Even with such a successful example before them, other dealers were chary about going into the business, and in 1890 there were only three pounds in the whole State.  They increased more rapidly after that, however, and in 1898 there were nine pounds in the State, with a total valuation of $18,700.  These were located at Dyer Bay, Sunset, Vinal Haven, Long Island, South Bristol, Pemaquid Beach, Southport, and House Island, in Portland Harbor.  It is very probable that there will be a greater increase in the near future.

THE CANNING INDUSTRY.

Maine is the only State in the Union in which lobsters have been canned.  The following account of the inception and early history of the industry, taken from “The Fisheries and Fishery Industries of the United States,” is very complete: 

Lobster canning was first attempted in the United States at Eastport, Me., shortly after 1840, and was made successful in 1843, the methods finally employed having been borrowed from Scotland, which country is said to have learned the process from France.  For the successful introduction of the process into the United States we are indebted to Mr. Charles Mitchell, now of Charlestown, Mass., a practical canner of Scotland, who had learned his trade of John Moir & Son, of Aberdeen, the first Scotch firm, it is claimed, to put up hermetically sealed preparations of meat, game, and salmon, their enterprise dating back to 1824.  Mr. U. S. Treat, a native of Maine, appears, however, to have been most active and influential in starting the enterprise and in introducing canned goods into the markets of the United States.  Mr. Treat was, at an early period, engaged in the preparation of smoked salmon on the Penobscot River, and in 1839 removed to Calais, Me., where he continued in the same business.  About 1840 he associated with him a Mr. Noble, of Calais, and a Mr. Holliday, a native of Scotland, who had also been employed in the salmon fisheries of the Penobscot River, under the firm name of Treat, Noble & Holliday.  This firm moved to Eastport in 1842, for the purpose of starting the manufacture of hermetically sealed goods, and began experiments with lobsters, salmon, and haddock.  Their capital was limited, their appliances crude, and many discouraging difficulties were encountered.  The quality of the cans furnished them was poor, causing them often to burst while in the bath, and the proper methods of bathing and of expelling the air from the cans were not understood.  The experiments were continued for two years with varying success, and in secret, no outsiders being allowed to enter their bathing room.  Though fairly successful in some of their results, they could not always depend upon their goods keeping well.

In 1843 they secured the services of Mr. Charles Mitchell, who was then residing at Halifax, and who was not only well acquainted with the methods of bathing practiced in his own country,