Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-06-03
Crabs and the Moon.

The Chesapeake crab is now com
mercial commodity, which, while COM
ing in third on the list, the oyster com.
ing first and the scale fishes second in
order of value, is of no mean import.
ance. On the contrary, to put the
annual income to the fishermen engaged
IN the industry at hundred thousand
dollars would be to underestimate it.
This grabbing industry along the Ches-
apeake bay is a growth Of recent wears.
At Queenstown, Kent Island and East
ern Neck Island, near the mouth Of the
Chester River, are the principal ship
ping points for Kent and Queen Annes
counties of the soft crab, or the scarcely
less appointing hard crab.
During the early season thousands
of dozens of soft crabs were shipped
from these points, and, strange to say,
the prices obtained are governed by
the phases of the moon. The slough.
season of the crab is after the dark Of
the moon, increasing as the moon nears
its full. Operated upon by the nnvary-
ing law Of supply and demand, as the
supply becomes more abundant at the
moons full. prices often drop to ten or
fifteen cents per dozen, while at other
seasons the fancy prices of from sixty
to eighty cents are received.
Labor saying methods have now en-
tered into the soft crab fishery, and
from the tedious hoopnet method the
soft crab is now dragged for with nets
as are other fish, and at one haul many
dozens are sometimes caught. A grassy
shore or fiat is the favorite resort for
the sloughers, for there, to a great ex
tent, they are out of the way Of their
inveterate enemies, cells and large fish.
1t is only at the season of shedding its
old for new garment that the crab
grows and DEVELOPS from the small
crustacean of the opening of the sum.
mer to the "channeler" at its close
From the fact that soft crabs are ship
ped in smaller quantities, it would be
impossible to aggregate the handsome
results during single season.
1t is different, however, with the hard
crab. On many tips Of the Chester
River steamers last season as many as
one hundred barrels of hard crabs were
shipped from Kent Island alone, which
sold at prices varying from twenty-five
cents per barrel to one dollar. At an
average of fifty barrels per day for a
three months season, deducting twelve
Sundays, gives total of 4400 barrels,
and putting theprice at fifty cents per
barrel, gives the handsome result for
this point alone for less than three
months actual work of $4,000
With favorable conditions and good
luck attending, single crabber will
wind up days work with $l5 added
to seasons profits. The trot line is
the most picturesque way Of capturing
this summer delicacy. A line several
hundred feet in length has attached at
each end foater. At intervals of
few inches are lines about eighteen
inches or two feet in length, all we'll
baited. The crabber, lying on his
stomach in his boat, with net in hand,
goes from end to end of this line, and
at each trip finds greater or less num-
Der of the balted lines with crabs on
them. Large canneries have been
opened and the canned crab is now
known as commodity of commerce in
sections where live crab has never
been seen. Washington Star.