The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-09
A MARYLAND CRAB FARM
BIG SCALE ON WHICH THIS SINGULAR
BUSINESS Is CONDUCTED.
How the Crab II Impounded and
pared for Shipment to Market.
of the indianapolis Journal.

James Landon and other citizens Of this
place originated the system of impoundng
crabs and caring for them until after they
shed and then shipping them to market,
they were laughed at and ridiculed and
5eeringly referred TO ''crab breeders"
But the idea proved a most important one.
and 1t has spread and grown until to-day 1t
is source OF income to the people of Girls
field and this immediate vicinity of 100000
annually.
II Is difficult for one who has never visited
Crisfeld to imagine the commercial i'm
portance of the soft crab fishery. and the
very large scale on which crab breeding is
carried on. Its growth has been phenom-
email and largely instrumental in making
this section one of the wealthiest in the
State OF Maryland. The people here can
match dollars with any class of laboring
folk in the United States. Collecting the
soft and "peeler' crabs is the main indus
try at this season. from May to September.
inclusive. and 1t AFFORD profitable and easy
work to thousands who would perhaps
otherwise be unemployed. The soft crab,
which Is 80 abundant throughout the Ches-
apeake bay, Is found on the Atlantic coast
from Massachusetts TO Mexico, but at no
place in the world has so much attention
been given to its cultivation as at Girls
field. The crab is the Beau Brummel OF
crustaceans. and, indeed, no living creature
gives so much attention TO his wearing ap-
parel. Compared with him in this regard
the EXTREMIST dude leads a careless and
easy life. IL he were member OF the hu-
man family his tailor's bills would consume
his entire earnings. From the time he
leaves the shell he passes through more
frequent transformations than probably any
other member of the animal kingdom. On
emerging from the egg he looks somewhat
like an impossible combination of those
omnipresent products of New Jersey. the
flea and the mosquito. or, to speak more
definitely, he has fiat, Irregular body, with
a long proboscis. a longer tail. long SWIM
ming appendages, with spine-covered, toe
like branches at the ends and small eyes,
not attached to stelks as in later life. but
fixed fiat upon the head All these pecu-
liarities are compressed within a small
space. and in this stage he swims
around mostly on the surface of
the water. At an early age he
begins to shed his skin, and. having ac-
complished this feat a few times. he has
increased In size, his eyes have appeared
on stalks, legs like those of shrimps have
developed. and nippers have been added to
the pair of front legs. The tail and pro-
boscis have nearly If not entirely disap-
peared. and he begins TO grow at rapid
rate. Being nearly ready to begin business
as crab he abandons swimming as a pro-
fession and takes TO the bottom, goes for
aging along the shores, or attaches himself
on floating sea weed. He literally grows
by shedding. AS fast as his garments be-
come too small for him he casts them off
and appears in a larger suit. After he
reaches the edible size he sheds once a
month and men who make a business OF
hunting him say there is no regular time
for shedding. After he attains his full
growth he ceases to shed. and indications
are not wanting that he reaches a ripe old
age. as specimens have been taken with full
grown barnacles and oysters attached TO
their shells. When crab Is about to shed
he seeks shallow water and secrets him
self In the roots of the grasses or under
punches of sedge so as to be as much as
possible out Of the way of large fish, which
are very fond of him at this stage of his
career When ready to shed the old shell
separates nearly all around the body at the
base of the legs and the crab withdraws it
self. After shedding he is the "soft-shell''
the palate of the epicure. a crab approach
ing the shedding process is variously
known among fishermen ''peeler,"
"shedder' or buster" Conner" "long-
conner or "short-comer" A "peeler'' or
buster" is one whose shell has begun to
crack. while a conner" 'long-comer' or
'short-comer" is preparing to moult, and
the shell is loosening. but has not yet split.
. t.
with the fishermen to be able to determine
whether crab has or has not recently COM
pleted the shedding process. Unless the
crustecean is taken in hand Immediately
after moulting 1t quickly becomes hard
shell or hard crab. passing through the
stages known as paper shell" and "buck-
ler." and as such not possessing the market
value OF a soft crab, or one that has not
undergone moulting.
CRAB CULTURE.
1t was the belief that crabs could be
handled and raised with profit by i'm
pounding them that caused the gentlemen
named to enter the business They had
studied the habits of the crab and knew
that he must be ''plucked' at exactly the
right time or he was not suited for the
market. From the three or four floats first
used has grown an industry which covers
hundreds of acres of marsh land and water
and thousands Of floats. The farm or pond.
Is Enclosed by g board fencing, which serves
as breakwater. this being necessary as
high wave would break over and swamp
them The young crabs are placed in floats
made OF light planks and scantling, with
plain board bottoms and iatticed sides. The
floats are generally twenty feet long, three
to five feet wide and eighteen inches deep.
They have a capacity of from 500 to 400
crabs. These floats are visited in boats dur
ing the day, and the crabs that have shed
stree the last visit are taken out and car
ried to the packing house for shipment.
Experienced men can tell almost to the
minute when crab is in condition for ship
ping after shedding.
Five hundred per cent. more care is nee
essary In preparing soft crabs for shipment
than is exercised in shipments OF eggs.
There is nothing so difficult to handle prop
erly for safe delivery. and experienced soft
crab pickers receive from SIS TO SO per
week Crabs are classed as "culls."
s,nediuDs' and prime" and the crates in
which they are packed for shipment are
four feet long and from one and one-half
TO two feet deep. provided with trays in
which the crabs are placed between layers
Of shaved ice and seaweed or grass The
weight OF a piece OF ice as large as an
ordinary marble on the head Of a crab will
cause death In a few moments. With their
legs folded up the crabs are pfaced ohlio,,a