harf from the floating cars, and is then carried
to the tank and lowered into it after the water it contains has
reached the desired temperature, that of boiling. The water is
first supplied to the tank, which is filled to about one-third or
two-thirds its capacity, about a peck of salt is added, and then
the steam is turned on. The same water suffices for several
successive boilings, about 2 quarts of salt being added each time.
The lobsters are allowed to remain in about half an hour, or until
the proper red color indicates they are sufficiently cooked.

[Illustration: Boiling live lobsters preparatory to shipping on ice,
showing boiler, steam tank, cage, etc.]

After cooling, they are packed in barrels for shipment, just as live
lobsters are. When well iced they will keep a week or longer. Only
live lobsters are boiled, as the meat of those which die prior to
boiling deteriorates rapidly.

The fishermen and small dealers use various kinds of boilers, from an
ordinary washboiler to a smaller form of the regular boiler used by
the large dealers. The product prepared by these people is generally
picked from the shell and sold locally in that condition. This opens
a way for the fisherman to evade the 10-1/2 inch limit law. They
frequently take lobsters under the minimum legal size and, after
boiling them, pick the flesh. It is then impossible for anybody to
tell what sized lobster the meat had come from. Quite a local trade
in the picking of lobsters has been established in a number of small
coast towns, the meat generally being sold in the immediate vicinity.

The following table shows the extent of the wholesale lobster trade in
Rockland and Portland during 1898, including everything connected with
the business except the smacks and pounds, which are shown elsewhere.
There are a few other dealers scattered along the coast, but most of
the business is concentrated at these cities. An idea of the extent
of the increase in the lobster trade of Portland can be gained when
it is stated that in 1880 about 1,900,000 pounds of lobsters, valued
at $70,000, were handled here, while 6,145,821 pounds, valued at
$611,955, were handled in 1898.

Extent of the wholesale lobster trade of Rockland and Portland
in 1898.

Rockland Portland
-------- --------
Value of property,
capital, and wages
Property, etc $14,33