The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-09-22
THE CRAB AND HIS
CURIOUS HAUNT
Interesting Inside History
of This GreatVir-
ginia Industry.
HOW THEY GROW
FROM SOFT TO HARD
Story Of the Life and Move
ment Of This Great Tide
water Industry Tersely
Told in All Its
Various
Stages.

Hampton has been known generally
among yirginians and somewhat at
large as centre of the crab industry,
and right we'll she maintains her rep-
utation. But she must admist SUCCESS
full rivalry to another section OF the
prolific Chesapeake. though In this lat-
ter Maryland shares probably larger
results than does Virginia. refer to
the locality of the sounds--Pocomoke
and Tangier-arms Of Chesapeake
Bay, lying, the one wholly and the
ether largely within the Virginia lines,
on the northeast border. but worked
and harvested mostly by citizens OF
Maryland
The soft crab" is growing crab
which must periodically burst its nom
growing she'll, shedding like q snake,
and much larger when emerging from
Its cast OFF shed. Within few hours
the soft skin hardens and 1t has onco
again a hard shell, which in turn must
be cast off. Although hard coat re-
turns after few hours when In salt
water. yet II taken from the water,
or even placed in brackish water. they
will remain soft for days and until
their death In such environment. Tho
younger the crab the faster II grows,
and The more frequently 1t must shed.
When matured. and the crab becomes
i IL
"o1d she-crab." whatever 1t may be
called in localities. 1t sheds no more.
a Brave Creature.
1t Is then hard crab for good
and ALL and the bravest thing for it's
inches that travels the seas; and 1t is
by no means slow. travelling as rapidly
and migrating, as many fishes do. A
hard crab past the shedding stage is
Tout for meat and gore. He is the
\ scavenger OF the sea. swapping at a
steamboat that may disturb his feast.
and 1t Is a pretty large and wort Sious
4 fish that will attempt to swallow the
4 clawed crustacean. Even then It must
4 be done with lightning rapldfty. On the
other hand. when shedding. as "bus'ner'S
| or soft crab" 1t Is afraid OF Its own
shadow. 1t is powerless to do any
thing but swim. and that but slowly.
4 dis then a prey to man. bird and
fish. and even to Its own tribe. In.
truth when shedding 1t is more afraid
of its own kith and kin than Of any
thing else. Mr.. Jimmy Crab Will de-
elude him: mother and father will
feast on the little members OF the
fhousehold IL caught out without their
| hard coats on. Harmless and small
i fish are brave when the helpless soft
crab is in sight. They dote on soft
crab meat. and the soft crab Is much
used as flshirS, bait. The eplcure can
Testify to What luscious meal 1t fur
n nishes. This Is why when the she'd;
I ding period approaches the coming
"peeler'' hikes 1t to shallow waters
before dropping his armor. And this
Z is also why the sounds OF Virginia and
Maryland. with their thousands OF.
acres of shallow water and protecting
grassy bottoms. are the resort of the
7 itoothsome soft crab. One of the evi-'
4 dences that the crab is migratory Is
1 the fact that no gravid mothers arej
caught in these shdal sounds. a verb.
table Gretna Green for their loves. but
are to be found In schools. minus male.
; attendants, upon the sandy bottoms
about the Virginia Capes
WEAVING the Young.
! After Matching. the rnyriads OF
lyoung cling to the mother, and II she
Y Ibid not scrape them Off by rubbing
through the sands they would cause
her death. This Is the way she weans5
! 1.-The young. These little fellows for the
lnost part now strike out for shoaL
water to shed under protection. and
+ iit is In such vicinity they may stay
L for a whole season or until the mating
j period is passed. The female mates
J. only when a soft crab. Crabs shed
Z earlier In the rivers and creeks OF the
!, bay than they do in the sounds. The
5 early shedder gives the Tidewater boy
, no little unrest and causes him to.
: abhor school In April When ups
: braided by his teacher for not study
!, ling at his desk during an April day.
one little barelegged fellow replied:
: l,.Miss Sally / can't; soft crabs are
! running all over my book"
I When April dawns the shores of the
estuaries of the Chesapeake are lined
4 with men and boys, In skiffs, and ply
!! ing hand-nets. AT first many of the
prizes are no bigger than your thumbs
nail, and are found hiding for protec-
tion under sticks. leaves and the like
at the waters edge. An expert crabber
y will discern the tiny eye protrudtpg
. alert for danger. and with a deNterous
a dip OF the net the baby crab Is secured.
The inexperienced eye could not have
seen the mite even had it been un-
. protected by the leaf. AS many as ten
dozen of these have been packed for
shipment In an ordinary cigar box.
i, with dead and damp field grass " OF
seos (sea grass, covering and below.
the mldgets bringing as niue as $3.50
i. a dozen. A dozen would hardly make
a good mouthful. hut the eptcures
. North must have the first. and we are
/ livery wiling to supply their cravings
when the season Is propitious,
Niyatery Uasolved.
This is only passing extract from
unwritten "crabology.'' The subject Is
|sone that tho wisest heads rs yet--or
probably ever wkll--know but little
about Nothing In the sea under mans
: close ken retains stubbornly unsolved
so many secrets OF life as the crab.
or course. a good deal lis known about
] them hut this has mostly been written
: of end 1t IS only my purpose to give
!, hers some practical phases little
: known, was to tell you Of MANS
lindustry and wealth as dependent Upon