The following production table does not include an important factor,—the amount of clams dug by the summer people. An unestimable quantity is annually taken from the flats in this way, and is not included in the production statistics. Indeed, summer people have affected the clamming interests of several towns, as the selectmen have refused to place closed seasons, etc., on certain depleted flats in order to cater to the summer residents, who desire free clamming near their cottages. The total number of licenses issued by the boards of health of Boston and New Bedford for taking shellfish in their respective harbors are given as representing the number of clammers. In reality, however, only a few of these licensees make a regular business of clamming.

Summary of the Clam Industry.

TOWN.Num­ber of Men.Cap­i­tal In­vest­ed.1907 Pro­duc­tion.To­tal Ar­e­a.Pro­duc­tive Ar­e­a.Bar­ren Ar­e­a pos­si­bly Pro­duc­tive.Waste Bar­ren Ar­e­a.Pos­si­ble Nor­mal Pro­duc­tion.
Bush­els.Val­ue.Sand.Mud.Grav­el.Mus­sels and Eel Grass.To­tal.Good Clamm­ing.Scat­ter­ing Clams.
Salisbury,66[17]$62515,000$16,50034216——250150100——$70,000
Newburyport,1752,70055,50061,000150930——1,080800280——250,000
Newbury,675300250110250——360—100260—40,000
Rowley,158002,0001,500250150——4002080300—60,000
Ipswich,136[17]7,50025,00018,750390500552597040042012525200,000
Essex,501,20015,00012,750500125—2565015015032525120,000
Gloucester,316006,0008,000250200—1005507510027510070,000
Manchester,——1001001010——20—51052,000
Beverly,——1001003020——50—1030105,000
Salem,7752002007525——100510701511,000
Lynn,71001,0001,0009030055400103016020026,000
Saugus,101001,0001,000100150——250104010010022,000
Nahant,——30030050100100—250—501505025,000
Boston,350[18]2,2507,5006,0005253,3251,3801,0956,3251001,1801,0004,045376,000
Cohasset,——2002005050——100—1040506,000
Scituate,——20020050455—100—2040408,000
Marshfield,——200200405010—100—3030409,000
Duxbury,560700600800——2,7003,5005108002,68583,000
Kingston,450500450150——4506005515044018,000
Plymouth,6603,0002,500400100—1,1001,60010504401,10058,000
Barnstable,25200700550200150—5040010103305039,000
Yarmouth,540600500251510—5051025106,000
Orleans,302003,0003,000125502052002550755027,000
Eastham,362504,0004,00010050302020025501002530,000
Wellfleet,113008006404505150—60531225034028,000
Truro,12506050———501247—5,000
Provincetown,515400320400———4003320019421,000
Chatham,104001,5001,2003301020—3601050300—44,000
Harwich,——10080101010—301510142,400
Dennis,——5045251510—501430154,200
Mashpee,2205045205205502830105,400
Falmouth,——2001754055—502840—6,400
Bourne,——1001005530—40—30—106,000
Wareham,6100800800151075—100—50—5010,000
Marion,115100100——10—10—10——2,000
Mattapoisett,115100100—55—10—10——2,000
Fairhaven,——100100—2525—50—2525—7,500
New Bedford,320[18]—3002255515—25—15—103,000
Dartmouth,45020016015105—30515—105,000
Swansea,252505,0005,000100100——20020301005024,000
Somerset,——5050—2525—50—1020204,000
Dighton,——4040—55—10—28—1,200
Berkley,——2525—55—10—46—1,400
Freetown,——100100—1015—25—15—103,000
Fall River,——10075—205—25—1015—3,500
Nantucket,4404003501502525—2005151305018,000
Edgartown,7501,2001,000150—50—20020100503033,000
Total,1,361$18,142153,865$150,4406,2697,1112,1255,58021,0851,8783,2336,0969,878$1,801,000

Decline of the Natural Clam Supply.—The decline of the clam supply is a matter of general knowledge. People who live along the seashore realize that they can no longer gather the amount of clams they once could dig with ease from the same flats. On the southern shore of the State especially it is oftentimes difficult to obtain even enough for family use. The consumer also realizes the loss of the clam, as he is forced to pay higher prices.

If specific cases of this decline are demanded, the following instances should show the exact depletion in the various localities. Even in the best clam-producing town of the State, Newburyport, where the clam production, according to statistics, has apparently increased during the last twenty-five years (as a result of more men entering the fishery), the supply has shown signs of failing. Essex now possesses many acres of flats formerly productive which now lie in a practically barren condition. Gloucester can no longer boast of her former clam industry, as the flats in Annisquam River are in poor condition. Hardly 30 men now make a business of clamming in that town, whereas 92 men were engaged in the fishery in 1879. Passing south of Gloucester, we find great evidence of decline in the Boston harbor flats. Even before the edict closing the harbor from clammers was in force, the production did not by any means equal that of 1879. Plymouth harbor, including the three towns of Duxbury, Kingston and Plymouth, furnishes an excellent illustration of this decline. Here an area of flats as extensive as all the other flats of the State combined now lies practically barren, whereas in former times great quantities of clams were taken. These flats had already become depleted to a marked extent by 1879, and to-day practically no clams are shipped to market from the Duxbury flats, although you can still read "Duxbury clams" on the menus of the hotels and restaurants, showing how important a clam industry this town once possessed. Buzzards Bay district lies at present unproductive except for supplying home consumption and the demands of the summer people. The shores of Cape Cod no longer yield their former supply of clams, and the most striking example of the extinction of a flourishing fishery is found in the town of Chatham, which now does not produce one-tenth part of its production in 1879. The Fall River or Narragansett Bay district does not come up to its past productiveness, and now chiefly yields clams which in former times would have been considered as too small to use.

As can be seen by the following table, which gives a comparison between the industry in 1879 and 1907, the localities south of Gloucester all show a decline in their production, and there is no town on the coast which has not shown some depletion in the natural clam supply. The localities of the north shore, while indicating by their statistics a gain in production, nevertheless have not their former abundance, and the actual diminution of the supply is concealed by the fact that more men have entered the industry.

LOCALITY.1879.1907.
Men.Bushels.Value.Men.Bushels.Value.
Ipswich,7511,500$4,60013625,000$18,750
Salisbury and Newburyport,6028,80011,52024170,50077,500
Essex,7511,5004,5005015,00012,750
Gloucester,9213,9785,200316,0008,000
Boston harbor,9040,00020,000350[19]7,5006,000
Duxbury,-[20]5,0002,5005700600
Plymouth-[20]5,0002,50063,0002,500
Harwich,151,125400—10080
Chatham,15035,00012,250101,5001,200
Nantucket,-[19]2,2538724400350
Edgartown,-[20]4,0001,57071,2001,000
New Bedford district,-[20]5,8002,900332[19]1,6001,685
Fall River district,-[20]3,3753,121255,3155,290