New-York tribune., 1900-07-22

Newfoundland larger species. known as the
sea scallop, is to be found in quantities The
sea scalIop industry has never been developed
owing to the abundance of the near shore
variety and the with which they could be
secured. They may be caught in great quanti-
ties with hook and line, and the crews Of fishing
schooners make many dainty meal upon them.
"If you shore people knew how much finer the
big sea scallop was said the aged captain OF
a weaklish schooner which lay at the Fulton
Market pier yesterday. you would never 5e
satisfied with the little ones which you get We
put them a stick and roast them before Il
hot fire. My, but they're sweet and tendert'
Then he smac1ed his lips and looked IonginsIy
toward the sea.
Fishermen say they know less about the seal
lop than about any other marketable shelIash.
No one seems to know just what they live on.
although all agree that they die in their second
year. They not at all to be relied
far staying in one place is concerned They
move, like other bivalves, by opening and closing
their shells, but they attempt much longer voy-
ages than the oyster or clam. When on the
move they so forward about three feet at a
time, and the jumps taken with great rapid
ity. They move about from harbor to harbor
in this way. md no locality is sure of having
a second crop the following year. The scalIop
beds usually discovered by accident or after
long search. The fishermen take them from the
bottom with tOngs and oyster dredges.
There is no doubt that we shall have plenty
| Of scallOps this year" said Horace G. Stillman.
of No. 4 Fulton Market, yesterday TO Tribune
| reporter, Just where they will come from IS
unknown as yet, but then never do know
| that at this time of the year We get most Of
| our scaops from harbOrs between Eastp0rt.
Me, and Bayville, Long Island AS soon as the
| bpd he fish md yVa
arrange for shipments There seems to be nc
! limit to the supply and have never had
| trouble getting all want The best sCallOp.
! perhaps. comes from the coast of Rhode Island.
| Last year we had great quantities from Long
| Island harbors. This year the beds may have
! changed. At Northport Long Island, the har
! tor bottom covered with scallOps last year.
There mad not been any there for ten years,
The fishermen got out their scallOp knives ana
did big business. At several other places it
was the same way"
Scallops will be seen the local market early
| in September and the season will not close until
the middle of March. They shucked
! oIened on the fishing grounds and only the eye.
as fishermen call the muscle which moves the
! shell is shipped to market. The body is dis
tasteful looking and unfit for food. They are
! sold by the gallon, but are weighed instead or
| measured. The scallop gallon averages nina
! pounds and sells for 81 at wholesale. They are
! usually a year and half old when caught.
The millions which escape the fshermens
! tongs spawn in the spring and then die. They
| multiply more rapidly than other shellfsh,
! bUshel of them being considered sufficient to
plant fifty acres. Little planting has been done
owing to the plentiful natural supply besides.
| their rowing disposition would make privats
planting Improbable. An oyster planter cam
count a crop from his beds year after year
if he takes proper care. but the man whs
planted scalops would have to fasten them
down or he might find them in some attractive
harbor bottom fifty miles away.