Abstract
SOME notion of the extent of the trade in oysters at Baltimore may be gathered from a recent report of the British Consul. Baltimore, it is said, is recognised all the world over as the great centre for raw oysters— New York as well as the Southern and Western States depending on it for their supplies. The packing-houses in Baltimore have agencies in all the large cities and towns, and these agencies have sub-agencies covering the country districts. About twenty firms are engaged in the packing and distribution throughout the States of raw oysters, 5,000,000 bushels of which are annually consumed to meet the demands of the trade, which is one not only incurring great risks, but also requiring some tact for its successful management. Such is the perishable nature of the oyster that the risk in handling them has much to do in determining their price. Delays in the arrival of a vessel will often cause a whole cargo to become putrid, so that it has at once to be thrown overboard. To cover these risks the margin of profit is necessarily large. Large numbers of men, women, and children are employed in opening the oysters and removing them from their shells: for this work they receive 20 cents per gallon, and the average earnings of each person are about two dollars per day of ten hours.
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The American Oyster-Trade . Nature 10, 290 (1874). https://doi.org/10.1038/010290a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/010290a0