding
ont.
Those best informed as to the habits OF
these fish predict an abundant harvest OF
shad the coming spring. This will be good
news to the fishermen. The scores kept by
our dealers show that about two thirds OF
me snad and herring which reach our
ihe sggregate trade varying from 100000 to
$500 ,OcO annually, according to the produc.
tiVeness OF the seasons.
HERRING
commence running In March, but do not be-
come plentiful until April. The supply is
always greatly In excess of the home de-
aDd AND a1o1t II th!sefonTths OF those
early season they are delightful pan fish.
THE OYSTER TRADE
IN Ibis city is OF growing Importance. The
second qualities. The first quality embraces
the CbeTTystOnes, York river, Rappahap
noess. Diamond creeks, Saint Jerome, Sea.
SIDE, POcomokes, Tangiers. Deep creeks, Di.
aud Cone river productions. The second
Qualify includes the Machatoes, ST. Georges.
W-com co, Paiuxent and Nominis. or these
the NEST as TO flavor are the first four
named IL The first quality, and are therefore
niue b Sought after. The others of that quail
ity sre slso fine, and are generally sold in
"on me half shellp never ceases. Those
psned IN the second quality are generally
eaten cCostd- The Cnerrystones, POcomokes
and 1sIgieTs always find ready sale, and
plump ard shuck more TO the busEel than
the DINER Kinds. The prices for these gener-
ally rat &c from IS cents to So per bushel,
from 90 to 80 cents In the winter the changes
OF weather usually cause fluctuations in
prices OF blvalyes, as, upon Q hard freeze,
dealers, in anticips tion Of difficulty In get
siDg q Supply, advance The price OF their
WASHINGTON OYSTER EATERS.
II Is TACT not generally known that more
ington and Georgetown, according 10 popn-
latiop, than In any other city I'm the United
states, except New York. While Baltimore
receives and handles more In the way OF
perhaps than any other, her actual home
consu mption 1s far less than ours.
THE DEMAND FOR CLANS
10 slight compared to that for oysters and
Inspector Luodington, from whom mucn OF
this Information was obtained, states that
the market 10 not often overstocked. The
prices range from 50 to IS per thousand.
OF THE CRABS
consumed here about one twentieth are soft
shell. There does not seem to be q general
fondness In this District for these shell. fish,
which are so abundant In our river and bay
and the dealers say there is very little profit
In the trade. The oyster dredgers only Keep
mp the crab supply In summer TO secure their
customers for oysters until the season for the
latter commences. The prices of crabs range
FOR soft shelfS1 10 81 per dozen, and for hard
shell 40 20 30 cents per dozen.
FISH FIGURES.
The score kept by Mr.. Luddington for 1874
shows that the number OF shad brought here
that season for consumption was CPS .637, her
ring, so ,240; taylors, SO, Sal; buBches of pan
nsh, J6I .29l; sturgeon, 1000; total pounds of
nsh, 1887 96I; bushels of oysters, 500 ,372:
crabs, 81 $50; clans, ,163 900. The score for
1875 shows the shad brought here to have
been i64 2l5, taylors sc, 40; herring, 81 ass;
bunch fsh, 81 ,203; sturgeon, 12l0: total
pounds OF fish, COZ ,O49; oysters, 305. ;sT
bushels; ,llO, 72S CLAIMS, and Al, 5l5 crabs
The Quantities of marine products ft1r-
nished for our District consumption during
the year ending September 80, 1876, are as
follows ShQh 40 MO. hSy 4 500 -o.