The Republican journal., 1892-02-18
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Belfast CLANS.

| How many of the journal readers while
enjoying clam stew in winter, or clam
bake in the fall, think of the ne II who earn
their living from the clam flats. Belfast
CLANS are proverbially good and their repu-
| tation extends far beyond the state. From
the very earliest settlement of Belfast the
digging of clans has constituted a business,
and these shell fish have entered largely in
to daily consumption Tradition says that
in the early days of the plantation of Belfast
the Inhabitants, during severe winter,
were saved from starvation by CLAIMS.
One of the derivations of the Indian name
of our river, Passagassawakeag is "the great
clam clear, or shallow water place."
One who has never dug CLAIMS little knows
the hard work done by the men who supply
the market with this favorite shell fish. Bent
over nearly double they drive their long
sharp diggers into the flats. Turning por-
ton over, they quickly pick up the CLANS
and throw the earth behind them. In this
position they work hours. No matter how
cold the day you will find these hardy clam
diggers at work.
A journal representative recently inter
viewed man who supplies many CLAIMS to
best CLANS from the Read place to Little
river, on the west shore, and ON the east
shore us tar as Moose point. Two and half
bushels per tide is good work for one man.
but when there two low waters III one
day more can be procured. One bushel of
CLAIMS when shucked yields four quarts OF
CLAIMS. Many CLAIMS are sold III the She'll.
Our informant sad that CLAIMS are better
meated in May than at any season OF the
year, and he believed them good, notwlth-
standing there is no ''r" i'll the month. He
said CLANS grow rapidly. In the spring while
digging the smaller CLAIMS are lett III the
flats, only the larger ones being taken away.
Next fall the same piece of flats can be dug
over, and the small CLANS of the spring be
fore will be good merchantabe bivalves.
Some people have peculiar notions about
CLAIMS and will not eat them unless they
come from certain locality. Some OF the
best CLAIMS come from Islesboro, and the
island CLAIMS have an excellent reputation.
Not long since a woman went to one of our
uldGkebS anu dShou IL tlic utdlCl lletu ar
CLAIMS. eff you haven't any island CLAIMS, y
said she, II don't want any" The man had
some as handsome CLANS as ever came out of
the flats, but they were dug at Little River.
EYES, said the man, 81 have some nice
island clams.' The woman took half a
bushel, and one week later called to tell the
dealer that they We're the best CLAIMS she
ever ate. Now" said the dealer, chad
told her they We're not island CLAIMS She
would not have bought them. l knew they
We're just as good CLAIMS as ever grew. sob,
dear said the dealer, heaving sigh, II
but a man cannot be I; Christian and keep a
fish market at the same time
| CLAIMS breed in May or June. They throw
their spawn into the water, where the EN-
bryo CLANS form, and in their early day drift
with the tide. These embryonic particles
soon take the form of the clam, and as they
move with the tide they catch III the mud or
sand on the top of the flats. y clam can 90
down INTO the flats, but cannot 60 up, 50 /,
, little clam must begin at the top and 90
| down. As they increase Ill size they 90
deeper, so we always find the largest CLAIMS
III the deepest mud. The time required for
a clam TO grow to a size suitable for market
| is about three years.
| 1t is supposed that Mr.. Laughton when he
gets his canning establishment underway
will put up CLAIMS, and Belfast's celebrated
| biValves will 60 ON to the market in a new
form. Possibly he will put up clam water.
a factory at Bass Harb"r has a big run on
clam water.