The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-09-19

gother. In most localities the hard
crabs are discarded. as the market
price is not sufficiently high 10 pay
for shipping them long distances;
but IN some places where the fishery
Is extensive these are boiled and the
flesh extracted and shipped 10 market,
where Il Is used extensively in the
preparation Of "deviled crabs. The
"peelers,' busters" and soft crabs
are sold by the fishermen at the same
price each, ranging from 81 to "a per
100, according to the supply and de.
mand.
The persons buying these crabs are
known as crab packers of whom
there are a number IN each fishing
centre. They prepare the soft crabs
for immediate shipment and place the
"peeelrs" and busters" in floats
provided for the purpose, where they
remain until moulting is accom-
plished An expert can readily de-
termine at a glance about the length
Of time that will elapse before a crab
sheds its shell.
The moulting floats or pounds are
made of light planks and scantling,
with plain board bottoms and latticed
sides. The size varies, but most Of
them are about 10 feet long, 2 or 4
feet wide and Is inches deep, furn-
ishing room for about 200 crabs. To
increase the buoyancy and stability
a ledge projects at half the height,
corresponding to the water line. The
floats are usually inclosed by a board
fence, which serves as a breakwater.
It is interesting to watch a crab in
the immediate act of moulting. The
shell cracks along the posterior edge
and, with many muscular contractiOns
and movements, the five pairs Of mod
fled limbs known as claws or swim
mers are withdrawn from their cover
ing and the entire shell is finally loos-
ened and the crab energies somewhat
larger in size than before. So severe
is this ordeal that many die In the
process. The newly moulted crusta-
cean is exceedingly weak and deli
cate, and for an hour or two the
slightest handling is injurious. There
fore, it is permitted to remain un-
touched for three or four hours, or
until a filmy shell has formed, which
serves to protect the animal IL it is
handled carefully
Owing to the severity of the moult-
ing process and the injuries received
in capture, the death rate in the floats
is very high, especially in hot wealth
er. At times the loss from this source
reaches so percent of the total num-
Der, and the average is Is or 20 per-
cent.
Two, OF three times daily the floats
are examined and the soft crabs that
have recovered somewhat from the
moulting are carefully removed and
packed In shipping crates with sea-
weed and crushed ice. To careful
ness in the packing for shipment is
due, much OF the individual success
in the business. The crates used in.
the Chesapeake and North Carolina
regions are Of uniform size-about 4
feet long, IS to "a inches wide and
the same in depth-and are provided
with closely fitJing trays, in which the
crabs are carefully packed side by
side in rows, with their legs or claws
we'll folded up and their bodies lying
obliquely so that the moisture may
not run from their mouths. Between
the rows are placed layers of cold sea-
weed, on which finely crushed ice is
sometimes PLACED. The capacity OF
each crate is from eight to ten dozen,
/ and as the crabs possess little ten
dency to move, when once placed In
position they remain quiescent for a
long time. Only a small percentage
die en- route to market owing to the
excellence, of this method of ship
ment.
The principal markets for soft
crabs are New York, Philadelphia,
Baltimore. Boston, Washington and
Chicago, named in the order OF the
extent of their receipts. The whole
sale price i'm the cities is from 30
cents to $3.50 per dozen, averaging
probably between so and 60 cents.