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-*«■-» »•^-'*^■•«^-

ON THE

dm of CodM and Herring,

By AD. NIELSEN.

ST. JOHN'S, N. P. :
rmji-rBn at tiik " Kvkmxo Hkraj.I)" Okkicb

1890.

<--'-

' :ijimll£m^'.**-iv>a***0*i*'iif-'ii*^^

#ti tijc Cure ol Cotrfblj nntr ^erring,.

By AD. NIELSEN.

PART I.--CURE OF CODFISH.

INTUOULX'TOKV.

In writing on the cure of codfish, I do not claim to present anything
new to experienced carers or people acquainted with the fisheries and
the cure of fish, but my object is just to describe the different ways
of curing fish in other countries, where such is carried out to any ex-
tent, in order to give those who have not had an opportunity of
making themselves acquainted with foreign methods, an idea of how
those are carried out and to enable them* to compare their modes of
curing fish with the cure of Newfoundland, Although any of the other
nations' methods of cure, in full, would not answer here, because
the cure of fish must be regulated chiefly according to the weather
and the different latitudes in which the fish is to be cured; still by
having them presented, we have a chance to extract from them many
hints which, if adopted, perhaps may be of great advantage to the
Newfoundland cure ; and this, in ray opinion, is a step in tlhe right
direction, which, no doubt, will lead to improvementa. I am aware
that in almost all countries we will find some people who think thalt
their own methods of cure are the best, the most suitable, and cannot
be improved ; neverthelef it is not safe to depend too much upon
such a narrow view; because at the present time, with a strong
competition and large amounts of public money expended every year
on improvements of the fishery industry in almost every country, ws
must expect that something may be gained in the way of know^ledge
and progress, and that by holding such an idea we may be outstripped

by other nations and perhaps not recognize this until rather too late.
With these views I venture to give an account of the cure of codfish
as it is carried out in some of the principal fishing countries, and at
the same time express my opinion on tl - cure in general, as far as it
can be given on an undefined subject, according to my knowledge,
gained bv practical experience in the fishing industry, travel and
study in foreign countries, and in connection with the fishery society
in Norway. I shall specially rtter to the knowxeage th.s impcA'tuni;
and high-standiYig institution has gained by its long, skilful and
expensive investigations into these matters.

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES.

In curin" codfish with salt, two fundamental methods are adopted :
The pickle cure and tlie kencU cure. The vr.rrous other methods
trought forth from these are generally due to the diversity m the
climate in different countries. What will suit one country may not
answer another and its markets. Although the qi.alitv of the hsh
itself may vary somewhat in the different countries, still the good
cure of fish does not depend entirely on in what countne<i it is ac-
complished. Good fish can be made even in countries with an unta-
vorable climate. The main principle is, no matter whether the cure
is Newfoundland, American or European, that the methods of cure
are carried out fully with the utmost care. Without a earful
treutment in the different stages in the cure of fish, a good articio
cannot be obtained. This is the great rule in the cure of all Kinds ot
fish, and cannot too often be repeated.

Water, air and heat are necessary conditions to cause a initre-
faciion Where one of these is left out or not present in sufficient
quantity, no deterioration will take place. Food articles do not
putrefy in a vacuum, nor in a tt.'pperature below a certain degree
of heat. On these principles the hermetically sealed preservation of
food articles, and the use of ice and the cool air system, are founded.
Articles such as dry meat and fish will also keep fresh for years, when
the amount of water these articles contain does not exceed the nor-
mal quantity.

USE OF SALT.

The object of using ?alt and drying as a preservative, is to
diminish the amount of water in these articles. This can be done in
regard to cure of codfish in thr^e ways— either by salt by air or by
pressing. For instance, a codfish can be cured as hard as the best
dried fish, by only re-salting it with dry salt several times, with due
intervals. By curing fish in the air, without salt, the same object is

o late.
c<jdfisli
and at
ar as it
wledge,
v^el and
society

fill and

dopted :

methods

f m the

nay not

the fish

he good

.t IS ac-

,n aufa-

the cure

of cure

careful

i article

icinds of

a initre-
?ufficient
s do not
n degree
vation of
founded,
irs, when

the nor-

v^e, is to
e done in
lir or by

the best
with due

object is

attained, r.nd by pressing, a durable article can be had, although this
will be a less nutritive product. But the salting has also another effect.
The salt, by working into the cellular tissues, formerly filled with
juice, shuts up all the pores and fine openings, thus preventing the
intrusion of the air, and at the same time checks the development of
the bacteria of putrefication.

Fresh codfish contain 81.98 per cent, of water and 1.41 per cent,
of salt.

Salted codfish contain 49.72 per cent of water and 20.53 per cent.
of salt.

Stockfish contain 16.16 per cent, of water and 1.56 percent, of salt.

Of the 20.53 per cent, salt, a salted codfish contains 18.75 per
cent, is chloride of sodium (common salt). A well-cured boneless cod-
fish contains 36.82 per cent, of water, and 15.5 per cent, of chloride of
sodium. Some of the water is drawn out by the salt, which reduces
the water a fresh fish contains from 81.98 per cent, to 47.7 per cent.
Some is drawn out by the air and some by pressing, which, at the
same time, also drives out a portion of the salt. A fresh codfish
weighing 6.6 pounds, contains 5.4 pounds of water, but will, when it
is well cured, only contain about one pound, the 4.4 pounds being re-
moved from it during the cure. Its whole weight, when properly
cured, will be about 2.2 pounds, of which 16.7 ounces mostly are nu-
tritive substance, 4.4 ounces are salt, and 12.8 ounces are water.

The above-mentioned means, by which the water is extracted
from the fish, is carried out to a different ejltent in the various coun-
tries. In some countries more salt is used, in others the fish is dried
hard, and again, others use more pressing — all according to the con-
dition of the climate and the markets the fish is prepared for. In
countries where the air is warm and dry, very little pressing is used,
and what little is applied during the cure is merely for the purpose
of giving the fish a smooth surface. What pressing is used after the
cure, is done with the view of promoting the fermentation process ;
while in other countries, where the climate is cool and damp, the
pressing of the fish is an essential part of the cure. If the fish has to
lie only a short time in salt, finer salt, and in larger quantities, has
to be used. On the other hand, should the fish remain a long time in
salt over the ordinary, coarse salt should be used.

To what extent the water has to be extracted from the fish de-
pends upon the time in which the producer considers that the product
will be consumed. The great matter to be kept in view, as well with
this as with all kinds of cure, is that the cure be such that the Havor,

look or appearance, and the nutritive value of the fish shall be pre-
serve 1. To ship Boft or not properly dried fish to a market is only
allowable when the shipper is assured of that his fish will be consumed
immediately. Such fish brings as well to the purchaser as the shipper
or producer, a better profit, because the former gets a better and sweeter
article, while the latter gains by getting a better weight and having less
labor on his fish. But when such matters are to be taken into con-
sideration, that the fish has to be shipped to hot climates, and perhaps
remain there for a long time before it can be sold, the distance long
and cominunicivtion slow, and that perhaps some of this fish has to be
shipped away in the hot season, the principal object must be to get as
durable an article as possible. The value of a fisn depends upon its
Appearance and its durability, but those can be quite independent of
each other. A fish that has got a poor appearance may be a durable
article, although its value is lessened on account of its poor look ;
while an external good appearance is not always a sign of durability.
In the cure of a commercial article for the emporiums, both objects
must be kept in view. The profit that may be made once in a while,
through lucky combinations, by paying little attention to durability, is
trifling in comparison with the loss that arises when the fish is
damaged in stock. If the raw product, salt and fitting out expenses
are taken as the normal value, the diflference in labour or weight, by
a more or less careful cure, is too small in proportion to the risic one
has to run. The principles given here for the cure of codfish com-
prehend as well the appearance as the durability ; besides they must
be considered from an absolute point of view, without regard to when,
wliere or how the producer gets his articles disposed off.

THE RAW PRODUCT.

The first proviso brought forth with the view of getting a good
article is, that the raw product or fish must be perfectly fresh. In
many countries, especially those where the shore fisheries are carried
on in the winter time, natural circumstances, such as constantly
stormy v.eather, cause that a large amount of fish may be lelt stand-
ing over for days in the water on trawls or in nets. Such fasli can
never be made into a first class article. When cured it also gives a
smaller weight. It generally gets of a dirk colour ; the flesh gets
loose and cracky, especially near the backbone ; the skin loosens from
the napes; the ribs turn red; the belly gets thin and red ; and the
oil, that very soon separates itself from the liver, causes dark stripes
along the abdomen of the fish. The longer the fish has been lett
standing on the gear the more these faults will make their appear-
ance. Fish left standing in nets will be more damaged than fish left
standing on trawls. Fish taken from trawls, and partly also Irom

^c pre-
is only
isumed
shipper
sweeter
iugless
to con-
perhaps
le long
18 to be

0 get as
pon its
dent of
durable
r look ;
ability.

objects

1 while,
tility, is

fish is
xpenses
ight, by
isle one
ish com-
ey must
o when,

g a good
5sh. In
; carried
nstantiy
ft stand-
fish can
I gives a
esh gets
lens from
and the
k stripes
been left
appear-
1 fish left
also from

nets, which have not been left over more than two day a atn, with a
careful cure, be made into a good article, if the t'irnperature of the
water was not too high. But the difference between nuch fish and fish
cured fresh, is already so great that a reduction in the price of the
.former ought to be made. Fish that have been left over more than
two days on the gear will only make a second class article or refuse.

HANDLING FISH.

The manner in which the fishermen handle their fish has also an
influence on the quality. The fish ought not to be stepped on, sub-
jected to kicks or blows, nor exposed to the weather ; it should be
covered up as soon as it comes out of the water with planks, old can-
vas or tarpanlines.

THE BLEEDING OF THE FISH.
The next proviso is that tLe fish be bled as soon as possible, after
been taken out of the water, or at least before the cudaverous rigidity
sets in, for the purpose of getting the most possible blood out of the
fish, by means of which it sets a line white colour when cured.
The bleeding of a fish is done by cutting the throat and the large
blood vein that lies close to the back and eck bone. To accelerate a
speedy death of the fish the neck-bone should also be broken across.
The blood with its ingredients is subject to a more rapid corrup-
tion than any other substance a fish contains, and if not removed be-
before the cadaverous rigidity sets in (at which stage the process of
corruption already begin8)it will be transmitted to the pores in the flesh
and thus injure the fish. After the corruptive blood ingredients have
once aifected the flesh of the fish, its colour turns dark, and the salt
has not the power to again restore to the flesh the white colour it
would have obtained, if the blood was removed while the fish yet
showed signs of life. Although all acknowledge that the bleeding of
the fish raises the value of the product, yet it is not carried out to the
extent it ought. As far as I am aware, this process is only used by
the French, Belgians, the Dutch, Scotch and the Icelanders, and some
Norwegians, when the fishery is carried on by handline from boats or
vessels. Wherever there is an opportunity the fish should be bled as
soon as it is caught. It causes no waste of time in handline fishing,
because this can be done while the fifhing-line in running down to the
bottom, but it is sure to increase the value of the product. It causes,,
in The mean time, a little more work, wherefore a little higher price
should be paid fo- fish treated in this manner to encourage the fisher-
men to take that httle trouble with their fish.

On board of a vessel the bled fish ought to be salted in a separate
bin for the purpose of not mixing it with fish that is not bled, and it

s f

8

shoiiW also le cured by itself inshore ; as this fish, when properly
taken Cftre of, will give a bstler quality than the othtr fish. Of conrBe
the Weeding is of no use after the fish lias been dead so long that the
blood has ceased to run

WASHING OF THE FISH. '

If a t,joI product is to bft obtained thT fish must le washed well
before it is put in silt ; especially must the parts around iht neck and
the outer parts of the back-bone which is left be cleansed well frtJtti
bloody substances. Special attention should also be paid to the cleans-
ing of the fica underneath the dorsal fins, where always a lot of slime
is gathered. All blood left in the back-bone ought to be removed.
This can partly be done by pressing it out with the thumb. The
French use a spoon for the purpose ot taking the blood out from this
remaining part of the back-bone.

In Norway some of the fishcurers hold the opinion that^ the fish
when cured gives a smaller weight if it is washed before it is put ii>
salt. Some therefore wash their fish round after it is headed and
gutted before they split it; others again never wash their fish before
ft is salted but leave the washing entirely until ii is taken from the
salt for the purpose of dryinf^. But they all agree that a better
looking and whiter fish will ue had when it is washed before it is put
in salt. After the fish is washed in clean water it should be laid aside
in order to give the water a chance to run off" before it is put in salt.
That the washing of the fish before salting should have any injurious
influence, as I have heard some claiui, is not likely, because the time in
which the fish com?s in contact with the water is too short to have any
influence even on substances v/hich dissolve themselves in cold woter.
On the other hand, even if this was the ease, it would be trifling tiom-
pared with the influence the brine has got in that respect. The only
loss in weight offish that was washed before it was salted, which I have
observed, was in a red coloured very watery codfish caught on the north
coast of Iceland. Such watery fish with very loose flesh, will dry up
quicker in the salt, if washed* before it is salted, than fish of the same
kind which has not been washed before being salted, if it is left in
the salt for a month or two, and a loss in the weight of the washed
fish will thus occur Avhen the fish is taken from the salt green ; but
the difference in the weight of such fish when cured, is insignificant.

What labour is bestowc? on the fish by washing it before it is
put in salt is gained again in the washing out of the fish, after taking
it from the salt, for curing purposes, because it is then so much easier
io cleanse it from slime and bloody matter.

>mMMilPi

I' iimmyii

>

nM

ii'oporly
f course
that the

led well
eck and
ell fr(Jfii
J cleans-
of slime
eraoved.
b. The
om this

the tish
s put ii>
ded and
h before
rora the
II better
it is put
lid aside
b in salt,
njurious
; time in
lave an J
[d woter.
ing wm-
^he only
•h I have
he north
11 dry up
the same
is left in
1 washed
een; but
niificant.

yfore it is
jr taking
ch easier

FROZEN FISH.

If the fifh is split and salted while frozen hard it will hn liable
to decay, and will only {,! v^e refuse fish. It mast therelore always
be tlmAved in seawator before it h split, but dliould not be left iny
longer time in the water than necessary, usually one or two hours are
eiough. To thaw frozen fish in brine is recornmondable. If the fiHh
is fresh it does not appear that the frost has any injurloujj effect after
it has been thawed ; but if it has been left on the gear in the water
for two da} 8 it AviK turnout clack and will crack, pud, as a rule, only
give refuse fish, Fish salted down frozen will only give refuse fish.

SPLITTING OF FISH.

The neat shape and good appearance of fish depend much upon
it being properly split. Care Bboulu therefore be taken that the fish
d- iiot get (laniagod during the act of splitting. Especially care should
be tuken with fish that has been I '' hanging for some time in nets or
on trawls, because the flesh of such fish is oofter and looser than that
of entirely fresh fish. The I ;•. res should be kept well sharpened in
order to give the fish a clean cut. The knife should be- passed close to
and along the back-bone, so that no flesh adheres to the bone, and sho^^ld
not go deeper info the flesh than to the upper part of the whirls, other-
wise the fish will be too much cloven and will become thin through
the back when pressed. The fish should also always be split right
out to the tail. The back-bone should becutsiantways, at least three
joints below the vent, in such manner that the cut passes through two or
three joints, thus allowing the blood-bone to come out and the peaked
bone to strengthen thtit part of the fish In Norway the back-bone
is generally cut 28 to 30 joints from th'^ tail. The cut ought not to be
made so deep that the strings which lie along the upper aid's of the
back-bone get damaged, as these should be left in order to strengthen
the fish further along the back

THE SALTING OF CODFISH.

In curing fish with salt two methods are generally in use ; 1, The
pickie cure wht"e the fish is salted in tight vessels capable of carry-
ing the brine ; 2, The Kench-cure, where the fish is salted in bins or
kanches, allowing the brine to ruu off from the fish.

THE PICKLE CURE.

This mode of cure is mostly used in Bootlaud, Jiielgiua, the
United 8ta^ s, and, to a small extent, also in most fisainf^ countries.
In the Unit2d States the mos*> of th(* fish is put up as boneless fislu

i.<

10

In Scotland and many othei' countries it is cured dry after being a
sufficient time in the pickle ; M-^hile in Belgium and H(»lland, paitly
also in Sweeden and Norway, it is salted ir barrels, and sold in pickle
in the European markets by the name of "Laberdan." The pickle-
cured fish gives the best and finest looking article, but is more diffi-
cult to cure, requires a dry climate and a rapid sale. Thus it is not
suitable for exports to warm countries, or to keep any length of time
in stock. The salting of such fish must be done more carefully than
many assume, especially in a country where the climate is damp, if a
good and well-cured article is to be obtained. In several places in
Newfoundland where I have been^ I notice that many of the fisher-
men pickle-salt their fish in tight puncheons; but the most of this
iish that I have seen has been spoiled in this pickle, and would never
turn out to be a good or first-class fish when cured. The reason why
this fish gets spoiled in the pickle is, that it is not salted in the pro-
per manner It may therefore be well to remark, that if the fish is
going to be salted in puncheons capable of holding the pickle, a heap
of salt should be placed on top of the uppermost layer of fish in each
puncheon in order to strengthen the weak pickle or brine that floats
up to the surface and thus prevent the fish from being damaged. If
fish is salted in tight vessels the brine will weaken according as the
salt it contains works into the fish; the weakest pickle (which is the
lightest) will float up to the surfiice, and if there is not sufficient salt
put on the top of the uppermost layer of fish to strengthen fids weal-
2>icJkle, it will turn sour in a short time and damage the fish through-
out the whole puncheon. Pickle for curing fish should have a strength
of 12| degrees Beaumes' hydrometer scale, at 00 degrees Farenheit,
which will answer to the point at which a raw potato will float.
Any weaker pickle applied than this is liable to spoil the fish within
a short time.

THE KENCH CURE.

This is the most common wa^- of curing fish in the large fishing^
countries and gives the most durable article (when properly cured}
for export to hot climates. The principle of this mode of cure or
fialting is, to allow the pickle that gathers on the fish to escape, leav-
ing the fish dry. Before salting the fish in bins or kenches, the water
left on the fish after being washed should be allowed to run off vvell.
In placing the fish in kenches it ought to be v.vll stretched out in
order to leave no folds or wrinkles, because what wrinkles the fish
obtains in the kenches are afterwards hard to get out, and also cause-
more work. Care should also be taken that the i bdomens do not
come in contact with the intercepted back-bone. The kenches should
ije made a little hisher in the middle in order to -dxe the nickle a

,0m

mMum

mmimmiimm

-^. \

^&^

11

chance to run off Trom the fish. In countries where the most of the
fish is sold green out of the vessel, and the fishermen's shares are
made up according to the weight of fish landed Csuch as for example,
is the case in the United States), cute salters generally build their
kenches low in the middle in order to keep the brine in the kenches
and thus get a heavy weight of their fish landed. This does not mat-
ter much where the fish after being taken out of the vessel are ^^atin
pickle until they are ready for preparing it as boneless fisb^ or fish
■cured for speedy consumption ; but in countries where the fith is to
be cured hard as a durable article, fit for export to southern and hot
countries, this trick is objectionable, because it readers the fish more
difficult to cure afterwards and besides it makes the purchaser of such,
fish pay for a considerable quantity of water instead of fish (as pickled
fish contain a larger per centage of water than dry salted fish) which
ugain has to be extracted from the fish during the process of drying.
Purchasers of such fish ought thereforv.> to take this into consideration,
and also pay attention to whether the pickle is perfectly sweet or not.
Fish which have to be cured perfectly hard should not be left in salt
(and especially pickle) for a greater length of time than is just neces-
sary for the salt to work through it.

8ALTING.

In salting fish care ought to be taken that the salt be distributed
in €(jHaI quantities over \\ie whole layer, and in proportion to the
thickness of the fish, so that some parts of the fish will not get too
much salt and thus become salt-burnt, while other parts get too little
and thus turn sour, which is often the case. Re-salting of fish in
kenches is very much in use by the Icelanders, and also on board
many of the English fishing vessels. The Icelanders whose fish fetch
a high price in the Spanish makets, are using one barrel of Liverpool
salt to three quintals of dry fish in this first salting. After the fisk
has lain in salt for three days it is resalted in new kenches, with
s brl. of salt to the same quantity of fish. In this salt the fish remain
-or another three or four days, after which time they consider the fish
ready for washing out and drying. Re-salting of fish in kenches is no
"doubt recoramendable in cases where weak salt is applied and the fish
liable to turn sour, but although the English and Icelanders use this
method it is doubtful whether outside of such cases it will pay the ex-
jienses of salt and extra labour, or give any better article.

KINDS OP SALT.

In regard to what kind of salt is prefrrable for salting codfish
there arc different opinions. Some hold that weak and small-grainel
^alt jrive.i the Hnest fislu others asrain hold that the strouiror anil 'kil

tilwUnwrfy

■im^;^^

'i^

■-

12

tlis small salt is better. To give any certain rules'in regard to what
kind of salt is the best for salting purposes, is difficult. It depends
largely on the size and condition of the fish ; on the climate , and how
long a time the fish is intended to remain in the salt. In selection of
salt the principal thing to look at is that the salt is clean, even, and
has fi suitable si/e. Bright-looking salt is generally considered to be
good for salting fish with. Uneven-grained salt is not recommend-
able, because the larger lumps will remain unmelted, and are liablf;;
to burn the fish ; or make it specked in places where it remains. To
Buch fish as are going to remain a long time in salt, a little large-
grained, and not so easily dissolvable salt, is preferable. Formerly
the French gray salt was considered the best in Norway, but now
Cadiz. St. Ybes and Trapani salt are mostly in use. The Scotch and
Icelanders use Liverpool salt, the Canadians use large Liverpool salt,
in the cold season, to their large fish ; and small Cadiz salt in summer
to their smaller fish. In the United States the Trapani salt is mostly
used, and preferred to the Cadiz salt, on account of the reddish plant
(clathrocy^iis roseo persicina) which often occurs in this salt. This
plant gives the fish a redish colour and at the same time accelerates
a rapid process of putrefaction. Dampness and heat are the necessary
conditions for the development of this plant, especially heat. The
French who fish on the Banks of Newfoundland use St. Ybe.? and Ca-
diz salt, and in Newfoundland as far as I am aware, Cadiz and Portugal
salt partly, also Liverpool salt, is used and some little West India.
It is seen by this that the most customary sorts of salt in use for cod-
fish are Cadiz, St. Ybes, Lisbon, Liverpool and Trapani salt. These
different sorts of salt here mentioned contain, according to analyi^is
made by Professor Waage, about the same quantity of chloride of so-
dium (common salt).

Liverpool
Lisbon
Trapani
Cadiz
St. Ybes

Salt contains

(e

«

({

92.7
91.2
90.4

87.5
84.2

per cent. "|

it

i(

Chloride

■y of

Sodium.

(I
«

«

QUANTITY OF SALT USED.

In regard to the amount of salt which has to be used in salting
codfish, this depends much upon what sort of salt is used, the size of
the fish and the length of time in which the fish is going to remain
in salt. Large and fat fish require more &»iU than small and lean
fish. Fish that is going to remain any length of time in salt should
be given more coarse and less dissolvable salt than fish which is in-
tended to be cured soon after it has taken the sufficient amount of

.,

JXIg^WW^ ^

to what
depends
and how
lection of
Ten, and
[•ed to be
ommend-
ire liable
jns. To
tie large-
Formerlj
but now
jotch and
pool salt,^
1 summer
is mostly
ish plant
It. This
jcelerates
[lecessary
sat. The
3 and Ca-
Portugal
3st ludia.
s for cod-
. These
> anaiyoiis
ide of 80-

in saltings
he size of
o remain
i,nd lean
It should
lich is in-
imount of

13

salt. Although most .sorts of salt contain nearly the same decree of
saltness, the influence of the kind of salt used on the amount has to
be taken into consideration, because there is a considerable difference
in the weight. For instance, while a barrel of fine Liverpool salt,
looB ''y measured, weighs 218.3 lbs., one barrel of coarse-grained Lis-
bon salt weighs 288.8 lbs. Shaken well together, the weight respec-
tively is 298.8 and 357.1 lbs. One barrel of loosely packed Lisbon
salt contains therefore 61 lbs. more chloride of sodium than the same
measure of Liverpool salt.* For this reason the former must be used
more sparingly than the latter kind, if measure is employed as an
uuit in the consumption of salt.

Cand. Wallen in his report upon the fishery exhibition at Ber-
lin, has calculated that the proportion between "the sorts of salt re-
ferred to, is as follows : —

[of sodium (common salt).
One barrel Liverpool salt contains 91.8 kg. — 102.3 lbs. of chloride
" St. Ybes " " 108.7 " —239.4 "

" " Trapjinie " " 113.0 " —249.1

" " Cadiz " " 113.0 " —249.1 "

" '• Lisbon « " 119.5 " —263.4 "

According to this one barrel of Liverpool salt weighing 100 kg.,,
equal to 220.5 lbs. English, should be equal to 0.85 barrels of St.
Ybes salt, 0.81 barrel of Cadiz or Trapani salt, and 0.77 barrels of
Lisbon salt.

RULES FOR SALTING.

To give liny certain rule for the exact and proper quantity of salt
tc be used in salting of codfish is as before stated difficult, because the
weight of the fish even when cured ready for export is no constant
quantity, as its weight, when made, will depend upon the circum-
stances under which the cure has taken place. The only correct way
of determining the certain quantity of salt to be used would be to
weigh the fish, after it had been split, washed and ready to be put in
salt, along with the salt ; but even if exact rules for the proper weight
of salt employed to a certain quantity of fish was obtained in this
manner, such rules would hardly ever be carried out practically to any
extent in countries where the fisli i.s disposed of when ready made or
cured.

SALTING AT LOFODEN.

In Lofoden (Norway) they generally reckon a certain quantity
^5 barrels) of salt to every 1000 fish in number, but this is not a ra-

* ThcHf iiiTOStigwtionR htts been carried out by the society for tli" promotion of the flshories in
Knrwiiv. iiiu) the- harrf U hn.n- rpforrpcl to contain 27. 74 uriilton.s.

•

14

tlonal way of calculation, because the fish on an average, although not
to a great extent, always vary somewhat in size, also the suit in
weight. As the difference in the saltness of the various sorts of salt
proportionately is not very great, the same weight, in practice, may
be considered to contain about an equal quantity of chloride of sodium;
and as the people here are used to judge the weight of cured fish, and
by practice come pretty near the mar'c, the most rational way would
be to reckon a certain weight of salt to a certain weight of dry cured
iish. The most hygroscopic ingredients of which the salt consists are
sulphate of ca?cium (g/psum) sulphate of magnesium (epsom salt) and
^chloride of magnesium.

m

DIFFERENT NATIONAL METHODS OF SALTING.

The amount of salt used by the different nations in the kench-
<;ure of codfish varies considerably. Thus while the Icelanders are
using in all a little more than 7 barrels of Liverpool salt to one ton of
fish, vhe Scotch use 4^ to 5 barrels of Liverpool salt to one ton oi dry
fish. This is due to the fact that they mostly pickle their fish. The
Canadians use 4J barrels of Cadiz salt to one ton of firh, and the
Americans reckon they use one bushel of Trapani salt to one quintal
of fish on short trips; on long trips to Grand Bank, 1] bushel
to one cwt. Several experiments have been carried out by the
Society for the Promotion of Fisheries in Norway, in order to
find out the proper amount of salt which should be used in the
kench-cure of codfish ; and the result they have come to in this
way is that *6^ brls. of Liverpool salt, or *5\ brls. of Cadiz salt, are
the proper amount vvrhich should be used to 1000 kilograms (2205
pounds English) of dry fish. If weight is employed respectively 143o
and 1462 pounds of salt to 2205 pounds of fish, — English, vmght. The
€adiz salt is less saline than Liverpool salt, for that reason more of the
former must be used in weight although the difference only as shown
above is 27 pounds on 1435. But on the contrary, becausvj it is heav-
ier than Liverpool salt, less should be used when measure is employed,
because the difference is considerably larger, namely, 1.2 brls. on 6.5
brls. If too much salted, fish gets dry and hard in the salt, and when
■cured it gets soft. This is the reason why the Labrador fish never
gets properly dry, — according to the statements of other nations.

NORWEGIAN SOCIETY'S RULES.

The following are the rules the Norwegian Fishery Society sets
forth in regard to curse of codfish : —

- ■•>•!.

3«A

..iMxpawMMMtaM

Skk

ough not
i suit in
ts of salt
;ice, iniiy
sodium;
fish, and
ly would
ry cured
sisLs are
suit) and

G.

e kench-
iders are
ne ton of
)n oi dry
jh. The
and the

quintal
jj bushel

by the
Older to
d in the

in this

salt, are
ns (2205
ely 143o
<ht. The
)re of the
as shown
; is heav-
rnployed,
Is. on 6.5
ind when
sh never
ions.

;iety sets

15

1. All fish should be handled with care as well of the fishermen
as of the curers.

2. The dressing of the fish should take place as soon as it is-
landed.

3. All fish should be bled as scon as it is taken out of the water..

4. All fish should be washed well in ^resh and clean sea-water,
and the water to be allowed to run well from the fish before it ii
salted.

5. Frozen fish should not be split or salted before it is properly
thawed. ^ *^

6. In splitting the fish the back-bone should be cutoff three joints
below the anus, in such manner that the spinal cords remain in the
fish. The bone can be torn out or cut out with the knife.

7. For every day the fish has been left over on the fishing gear,
a reduction in price should be made and proportionally larger, the
longer time the fish has been left on the gear. For bled fish a higher
price should be paid. °

8. All fish handled exceedingly well, and fish which is reckoned
to give a first-class article should be salted separately by itself.

9. All salt should be even and of equal size.

10. Coarser and less easily dissolvable salt should be used to such
fish that is intended to remain in salt a long time.

11. The amount of salt used for curing of fish should be calcula-
ted in this way that a certain weight of salt correspond with a certain
weight of dry cured fish.

12. In salting the fish in kenches, it should be stretched well,
and the salt distributed in even quantities over the fish, according to-
its thickness and size. The brine should be allowed to run off.

13. If the fish be salted in the open air (which often is the case
in Lofoten) the kenches must be well covered with canvas or tarpau-
lines and a foundation made underneath the kenches, in order to pre-
vent ground water from gathering underneath the fish.

14. For 1000 kilogram (2205 pounds English) dry cured fish
should be used 750 kgr. (1435 pounds English of salt.

THE WASHING OUT OF THE FISH.

The washing of the fish before being spread out to dry should
take place in clean sea-water and not in dirty water or in pools. If
the fish is not washed in [clean water, it loses its fresh, bluish color :

tuiji u uui i\ g » iiy coior ana aiso gee a

: tlSIlCVl il

wia it i-iij

%mA- A'Ai*tmii.t^i«!mmir^

mi

16

disagreeable smell. If the fish has been washed before it was salted,
this trtjcond washing will come very ranch easier. Attention should
be paid to this — that all the blood p.nd slime is removed carefully, and
that the fish be cleansed well about the folds in the back, around the
dorsal fin;*, the nape bones, and the blood bone, if this is not cut out,
which it ought to be. In washing the fish, brushes or wollen mit ens
can be used. In some countries a gravel or stone beach is preferred
to anything else in washing out the fish. The advantage of using a
beach for that purpose is, that always more pure and clean water can
, be had, and that there is no labor in pumping up and renewing the
water. An ordinary able washer ought to be able to wash out sixty
fish properly in one hour. When the fish is washed, it should be laid
in small sloping heaps (not more than 6 or 8 fish in each) in order to
prevent the undermost from being too much pressed, the tails sloping
downwards to give the water a chance to run off. The undermost
fish should be turned with the skin side down; the others face down.
The fish ought to remain in these heaps at least 24 hours, or if the
weather, after that time, does not allow the fish to be spread, it must
be left in the heaps until this can be done. The place where the fish
is put out should be clean. Old fish must be hanuled with more care
than fish which has boen salted down fresh. Where there is consid-
erable difference in the size of the fish, it is recommendable, in regard
to the piling and pressing of the fish, that it be sorted, so that the
large and small fish can be made separately. If the fish is salted too
much, it should remain in the water for one hour or more according
to the judgment of the curer, because if the superfluous salt afterward

must be drawn out by pressing, it will

the fish.

take a loager

time to make

THE DRYING PLACE.

In many countries flakes are i'l nse because few places are to be
found naturally suitable for making fish. Flakes are perhaps
more expensive in countries where the wood is scarce, but are no
doubt the best. The advaiiutge of fiakes in preference to rocks or
beaches, is

1. That the fish gets a better draught of air underneath, which
again causes the evaporation of the water a fish contains to take
place quicker. On account of this, less pressing is also needed in
countries where the air is moist.

2. The fish is easier to keep from getting sun-burnt on flakes than
•on rocks beaches.

3. Ground-water has no chance to get to the fish.

'i. The nsh can ba kept better clear from dust and iiiipurities.

salt bett
more pr

6. ]
several
America

Ift
of the fJ!
bed off, 1

If i
gatherec
it has go
burnt
taken in
the next

Ift
spread e;
or rocks,
in such 1
to. In
cloth (a^
cover till
be had, 1
in such c
towards
sufficient
ing, it m
from she
that mat

The
pile, in
salt. Ill
taste, an
becomes
the juice
in order

Wh(
or napes
other. '
the bottc
in order
uile.

mmsmam

17

s salted,
11 should
illy, and
>uncl the

cut out,

mi t ens
(referred

using a
ater can
iring the
)ut sixty
i be laid

order to
s sloping
idermost
3e down,
jr if the
, it must

the fish
lore care
s conaid-
u regard

that the
alted too
iccording
fterward

to make

a,re to be

perhaps

ut are no

> rocks or

;h, which

to take

leeded in

akes than

■). Fish dried on flakes gives better weight because n Keeps the
salt better than fish cured on rocks or iDeaches. The latter fish requira
more pressing.

6. Fish arr>' also cured quicker on flakes. Of flakes there are
several kinds; bnt the best and most practical is no doubt the
American.

If the fish gets slimy while in stock, Avhich generally is the result
of the fish not being properly c^ry, the moist and slime should be rub-
bed off. and the fish put out to dry in the air a day or two.

If the weather has been hot during the day, the fish, when
gathered together for the night, «. m\d never be put in piles before
it lias got cold. If put in piles while warm, it is liable to get sun-
burnt. In case the weather has been squally, and the fish had to bo
taken in while it was warm, it should be piled or turned over again.
the next day, if the weather does not admit the fish to be spread.

If the weather becomes calm and the sun hot, fish should not be
spread except it is found absolutely necessary, especially on beaches
or rocks, because these very soon get heated by the sun ; and the fish,
in such Aveather, very soon gets sun-burnt if not carefully attended
to. In the States, the fish, in such weather, is covered with cotton-
cloth (awnings) spread over the flakes; in some other countries they
cover the fish with boughs of spruce or fir. If any of those cannot
be had, the iish can be piled in small heaps (about a dozen in each),
in such o manner that the fish is showing as small a surface as possible
towards the sun. When the fish, after being pressed a little, is
sufficiently dry and stifl enough to boar its own weight without bend-
ing, it may be put slantways on its edge, in order to prevent the fish
from showing the broadside to the sun, and small heaps formed in
that manner.

The fish should not be too dry before it is put in the first
pile, in order to give it a better chance to sweat, or project its
salt. In the beginning, the juice the fish contain has an acid and sharp
taste, and is not clear, but later on, this juice gets a mild taste and
becomes clear like water. The fish is then in good condition. Should
the juice again become turbid, the fish ought to be put in smaller piles,
in order not to nress it any more.

Wlien the fish is put in piles care should be :aken that the bil^
or napes of the one fish are placed in the middle of the back of the
other. The piles should be made either perpendicular outside from
the bottom to the top, or a little wider at the top than at the bottom,
m order to keep the rain belter from the fish in the lower part of the
j)ile.

%*«*:^v*riiM*- iv-?-Mt»M#n« l-M-im^*^»^--imi^h

18

The piles should always be covered against sun and rain ; if the
cure has taken place on rocks, the piles should be placed on a little
elevated place^ in order to prevent ground water from affecting the
fish. A foundation of small stones is the best; boards also can be
used. The undermost layer of fish of course is to be placed face up,
the rest face down. When the fish is re-laid in oth^r piles, the
necks which showed outward in the first pile should be placed inward
in the second. If the fish should seem to be too dry, when re-laid in
the pile, it can be moisted a little with fresh water, in order to give
it a better chance to work in the pile.

In a country where the climate is damp, a weight should be ap-
plied on top of the piles, from the first time the fish are placed in piles,
and this weight should be increased according as the curing of the
fish progresses, and the weights should be distributed even, all over
the top of the pile.

It is recommended by many to dry the fish in the sun, back up, in

case it is too much salted, or if it is salt-burnt. In this wa}^ it is

-claimed that the salt is drawn from the face Of the fish. The fish

should be turned more frequently, the more the making or curing

progresses.

FISH IN STORE.

The cured fish in the piles can be taken out according as it is
properly cured, and loaded into vessels for shipment, after getting a
little sun, or it may be stored ; but care sfiould be taken that no
fish be put i». a store-house in stock, or loaded into vessels for ship-
ment, it it is heated by the sun. In damp weather, fish in stock in
the store-houses ought to be well covered ; whereas a good draught
of air is recommendable to let circulate through the store-rooms,
•when the weather is dry and the store-houses are clean and not in-
fected with mites (walleraia ichthyophaga) which cause the fish ta
turn dun. If the fish is kept long in stock, it should be piled over
again into new piles at least every second or third month, in order to
give the fish some airing and also for the purpose of examination.
The bad fish ought to be removed and, if possible, improved, before it
is put back into the piles again ; if this is not done, this bad fish often
will infect the good ones. Straw of oats is held to draw out the
superfluous salt, give the fish a good color, and prevent it from turning
slimy.

DUN FISH.

The above-mentioned mite (wallemia ichthyophaga) which cau';es
the fish to turn ^•own, or covered with brown or black colored
spots, are, when thej' first get on the fish, very small, and look like

HMHIK«l«MI!|B#iM<«^ "'

in ; if the
n a little
ecting the
,lso can be
id lace up,
piles, the
;ed inward
I re-laid in
er to give

uld be ap-
ed in piles,
ng of the
n, all over

>ack up, in

i way it is

The fish

or curing

g as it is
getting a
in that no
s for ship-
in stock in
•d draught
tore-rooras,
id not in-
he fish tf>
piled over
in order to
amination.
I, before it
I fish often
w out the
•m turning

lich cau';e»

•k colored

look like

10

brownish dots. After a time, these grow larger and spreau them-
selves all over the face, and on a later stage, also over the skin-side
of the fish. These dun fish cause a lot of trouble in foreign markets,
are difficult to sell, and if abundant, also threaten to destroy a whole
market. In Norway they are much troubled with dun fish, and the
most of the people have, until some years ago, always taken these
brown spots to bo mites. Investigations as to what these spots really
are, the cause of the fish being affected by them, and how to prevent
the fish from being affected or dun, was, as far as I am aware, first
carried out by the society for the promotion of the fisheries in Norway;
but for many years at a large expense and without success, even in
finding the right nature f these spots. At length, in 1880, Gand.
Wallun, who had been w, r ,ing on this subject for years, discovered
that these brown spots were not ccnimah of any kind, but a plant, like
a mushroom, belonging to the vegetable kingdom. Atter many
scientific investigations, carried out by botanists in Norway, Denmark
and Germany, and after nil the botanic literature that could be found
in all the universities in these countries was gone through, it was
known for certain that these brown spots and dots really were mush-
rooms; but to what genus they belong was not known till 1886.
When it Avas found that this was an entirely new genus of mushrooms,
which ever before had been described by anyone. Investigations
have been carried on ever since, as to how ^hi8 plant mainly gets on
to the fish, and it has been found that the most of the store-houses
and vessels carrying fish, are regular seats for them. Practical and
cheap means to destroy this plant entirely, without hurting' the fish,
have not yet been found ; but this difficulty will, no doubt, within a
few years, be overcome, when the nature of this plant that turns the
fish dun is known.

THE METHOD OF CURING FISH IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.

It must be understood that in giving a description of the methods
of cure of codfish in different countries, of course only the main prin-
ciples in the cure can be referred to, on account of the cure being all
over dependent on the climatic conditions, and the state the fish are in.
To enter into the details would, therefore, be, in one way, almost
impossible, and on the other hand, misleading.

NEWFOUNDLAND FLAKES.

In Newfoundland the mode of covering the flakes with boughs is
very much used, and I have met with many who do not think their
flakes are kept in good order, unless they are covered with new cut
bougiig every Bpnng. I cuunot itppiove of thi.s idea; because these

4

imt»

20

l)oughs, especially ^vhen they are green and spread on the flakea prcve
to be regular nests for flies and many other kinds of insects, which
injure the fish, and therefore should be kept away as ranch as possi-
ble. My opinion is that the Hakes in Newfoundland would be much
more suitable for curing fish on if the boughs were done away with
altogether and the rind also removed from the flake-'ongers, leavin;*
only the clean wood. If then the longers were fastened about Ou.
inch apart, or one inch and a half, there would be a better draught of
air underneath the fish, and the flakes on account of being cleaner
and more open would not give flies or insects much of a chance to re-
side there.

NORWEGIAN METHOD OF DRYING.

In Norway, where a large part of the northern and western coast
consists of naked mountains, there are numerous smooth and low rocks
close to the sea suitable for making fish on. But to cure or make fish
on such rocks is much more difticult than to make fish on flakes, be-
cause the rocks in hot weather very soon get heated by the sun, and
if the most careful attention is not paid to the fish, under such cir-
cumstances, it will soon get sunburnt even in the course of a few
minutes. It also takes a longer time to make fish on those rocks than
on flakes, because the draught has very little chance to act upon the
fish underneath, aid for this reason it takes a longer tinn, before the
water which the fioh contains e»'aporate8. Beaches are also preferable
to smooth rocks, because the draught has a better opportunity to
penetrate underneath the fish. Where beaches for making fish have
to be made, grass, moss or turl' should be removed before the rocks
are put down. To put gravel underneath the rocks is recommend-
able, in order to prevent the dust from settling on the fish. If dust
gets on to the fish while it is soft it is nearly impossible afterwards to
get it removed. A drying place for fish should be selected where
there is no wood in the neighborhood, in order to prevent flics and
insects, as much as possible, from getting to the fish. A naked or bare
place,t;baded as much as possible from the hot 8un,butopen for dry winds
where there is plenty of draught, where the ground consists of rocks
or gravel, and at the same time convenient to the beach or landing-
place, is preferable, for the purpose of curing fish.

In Norway, where the fish aro cured mostly on rocks, these dry-
ing places are generally selected so ihht they are turned from the sun
Ok' slope towards one of the point.* between north and east. In this-
way they lie open to those winds, but to leeward of southerly and
westerly winds, which are the moistest there. Rocks which are
slonin*? are the best* beca.use the reflection of the sun-ravs doe!; not

f

^S^Wfrn^^mm^^ipfmaimm^

>M»^''^mfm^f&^ 8

21

nkea prcve
cts, which
h as posai-
(1 be much
away with
re, leaving
about Ou.
draught of
iig cleaner
an CO to re-

Hern coast
I low rocks

make fish
flakes, be-
3 sun, nnd
: such cir-
e of a few
rocks than
t upon tha
before the
preferable
jrtunity to
; fish have
the rocks
icommend-
1. If dust
erwards to
ed where

flies and
ed or bare
dry winds
ts of rocks
r landing-

;hese dry-
m the sun
',. In this-
herly and
k^hich are
does not

gather or play on single spots. Fish placed ou horizontal lying rocks
are very liable to get sunburnt.

THE DRYING OR MAKING OF FISH.

The making of fish is carried out somewhat differently in the vari-
ous countries, according to the condition of the climate and the mar-
kets to which it 13 to be exported. In ouo respect, however, there is
a similarity— namely, that the cure of fish everywhere is dependent on
atmo pheric conditions ; and as the consequences of those conditions
are the same everywhere, of course all nation* have the same diffi-
culties to battle with, more or less. For this reason, the making
of the fish must be carried out according to the condition cf the fish
itself and of the weather, and no certain or constant rulescan be given
for the curing of the fi«h in any country ; but what can be done is, to
set forth rules gained by experience, and practical a.s well as scientific
knowledge. These rules will show how to work under certain cir-
cumstances, in order to obtain a good article, or how to obviate mis-
chiefs or difficulties that might occur in the making of fish.

It is the duty cf every honest fish-curer, according to his best
knowledge, to counteract, as much as possible, all the detriments to
which the fish are exposed, and by a careful treatment, throughout the
whole process of the cure, do his best to obtain a good article. A
great many misfortunes or accidents, as many are pleased to call them,
can, by carefulness, be prevented ; but v.ery few can be remedied after
the mischief has taken place. Difficulties as to the fish getting slimy,
mity (dunn), salt-burnt, sun-burnt, troubled with flies, etc., occur as
well on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean as on this side; and the
means L^ which those can be prevented are the same everywhere, na
matter whether the fish is cured on flakes, rocks or beaches. It may
be pronounced in one single word, namely : Carefulness.

HOW TO MAKE GOOD FISH.

Good fish can be made even if the weather should not be in all
respects favorable, if the proper attention is paid to the fish, good
weather days taken advantage of, and no labor spared ; but, of course,
such^unfuvorable weather may also b^ met with, during the whole
oKwa, tliat it is impossible even with one's > est efforts to get fish well
Tnade. To make fish in bad weather and under unfortunate circum-
stances req'iires great skill, and much labor. Often, for instance, the
weather may continue bad for one or more weeks. Other times again,
when the weather is favorable, the fish must be left in piles to sweat.
Sometime", one favorable day for drying fi.sh may be had ; at other

i

u^m

mmm

w

22

times, again [)crhapB only a few liours. The innking of UhIi therefore
must he onrriod out according to the condition of the weather. Tf thi.n
\» favorable in the beginning of tlx; cure, the fitjh ought not to be
spread out for drying daily ; but should be left standing over in small
heaps for r day or two, in order not to dry too (^uick. If I he fish is
dried too quickly, it is liable to get frangible, and also lose its good
appearance. If the weathei is unfavorable during the euro, the Hsh
shouhl, after having had one or two days' sun, be piled over into new
piles, at least every second day ; or as often as there is a chance, as
long as *.\\\ bad weather continues ; ond the piles should be made
small, in o der to give the fish more draught. It is poor economy to
save labor expenses in such cases, providing the weather allow re-
piling oi the fish.

PILING FISH.

The fish by being piled over and over again several times get a
white colour, better appearance, and are not so liable to turn slimy.
A little rain on the fish in the beginning of *'ie cure is not considered
hurtful ; but towards the end of the cure, th's should be avoided as
much as possible, because the rain will then jive the fish a yellovv
color. If the fish still should get slimy, it can be improved by dip-
ping or washing it in pickle (brine) or by putting »i little dry suit be-
tweeen each layer of fish.

THE CURE OF FISH IN NORWAY.

I have formerly stated that the Norwegians reckon the proper
quantity of salt to be used in the cure of codfish — 1,435 poundsof salt
to 2,205 pounds of dry cured fish.

As a rule the m "'st of the fish caught at Lofoten are left in salt from
three weeks to two months, all according to how the fishery turns
out, and how quick the vessels purchasing Hsh can succeed in getting,
a full cargo. After the fish are taken from the r^alt they are generally
washed out r.t the beaches, cose to the dryvng places, which, as a rule,
consist of fcmooth and low rock, in the vicinity of the seaboard. In
wasjiing the fish woollen mittens are worn on the hands. After being
care' ally washed and the black membrance removed from the napes
of the lish, it is put ii; small sloping heaps on the rocks for twenty-
four hours, in order to allow the wa^er to run off. In each heap are
put from six to eight fish. The undermost with the skin-side turned
down, the rest with the skin-side up. As soon as the weather allows
the fish to be spread, after being in the heaps 24 hours, it is earned
up to the drying place and spread out face up. If the weather is fair
and safe the fish is left out the first night, but the skin-side is in that
-case turned up towards even'.ng. Next morning the fish is again

tluMC'lore
V. Tfthi.H

I not to be
T ill 8iiin11
ilic (i.sh \h
!0 itH good
3, the tiHli

into new
tilmnce, as
, be made
onomy to

allow re-

inc8 <;et a
irn ylimy.
lonsidered
L voided HH
I a yellovi
d by dip-
,' suit be-

lie proper
ndsof salt

1 salt from
lery turns
in getting,
generally
, as a rule,
)oard. In
fter being
the napes
r twenty-
1 heap are
ide turned
her allows
; is carried
:her is fair
) is in that
I is n.^ain

28

ti'-ned face up. After being left out t1 ^ second day it if^ gathered
together towards evenir.g and put in heap., 30 to 50 fish in each. The
next morning it is spread again and in th(^ evening put in a little
larger heaps. When the lish Km been spread two or thr< e times it
i.s stretched well, especially in the abdomen, before being piit in heaps,
in order to remove all the wrinkles and give the fish a smooth ii-niear-
ance. This work is conrd'jercd to be of much importance in regard
not only to appearance but aluo to the durability of the fish, because
the datnpne.sH always gather.^ in those wrinkles and is very difficult
to got removed entirely if not done away with in time, Jt is
slow work, but they consider it better to devoid one day to this
than to ^o through it in a Larry in the evening when the tish are
gathered m h >ap8 for the night. Every time the fish are gathere'^l iu
the evening in heaps these are made larger. After the fish has been
apread three or four time.s, or when it is dry enough to stand pressing
(which is noticed on the abdomen of the fish that crack when the fish
is beut) it is put iutu the first pile for pressiag. These piles are built
round, and a small roi nd peaked roof or cover of wood, about a foot
larger in diameter than the pile of fish, is nrade to cover ;he piles
with, On these roofs weights of stones are applied. These piles or
pressing ^ 'les, as they generally are named, are binlt from 3 to 3|
feet high, the first time. A tier <;be fish hu>i remained in those piles
from five to 8 days, according as the fish was more or less dry, when it
was put in piles, it is piled over into another and larger pile in thirt
way, that the undermost fish in this first pile is placed uppermost in
the second, in which again the fish is left the same length of time as
in the first one. If ihe weather, after that time, is suitable, ihe fish
in these piles is spread every second day to dry ; and for every time
it is spread it is set in larger piles. If the weather is not suitable for
spreading the fish, it ib as often as possible piled over into new piles,
in order to accelerate the cure and prevent the fish from afterwards
turning slimy.

The fish is not reckoned to be properly dry until it keeps itself
dry underneath the dorsal fine (fins on the back of the fish), or is
capable of withstanding the pressure of the thumb without leaving
marks in the thick o*" the flesh. After the fish has been put in press-
ing piles, and afterwards been spread out for drying, four to five
times, the fii-'i will, under fair circumstances, be reckoned to be pro-
perly cured. The usual lime, under fworcble conditions, taken to
cure or make fish in Norway is about six weeks. These are the main
characteristics in the ^forwegian cure of fish ; nearer I cannot go, as
the work during the dure must be regulated according to the condition
of the weather.

■y

^'ellllllllll|l li MWHIIWilll ■lIHWW

2-t

p. I ¥

CATCHING AND CURING BY DIFFERENT HANDS.

No fisher oien make their own fish at the hirge fisheries at Lofoten
or Finnarken, except a few who make th^ir fish into stockfish. It is
disposed of, fresh, as soon as it is brought in from the sea or fishing
grounds in thia way. that the fish, after being headed and gutted, are
sold to vessels, which the fish-merchants send up to the fishing-places
to purchase fish from the fishermen and salt it down in the ve8:ie]8.
These vessels are manned with captain, cook, one or two salters ;tnd
two splitters. The nshermen arc paid cash down for their fish as soon
as it is delivered, o. if the purchaser and seller are well acquainted,
he may let the account stand unsettled until the weeK is up and settle
every week, or perhaps every month , but this is seldom done. The
captains, as a rule, get sufficient money in cash with them to purchase
a full load offish ; or if they have their stations in convenient places.
get money sent them according as they require it. The liver the
fishermen sell themselves, separately, to oil factories, of which there
are many in each large fishing place. The roe they sell separately,
to parties who make it a business to salt it down and turn it into
caviare, or export it to Fn^'ice, to be used in the sardine fisheries.
The heads are dried and sold to the guano factories. In this way the
fishermen generally turn the liver, roe and heads into from 30 to 50
per cent, of the value of the fish itself. When the vessels have got
their full cargo of fish, they take it down to the drying places and
either hire men, women and boys to assist them in curing their fish,
or make a contract with a fish curer (of which there are several), at a
cerlain figure, to cure their fish ; the captain, -in this case, generally
going up o purchase another cargo, after getting his fish landed.
The general prict. frt»^^ for washing-out and making fish in Norway
doll. 5.40 per 1,000 fish in number, which is equal to about one ion of
dry fish Most of the larger merchants have their own fish-curers in
different places, who are paid a fixed salary annually, or paid per
1,000 fish for curing all the fish belonging to the merchant, and keep-
ing the drying place in good order.

ADVANTAGES OP THIS DIVISION OP LABOUR.

These men are specialists in c ring fish, and do nothing else all
their lifetime; they make fish-curing their trade. Besides, as it is
of no interest to them to get bad fish (not properly cured or heavy
fish), as they are paid a fixed salary, or per 1,000 fish in number, they,
as a rule, always do their best to get as good an article as possible.
In fact, as there is no selfish interest playing among them of any kind,
in regard to money-making, on account of a careless or imperfect cure,
the merchants can get their fish cured in the best wuv, accordintr to

their ow
curers, oj
in order
proves tc
way : thi
and run :
is also of
selves, b
making i
they can
and gear
ing time
might, ic
be very ]
fishing-gr
it often 1
fish, and
or badly
bad fish {
from whi
price of i

DISAI

In S(
the most
even wor
understai
if they d:
attend to
time reqi
it in a hii
at the sal

SEP

Let

tending t
10 do wit
Let his v
and devo
dren's c(
thorough
this part

be kept i

s \.

s^DS.

at Lofoten
fish. It is

or fishing
gutted, are
ling-places
lie vessels.
alters ;tnd
ish as soon
cquainted,
and settle
.)ne. The
) purchase
3nt places.
I liver the
lich there
eparately,
•n it into

fisheries.
is way the

30 to 50
s have got
>la:es and
their fish,
eral), at a

generally
ih landed.
Norway
one ton of
i-eurers in

paid per

and keep-

JR.

ig else all
ss, as it is
or heavy
iher, they,
s possihle.
' any kind,
?rfect cure,
cord i Mi: to

25

their own order, and to suit the different markets; and the fish-
curers, on the other hand, a' a generally only too glad to do their best,
in order to keep the position they hold. At the same time this system
proves to be of great advantage to the merchants themselves, in this
way : that they seldom get any badly-cured fish from their own curers,
and run no risk of losing any money by supplying the f 3hermen. It
is also of the greatest importance in view of the fishermen thetft-
selves, because by selling their fish fresh they have no labor ia
making it, have no expenses in salt, and waste no tinae ; therefore
they can devote all their time to fishing and in keepinT tbeir boats
and gear in good order, which pay them very much better than wast-
ing time inshore by dressing and making fish. While doing so, they
might, in a good season lose boat-loads of fish ; and the fishery must
be very poor if, in most cases it aoes not pay them better to be on the
fishing-ground than to be inshore working with their fish. Besides,
it often happens that a fisherman has not sufficient salt to cure hia
iish, and no means of getting any. In such cases his fish gets spoiled
or badly treated, and will only gtw a poor article or ^efuse. This
bad fish again helps to run down the reputation of that country's fish
from whicli it is shipped, and will even sometimes driv« down the
price of real good fish from the same country.

DISADVANTAGES OF EMPLOYING WOMEN IN CURING.

In some countries the fisherman's wife and small children have
the most to do Avith the making of the fish. This is just as bad, or
even worse, because, in the first place, not one out of every ten womea
understand properly how to make fish ; and on the other hand, even
if they did, they hove their house, with a large family, as a rule, to
attend to, and car.not be expected to be able to devote the necessary
time required for making fish as H should be made, but must go through
it in a hurry, in order to attend to the their house, family and garden
at the same time.

SEPARATION OF FISHERMEN AND CURERS BEST.

Let the fishermen then devote all his time to the fishery and
tending to his fishing gear ; sell his fish fresh ; and have nothing
10 do with the making of his fish caught, and tJiat will pai/ Jiiin better.
Let his wife mind her own business (her house, children and garden)
and devote the little time she has to ^Dare to her husband's ai d chil-
dren's comforts, that will pay her better. Let the fish-curt r, who
thoroughly understands the cure or make of fish, have all to do with
this part of the work, then the large bulk of fish would be cured pro-
i" .t_;, tilt icpuiaiiun \ji. luc iisa uApuncu ic luu lureign marKets uj
be kept up, and that would pay the Merchants better.

■MMMMfM

I I

26

THE RE OF FISH

TXT
AJLl

SCOTLAND.

In Scotland nearly all the fish is pickled, very little of it is
kench-cured fish. As soon as the fish is caught and unhooked it is
bled and gutted. Some fishermen bring with them boxes to keep the
fish in ; but if boxes are not used the fish is covered up in order to pre-
vent tixe sun and air from affecting it. When brought to the shore it
is headed and cleansed with brushes in fresh water, and split. The
back-bone is cut slantways, 20 to 22 joints from the tail, .so that
the cut extends over two joints, in order to give the fish a better look
V -and strengthen it. A cut is made along the bone which is left, thus
allowing the blood that remains in the veins, about that part of the
fish, to escape or be extracted. When split the fish is again washed
in sea-water and the black membrance removed. After the fish is
cleansed it is pickle-salted in tight and covered vessels. To one hun-
dred pounds of dry-cured fish is used 45 to 50 pounds of Liverpool
salt. If less salt is used the fish is left in the pickle (brine) a couple
of days more.

In j.egard to the amount of salt used, tlie Board of Fisheries re-
mark that many of the curers salt their fish very heavily in order to
increase the weight; but this is a great mistake, because not only is
the juice of the fish extracted thereby and the weight reduced, but
also as the drying advances, incrustation ot salt forms on the face
of the fish, or, in other words, the fish gets salt-burned, and this de-
basis the value of the fish very muck. Lately, however this wrong
Tii3thod of .salting fish too heavil}' is abandoned in Scotland, because
the curers find it to be in their own interest not to use too much. The
fish is as a rule left in the suit for three days. The salting of the fish
is a difficult work when the climate is damp. If the fish, under such
circumstances gets too little salt it will soon become dun. Whether
the fisli has taken sufficient salt or not, and whether it has got the re-
quired stiffness before being taken from the brine, the curer must be
able to judge himself, (iuite fresh fish never take more than just the
proper amount of salt they claim, no matter how much salt is put on
it; whereas old fish very f'oon gets salt-burnt, if too much salt is
uwd.

When the fish has taken a sufficient ([uantity of salt, it is taken
up and washed out again in sea-water, and placed in piles that slope^
a little, for a day or two, in order to give the water a chance to run
off before the drying commences. The fish, as a rule, is dried on
flakes three feet high and four feet wide, the top of which is formed
of wooden laths six inches apart, something like the American flakes.
On these flakes the fish is put out the first time, with the back or skin

27

ttle of it is
hooked it is
to keep the
rder to pre-
the shore it
split. The
tail, so that

better look
is left, thus
part of the
ain washed

the fish is
?o one hun-
f Liverpool
le) a couple

isheries re-
in order to
not only is
jduced, but
n the face
nd this de-
this wrong
lid, because
much. The
of the fish
under such
Whether
got the re-
ir must be
an just the
t is put on
uch salt is

it is taken
that slope

ice to run

9 dried on
is formed

3an flakes.

ick or skin

side turned down. Towards evening it is turned over, skin side up;
and before sunset it is gathered in small heaps, always bearing in
mind to leave the back sides of the fish turned up. The fish is turned
more frequently as the drying advances ; the heaps are also made
larger every time the fish is spread, and weights are put on top of each
heap, in order to give the fish a little pressing and a smooth face»
The heaps are afways covered with mats or canvas. The Scottish
curers are also of the opinion that the fish gets frangible or brittle,
and presents a bad appearance if it is dried too rapidly in the begiiv
ning of the cure. When the fish is half dry, one is able to tell whe-
the fish is salt-burnt or not. If the fish is salt-burnt, they turn it
back up in the middle of the day, when the sun has most power, hj
means of Avhich the salt gets extracted from the fiicu of the fish. Mr.
Ross, Inspector of fisheries, recommends always to dry the fish with
the skin-side turned up from the time it is half dry. After the fish
has been dried a fortnight, it is put in large piles for ten days, ia
order to allow the fish to sweat. The piles are covered well. After
being taken from these piles it is spread out to dry for one week ;
after which it is again put in large piles for another four to six days.
Wnen after this it gets two or three days' drying, it is considered to
be properly cured and ready for shipment. The average time for
making fish is reckoned to be from six to eight weeks.

METHOD OF STORING.

The storing of fi.sh is done either in the morning or in the even-
ing, never when the fi^sh is warm from the sun. The fish is kept well
covered during the time it is in stock in order to keep the air out as
much as possible. The fish that is caught in winter but Cannot be
made before spring is also salted the same way in large vessels, but
is taken up and washed out after being left in the pickle the usual
time and re-salted in kenches, with a little salt between each layer,
and generally covered up with canvas. Re-salting of the fish is also
used on board the vessels. The fish is first salted in certain bins in
the vessels hold, with one ton of Liverpool salt to two tons of green
fish ; and after being in this salt for about 36 to 48 hours, it is taken
up ; the old salt is shaken off and the fish is re-salted with a little
new salt in another bin. The Board of Fisheries in Scotland also hold
that flakes are preferable to rocks or beaches to make fish on, because
on flakes the fish gets a mere even draught of air on both sides, and
is better prevented from being sunburnt.

THE CURE OF CODFISH IN ICELAND.

The codfishery in Iceland is by the natives carried out in small,
■open boats, in the bays and in some nlacej a short distance from the

m

28

shore. The jear employed Is hand-line and bultows. As soon as the
fish is caught it is bled ; brought in shore, it is split in this way, that
the remaindjr of the back-bone is left on the opposite side, to what
is usual in Newfoundland and many other countries. The Icelanders
split their fish very deep. After bein- lit the fish is washed with
brushes in clean sea- water; the black , orance and all blood being
f»refully removed. A few also use to '.7ash iheir fish in fresh water.
The back-bone is cut slantways, over t\vo joints, and 18 to 22 joints
from the tail, according to the size of the fish. The salting of the
fish takes place in sheds as soon as the water has run off it and it is
salted in kenches with one barrel of Liverpool salt to about 350 lbs.
of large dry fish ; if the fish is small less salt is used. After the fish
has remained two or three days in this salt it is resalted in new
kenches; very little salt (about ^ of a barrel of salt to 350 pounds of
fish) is used. In this salt jt remains for five or six days and is then
ready to be washed out and made, if the weather and the season of
the year are suitable. The fish that is caught so lat? in the fall that
it. cannot be made before the next year is salted in kenches so heavi-
ly that that one fish does not touch the other ; ^his fish, they claim,
■will then in the spring be of about the same quality as if it was
caught the same year : provided it is washed or cleaned properly and
all blood carefully removed.

After the fish has remained a sufficient time in salt it is washed
out and laid in small heaps, until the water has run off and a little
stiffness is felt in the fish which generally is so the next dav, and if
the weather then -.s fair the fish is spread out to dry, if not it is re-
layed in square piles from 100 to 150 fish in each. If the weather
should continue to be wet the fish is piled over in new piles every
day, as long as the bad weather lasts or until it can be spread. When
the fish has been spread and got two good days' sun, it is put in press-
ing piles and the pressing is increased according as the making of the
fish proceeds. When the cure is so far advanced that the fish is what
they call three-parts dry, it is put in large piles, about 7,000 pound.'^
of fish in each ; these piles are covered with mats or boards in shape
of a roof, and a weight of stones, which correspond with the weight
of the fish in the pile, is placed on top of the mats or boards. In this
state the fish is allowed to remain f ve to six days, after which time
it is spread again, if the i,veather permits, and the same weight ap-
plied every time it is gathered and put back into the piles. In case
the weather does not allow the fish to be spread, after it has be-on put
in the first large pressing pile, it is re-piled every day and the same
weight applied to each pile every time until it is considered cured.

The fish is cured on leaches, which in most places are made of

'.a^fMN

INIWM

mm

ls soon as the
his way, that
side, to what
le Icelanders
ivashed with
I blood being

fresh water.

to 22 joints
altiug of the
flf it and it is
30ut 350 lbs.
Lfter the fish
alted in new
50 pounds of

and is then
he season of
the fall that
hes so heavi-
, they claim,
as if it was
oroperly ami

it is washed

and a little
b dav, and if

not it is re-
the weather

piles every
ead. When
put in press-
aking of the
; fish is what
',000 pounds
rds in shape

the weight
ds. In this
which time

weight ap-
es. In case
I as been put
d the same
ed cured.

ire made of

29

round rocks. The reasons why the Icelanders use such a heavy press-
ing in their cure of fish are : 1, That the climate is damp and not very
warm (as a rule the sun is seldom hot enough to burn the fish, although
this may happen occasionally) and that the weather is mostly cloudy
or fcggy. 2, That their fish is heavil;^ salted. 3, That their fish is- ^
rich and thick, and stands a good deal of pressing. On account of the '
climate being chilly and damp, the pressing is therefore the principal
part m their cure, rnd by frequently pressing and re-piling the fish
the cure is also accelerated. The Iceland fish is a fine, white-looking'
good-eating and durable article, which commands good prices in -the
markets of the Mediterranean. Although it alwavs is a little pliable,
or not cured as hard as the Newfoundland and Norway fish, still it
keeps well in hot climates, and is preferred to the hard-cured fish,
because it is not so apt to get brittle and break. Fish cured in the
early spring, or in the fall of the year, when the climate is chilly, are,
if sufficiently pressed and salted, superior to the hard cured fish in
summer time, even if it is a little pliable, and will keep well in hot cli-
mates. Complaints of the hard cured fish being brittle and difl^cult
to handle, are often made in the Mediterranean markets

When the fish is stored in Iceland, it is kept well covered with
mats or canvas, in order to prevent the moist air from affecting the
fish. The principal market for Iceland fish is the southern part of
Spain, while a part is also exported to Copenhagen and Great Britain..

THE CURE OF FISH IN FRANCE.

The fish brought to France is mostly all bank-fish, caught on the
Banks of Newfoundland and on the coast of Ireland. With the ex-
ception of the fish cured in St. Pierre and Miquelon, all this fish is
cured in France, and the greatest part of it in Bordeaux. To this
port it is brought salted in bulk, in compartvaents in the vessels' hold,
and cured according as the orders arrive for certain quantities of fish.
By being handy to the markets, with excellent communications and
their modern way of doing business, in connection ^ith the great
bounty the French government give on all fish exported to other
countries, this industry hns develop -1 to such a degree that it has
lowered the price on the fish of all other nations, and threatens to
knock other fish out of the markets, because it cnn be sold cheaper.
Besides, it is cured in such' a manner that in fact it is a real good
article for speedy consumption, and takes among the people in the
different markets.

Their way of business is to ke p commercial travellers on the^

move all Iho fimP f h'''^""'^ oT floli-onnoiirni^n- n"*"*" "■"^

. .»!. _.. ,_ , ..i.«ii^ i'\Ji to, UliU

MM

awa

mm

30

I

small as large, are speedily and accurately executed for the various
customers in the Mediterranean markets. The more the French can
enlarge their fshing fleet, and the more fish they can catch, the more
difficult it Avill ho for other nations to compete with them, and the
smaller the chance will be ta make the fishing business pay, as the
Prench, with their large bounty, can undersell all other nations, m
the* markets, and still make their business pay.

FRENCH SPLITTING AND CURING.

In splitting the fish the French cut the back-bone a little further
fiom the tail than most nations do, and for this reason an iron spoon
made for the purpose is used for removing the blood in the remaining
part of the back-bone. The fish is always washed well before it is put
in salt. They generally reckon on using one hundred tons of salt
(Mediterranean) to two thousand cwt. of fish, including the salt
which is used for preserving their bait. While all other nations
either use rock, beaches or different kinds of flakes to cure their fish
on ; the Frenchmen in Bordeaux use scaffolds on which the fish is
hung by the tail. This is held to be the most practical in France,
because in this way the fish is cured exceedingly quick (from two six
days) with a minimum of labour expenses and gives a real good
article, although as before mentioned not so durable. These scaffolds
are made in the following way : A number of sticks are driven down
perpendicular in the ground about 1^ yard apart in a straight line
from west towards east, across which are fastened a row of two laths,
far enough apart to admit the tail of the fish to be pushed through.
About I of I yard above this first row of laths another row is fixed
in the same manner. These laths are from g to I of an inch chick
and from 1| to 2 inches wide. The arrangements of these scaffolds
vary a little ; some are fixed in square compartments with laths
fastened alternately on the north and south side of the posts, and
with a gangway about two feet wide between each row of compart-
ments. On others again, the laths are all fastened on the north side
of the posts and each row of scaffolds about three yards apart, in order
to prevent the shade from the row in front reaching the one behind.
Small cleats of wood are fastened across ea'^h pair of laths, for the
purpose of keeping them together. The tail of the fish is pushed in
betAveen the laths from the north side with the back of the fish turn-
ed upwards ; by its own weight it will bend down, and the face of
the fish show towards the sun, while the tail is jammed between the
laths. When the fish is getting a little dry it will hang this way
even in a strong breeye of wind. Some have a roof covered with straw
over their scaffolds when the sun gets rather hot, others again use no
coverinff. but when the sun threatens to burn their fish thev onlv

a ton of

I be tore it
sun it is
main in
the piles
Dile. .and

the various
French can
h, the more
irn, and the

V'^y-.

as the

nations, in

ttle further
iron spoon
} remaining
ore it is put
tons of salt
g the salt
ler nations
*e their fish
1 the fish is
in France,
•om two six
a real good
3se scaffolds
riven down
traight line
two laths,
ed through,
row is fixed
1 inch lihick
ese scaffolds
i with laths
e posts, and
of compart-
e north side
art, in order
one behind,
ths, for the
is pushed in
le fish turu-
i the face of
between the
ng this way
d with straw
igain use no
ih thev onlv

81

twist it a little, so that the edge of the fish shows towards the sunt
instead of the face. In heavy rain or when the suu is too hot, the
fish have to be taken down and put in the stores. In France no press-
ing of the fish 18 used ; it is as a rule taken down from the scaflfolds
and shipped to the markets after being hung there ^or from 2 to 6 days.

THE CURE OF FISH IN THE SHETLAND ISLES.

The codfishery in this country is carried out mainly bv the use ©r
bultows. Tlie Shetlanders split their fish in the same Way as the
Icelanders, with the back bone left on the opposite side of what is-
usual here. It is cut according to the sixe of the fish from 18 to 22
joints from the tail, and slantways over two joints. The fish as a
rule is split deep which makes it look thin along the back. As soon
as the fish is split, it is Avashed with brushes in sea-water pumped up
into boxes into which are placed a grate, six to eight inches from the
bottom. Underneath this grate the dirt and offal gather, and the ob-
ject of this grate is to keep the water cleaner i. longer time in the
box. Through a hole in the bottom of the box the water is drawn
off. After the fish is washed carefully and the blood and slime re-
moved. It IS put aside for a wHile in boxes made of laths, one inch
apart, in order to give the water a chance to run off the fish before it
is salted.

They salt their fish in vessels with Liverpool salt, sometimes also
with Lisbon or St. Ybes salt mixed. It is generally reckoned that
one ton of salt is used to two tons of cured fish or four and a halftone
of raw fish. When the fish has remained in salt for five to eight
days, it is taken up and crashed ou'. in sea-water. What blood par-
ticles may have been left from the first washing is removed, and the
fish well cleansed about the neck and about the back-fold ; the black
membranes are also removed. The fish is mostly cured on beaches,
but a few flakes are also in use. These are about two feet high covered
with laths on the same principle as the American flakes, 4 inches
apart. After the fish is washed out, it is put in small heaps, to be
spread the next day, if the weather is suitable ; if not, the heaps are
covered with mats until the spreading can take place. After the fish
has got one good day's sun, it is put into square piles (about one-half
a ton of fish in each) to be I?ft in those for two, sometimes three days

I before it is spread again. After it has got two or three days of good
Bun it is put into larger piles (about three tons in each) and left to re-
main in those for a couple of days. According us the cure proceeds
the piles are made larger, until about five tons of fish are put in each

lile. .iml tbfi fisb nrA onroarl r>»»l\r airor^'

weight of stones is applied on the top of the piles.

■NT_

In setting the

m

32

fish in the piles, care is taken that alternately the undermost fish are
put uppermost and the reverse. The piles are covered with mats.
The curing offish in Shetland takes from u to 7 weeks. If the sua
is hot, the fish when spread is put edge-ways, two and two togeth'^r,
as in Norway. If the fish gets slimy, it is washed in strong pickle
and is improved by re-piling and pressing.

When fish is stored it is always kept covered Avith mats or can-
vas. The principle markets for Shetland fish are Spain, Ireland and
Scotlund.

THE CURE OF FISH IF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

(Gloucester and Phovincetown.)

The codfishery in the United States is carried on along the New
England shore, on the banks ofi" the American coast, and the Banks
of Nev.'foundland. The greater part of the hsh are bank-fiah, which
mainly are brought into the fishing ports in the States of Massachus-
etts and Maine. In the smaller New England fishing porta, this ff^h
are English cured, or hard dried, for the markets in the West Indies ;
while in the larger ports, nearly all the fish are put up into skinned and
boneless fish. It is generally reckoned that only about \ of the whole
amount of fish brought into the New Enghind States are hiird cured;
while the other | are put up for the local markets in skinned and
boneless condition. Nearly all fish are caught ith bultows and hand-
lines ; a smaller part are caught in gill-nets, and this chiefly in Ips-
wich Bay.

SPLITTING AND SALTING IN U. S.

After the fish is split in t}\e same way as in Newfoundland, it is
washed in sea- water before it is salted down in the bins of the ves-
sels hold. Mostly Trapani salt is used of late years for salting cod-
fish. Cadiz salt, which was much in use in former years, is done away
with, on account of the reddish plant it contains, which often turned
the tish a reddish colour. It is reckoned that one bushel of salt ia
used to one cwt. of fish on short trips to Georges bank ; while on
longer trips to the Grand Banks, 1^ bushels of salt are used to one
quintal of fish. As a rule, a schooner for a long trip to Grand Bunk
will ti^ke on board about 200 hogsheads of salt. After the fish are
brought in shore, and weighed, they are rinsed in sea-wa^er, and salt-
ed down in large butts, which hold about one thousand pounds of fish
each, with from two to four bushels of salt sprinkled among the fish
in each butt all p-ccordin"" to how much and how lonsr the fish lias
been salted on board of the vessels. The fish are generally laid, with

most coi

with a 1

side, am

[ends, ai

I which o

Iwhen th

m

>st fish are
vith mats.
If the sua
) togeth'-r,
pickle

3ng

ats or can-
eland and

MERICA.

g the New
the Banks
iah, which
Vlassachu*-
;y, this f^h
est Indies ;
tinned and
f the whole
lard cured j
Linned and
i and hand-
cfly in Ips-

dland, it is
of the ves-
salting cod-
done away
ften turned
of salt ia
; while on
used to one
jraud Bank
the fish are
:r, and salt-
unds of fish
3ng the fish
the fish has
Ly laid, with

38

the exception of the lower or bottom layer, with the skin side up
On top of the uppermost layer of fish ia put a heap of salt (about *
bushel) in order to strengthen the wccik pickle that floats up to the
surface. Affce*- the fish has been salted down ia those butts for a
day or two, it ia supplied with pickle made in the following iranner •
A baskot containing one bushel or one bushel and a half of salt ia
hung over the butt, sea-water is slowly allowed to run throu'^h th»
salt in the basket, which by the time it runs into the butt, has beea
strengthened with the salt and transformed into pickle 8tron<r enou^^h
to answer the purpose. As the salt melts away in the basket, it^ia
renewed. Pickle made in this way ia clean. ;r than if salt and water
are stirred together in a vessel, because much of the dirt the salt con-
taias_ remains in the baskets. In these butts the fish remain -x
certain time, according as it hasjs-en in salt on baard, and according tc»
how the orders are received for certain shipments. Fish which have
been sufficiently salted on board, and are intended for im^nadiate
shipment, are occasionally washed out well with brushes, as SDon aa
landed, and put in kenchea abDut threa feet high for 21 hours before
they are spread on the flakes. Sometimes also these Kenchas of fiah
are turned over, leaving the uppermost fish underneath for over 21
hours before it is spread on the flakes.

iDRYING ON FLAKES IN THE UNITED STATES.
When orders are received for certain quantities of fish, which
have been salted in butts, it is taken up, -washed well and put ia
kenches, in the same way, for a couple of days before it ia spread. Ia
some places where the fish is intended to ha hard cured, it is takea
out of the vessels and salted in kenches in the stores and left in this
way, often for a long time, or until orders run in for certain quantities.
When the fish is to be cured, it is washed well with brushes, put bick.
in kenches again for a few days, in order to press some of the water
from it before it is spread out to dry. All fish are dried on flakes, of
which generally two kinds are in use, stationary and moveable. The
most common are the stationary ones. These are about 2| feet high,
with a horizontal top made of triangular laths, 1| inch wide on each
side, and fastened about two inches apart to wooden stands. Oa both
ends, and along the flakes, are fastened gallows six feet apart, on
which cotton awnings are spread, about 15 inches above the flakes
when the sun is hot. The width of the flakes is about 8 feat, and the
length varies from 1 2 to 18 feet. The flakes are placad in rows, with
a gangway between each, and are thus coaveuient to work fish on.
The moveable ones are made on the sama principle, but are generally
not so long. They are fastened, to the stand in ths middle and b"
taking away one of the stools at either en 1, can ba turned slantwaya

34

towards or from the sun, according as may be wished. The fish are
left out on the tlakew until nearly dry. Every evening it is gathered
together in email heaps on the flakes, skin-side up, and small covers
of wood are put over each heap, in order to prevent dampness or rain
injuring the fish. By a good draft, as well underneath as from above,
the fish are cured in a short time. In good weather the fish is dry
enough to put in the stores to sweat, after being out on the flakes
from four to five. days. In the sweatbing pile? it is left from t\*a
days and upward, to a week, after which time it is spread another day
on the flakes, and then considered read^ for Jiipment. No pressing
or re-piling of the fish in large piles during the cure is used. The
American fish are not cured as hard as the Newfoundland, have got a
light yellowish color, and are heavy in weight. The fish exported are
packed in boxes of | inch lumber, dimensions, 271 x 18 x 10 inches
inside, containing about 50 pounds, or else in drums made of birch
Btave, with ends of pine, and eight hoops on each drum. In these the
fish are packed the same way as in Newfoundland. For the local
markets they are packed in bundles.

THE MANUFACTURE OF SKINNED AND BONELESS FISH IN

THE U. S. OF AMERICA.
The principal places where this fish is manufactured are Glouces-
ter, Boston, Provincetown and Portland, Maine. Since 1870 the trade
in boneless fish has rapidly increased, and at present it is the prin-
cipal way in which fish are cured nnd put up in the U. States. It is
a nice and durable article^ r.iuch adapted for family use throughout
the whole country, and finds a ready sale also in other countries.
Boneless fish is a little more expensive than other fish, but this as a
rule is not much considered among the people in the States, when they
can get a good and practical article. Even if they pay a little more
per pound, they have not to pay for skin and bone, which is of no use
to the consumers, but can be utilized better in the places where the
fiih is put up, and large quantitiefi are handled. Besides in the way
it is put up, it can be delivered in small packages from one pound to
two younds, (^ brick contains one pound) without trouble to the re-
tailer, and more acceptable to the customers. It is a choice article of
food, and on account of the fish being quite soft, it is also more quick-
ly and easily freshened in water than hard cured fish, and is ready for
use without further cleansing. Besides codfish, other sorts of fish are
also manufactured as boneless fish, such as cusk, hake, haddock and
pollack.

PICKLING OF BONELESS FISH.

All the fish which are put up as boneless fish, are, when landed
from the vessels, washed and put in pickle in largs butts in the same

- *«t*f«E9BlMllllilWMI

riie fish are
t is gathered
imall covers
mess or rain

from above,
J fish is dry
n the flakes
ft from t\*a
another day
No pressing

used. The
, have got a
jxported are

X 10 inches

ade of birch

In these the

'or the local

S FISH IN

are Glouces-
70 the trade

is the prin-
itates. It is

throughout
r countries,
ut this as a
s, when they

little more
I is of no use
8 where the
I in the way
me pound to
le to the re-
ce article of

more quick«

is ready for
ts of fish are
laddock and

,'hen landed
in the same

85

way as formerly described under the cure of fish in thv? United States,
and left there until orders for certain (luantities come u! The fish is
considered to be best the first six to seven weeks while in pick'e;
after wl ch time it loses in flavor. According as the orders come . '
tlie fish are taken from the pickle and put in kenches 3 to 4 feet high
for one day. The next day they are replied in such way that the
uppermost flsh come underneath. The object of kenching the fish

is to press the most of the water from it by its own weight. I have
also seen the flsh taken from the pickle and put direct on the flakes
for drying The fish i» dried only for one or two days; one fine
summer day is considered sufficient. Subsequently the fish are
brought up to the factories to be skinned, dressed and packed.

SKINNING AND BONEING.

This process takes plnce in the following rtiannor;- AVith a
knife much like a splitting knife, the dorsal^ ventral, anal and pec-
toral fins are first cut away. When this is done, the skin at the napes
is, by the help of the knife, lifted sufficiently to be got hold of with
the fingers, and torn off" in the direction of the tail, on both sides,
along the middle of the fish. On each side, along the back-bono, is
made a cut by a knife, and the bone is broken off by the tail and torn
out from that jont towards the neck. The nape-bones and what skin
may be left on the napes are torn off by means of a single or double
hook made for that purpose, fixed in a handle. The fish is then turn-
ed over and the black membrane is removed. All flesh affected by-
blood is cut away ; also the filaments about the neck and dark spots
are removed. In some fish the back-bone is not taken out. Hake
and haddock are reckoned to be the easiest fish to skin ; then comes
the cod ; the worst h the cusk. The skin of the fish is manufactured
into glue, and was sold to the factories at a price as high as $25 per
ton in 1887. The bones and fins, and other refuse, are sold to the
guano factories for about 5 doll, per ton.

CUTTING AND PACKING.

After the fish is skinned and dressed, it is cut up in different
ways, and packed in different sized boxes, from 5u0 pounds and down
to 5 pound boxes. Some fish are not cufe at all, but packed in their
full size in boxes Others are cut across, to suit Jie box they are
packed in ; others, again, are cut lengthways, in iae middle in two
parts, and packed this way. Again, some are cut in long strips.
Thick fish are often cut in the middle, lengthways, and each pieca
•cloven and folded up in such a manner that the clean cut fish ap;i3ar

86

..immnmM

outside. Large • untitities ore put up into bricks. Between each
laye: of fish, when pncked in the boxes, is sprinkled some presorva-
tion (a powder consisting of borocie acid and chloride of sodium).
This prevents the fish from turning red, and helps to preserve it in
good Gondii tion for a considerable long time. The boxes most in use
are the 40 and GO pound boxen. In the former, with dimensions
20 X 12 \ 5 inches inside, the fish are packed either across the box or
lengthways. In te first, cns^, the fish are cut to suit the width of the
box. In the latter, with dimensions 20 -: 12 x 8 inches inside, the
fish are always packed lengthways. The finest pieces are always laid
on top in the boxes. These are generally so well filled thn.t a machine,
luade for that purpose, must be used to press the cover down, while it
is nailed fast, these boxes are made of |-inch lumber and f-inch in
the ends. The 5-pound boxes are of dimensions 10 x 8 x 4 inches,
with a sliding cover.

THE PACKING OF FISH IN BRICKS.

Bricks are small, srpiarc bundles of fish, weighing one and two
pounds cnch, and made in the following way :— After the fish is skin-
ned and dressed, it is cut up in square pieces, i3 inches long and 3|
inches wide. This is done either by hand, or by tread knives, or by
machine. The thick pieces a«e split in tM-o. These cut up fish are
put into strong wooden presses made for the purpose. These presses
look like boxes, and p.ve divided by i-inch thick iron plates into four
compartments, each compartment G x 3.^ x 3g inch. The iron plates
can be tiiken out and put back. To the lower side of the cover are
fastened 1-inch thick cleats, which fi: into each compartment in the
press, when the cover is put on. On each end o^ the cover is placed a
j-.c of rectangular strong hoop-iron, with a hole iii the lower end to
slip over a staple fastened to each end of the box. By this means
the cover is held down in position, close to the box. In order to
make it easy to get the fish out, the press is made so that it
can be taken apart when the cover is off. On a piece of plank
are placed two iron pinches. When the press is put down on this
piece of plank, these pinches throw the hoop-iron fastened on the
cover out from the staples, and the cover can be easily taken off.
These presses are patepted and reckoned to be the ' est of any in use
at the present time. Before putting the fish in t..e press, three or
four strings of cotton twine are placed at an equal distance from each
other, ir each compartment. The fish is then filled 'n and core taken
that one or two nice square pieces of fish are placed in the bottom and
at tl ; top, in each compartment, while the middle is filled with small
and irregular piecejj. Between esch layer of fish is sprinkled some
pretervaline. One pound to one hundred pounds of fish. The

87

;tween each
10 preserva-
of Hodiuin).
eserve it in
most in uhg

dimciiBions
I the box or
viclth of the
8 inside, the

always laid
t a machine,
wn, while it
lid |-inch in
I X 4 inches,

one and two
fish is skin-
long and 3|
:nives, or by
up fish arc
hese presses
tes into four
3 iron plates
be cover are
.ment in the
ir is placed a
lower end to
this means
In order to
le so that it
3C0 of plank
lown on this
:ened on the
[y taken off.
)f any in use
ress, three or
ice from each
id care taken
le bottom and
}d with small
rinkled some
fish. The

press is well filled with fl&u ; it io uluced underneath a screw,

where the cover is screwed down so far that the hoop-irons catch the

staples in the ends of the prc.w and keep them down. The press is

then taken from the screw and left standing a little time, and another

press put underneath the sorew. After the fish have settled in the

press, the cover is removed and the strings tied around the iFicks, the

press taken apart, and each brick wrapj)ed in waxpapcr and pafiked

in boxes mostly 40 nnd GO pounds, of dimensions 15^ x 12A x o^inch

(40 lb. box) and 15^ x 12^ x 8 in-^h (GO lb. box). The dimensions of

the bricks, aflor being prcsf 1, arj o x 3} x 2.^ inches, and the weight

two pounds. One-pound bricks are * ad by cutting the two-pound

ones in^ Ihe middle. These are generally packed in crates (small

boxes 15 x 3| x 3\ inch), made of .[-inch lumber, with slidi.jg cover ;

five l-pound packages nro put in each crate; and twelve of these

again packed into a larger box. Another way o*f putting up boneless

fish is to press it in cylinders li inches long inside. The fish in those,

after being pressed, are cut according to the marks indicatet" on the

inside of the cylinder, in four equal parts, leaving each brick or rol

of fish 3^ inches in length.

WAGES OF PACKERS OF BRICKS.

The packing of Bricks is generally done by women ; their pay,
when I visited the various factories in Gloucester in 1887, wa« ten
cents per 100 pounds for Bprinklirig and packing. The skinning is
all done by men, who also are paid per 100 of fi^h, for skinning,
dressing and packin '.

The following rates were paid them at the time of my visit in
1887 :—

Large Bank and large Georges cod 25 cents per 100 lb.

Small fish, not cut in boxes, with backbone

left in 30 " *' " "

Sma'i cod, cut, backbone taken out 40 " " " "

Cusk, boneless 35 " " " "

Hake and haddock, boneless and cut. ... 40 " " •' '•
Hake and haddock, not cut, with backbone

left in.. 30 " " " "

I was told a smart skinner was able to skin and dress 1,200 lbs.
of large fish in a day.

DIFFERENT BRANDS.

Every firm has got its own brand. The most in use are, for in-
stance : " Pure Gold," " Silver Brick," " White Clover," " Victoria,"

38

" Snow White," " Golden Eagle," " Favorite," " Juricka," etc., etc.
If one firm brands its best fish " Pure Gold," perhaps another firm
w'W brand their best fish " Snow White," and so on.

PRICES OF COD IN THE UNITED STATES.

Thinking perhaps it may prove of interest to many who have
not had an opportunity to make themselves acquainted with the prices
of fish in the States, I will refer to the wholesale prices demanded
when I visited Gloucester in the summer of 1887 :

m

Cured Fish.

Large Bank and Georges, cured, per c\. c. . / $3.75

Medium e 3.25

Pickle cured pollock 2.25

New large Georges co.-l 4.25

Good , 3.75

New medium 3.62

Boneless Fish, in Strips, in 40 and 60 Pound Boxes.

Best new large Georges cod per 100 lbs $5|

Choice large 5

Best large Bank fish 4|

Good •... 4J

Ciioice (B. T. lot) 41

Medium Georges fish 5 e

Medium Bank cod 4|

Hake 3

Haddock 4

Cusk 4

Pollack 4

1 cent additional in 20 lb. boxes.

2 cent additional in 5 lb boxes (crates).

Two-Pound Bricks.

Best new large Georges cod $5|

Choice new large Georges cod • 5|

Best large Bank cod 6\

Best new medium Georges. 5j

Best new medium Bank 5^

Haddock 4|

Hake 31

Cusk 41

............................. a.^

,.(!■

notlier firm

39

One-Pound Bricks, in Five-Pound Crates— 12 Crates to a Box.

1-Pound Bricks XXX $53

1-Pound BrickH XX 5*

1-Pound Bricks X 41

At the same time smoked halibut demanded : —

In strips (boxes extra charge) ^7|

In 1 and 2 lb. bricks, 40 lb. boxes (no charge for box). . 8j

THE SALTING OF COD-FISH IN BARRELS.

This method of salting fish in barrels is still in use in some of
the European countries, chiefly in Holland, Belgium, Scotland, Sweden
and France. A small quantity, for home consumption, is also put up
in Norway. The whole amount of this cure placed in European
markets annually, of late years, viwy be estimated at about 25,000 to
30,000 brls. What the French put up this way are fish caught off the
coast of Iceland. The most of the other nations' fish treated in this
way are caught in and around the vicinity of the North Sea. The
principal markets are on the European continent. London also takes
some thousand barrels in the winter season, The price for good fish
varies from 12 to 16 dols. per barrel. Thick, fat fish which are brought
out of the water alive, bled immediately, and dressed and put in salt
without delay, give the best article. The advantage with this mode
of cure is that it can be done direct on board the fishii ^ vessels ;
that one is not dependent on the weather, that it giYt;.> aii article
which is ready for sale within a few days ; that this fisL xii-xands a
comparatively high price, and when properly put up will keep good
for a couple of years. Thie main principle upon which this cure rests
is strong packing, re-salting and thoroughly cleansing of the fish.
The Belgians claim their fish to be the best,'^on account of its being
caught chiefly by hook-and-line, got out of the water alive and there-
fore bled properly, while this cannot be done with fish caught on bul-
tOTvs, which often are dead long before they are brought on board.
As the cure, or the way of putting up this fish, varies among the
different nations, I will give a briet account of each, separately : —

THE BELGIAN CURE.

As soon as the fish is brought out from the water it is bled ; be-
fore being salted it is split in the ordinary way and washed well with
brushes ; care is taken that all slime and bloody particles are removed.
Afttr the water has drained off it is salted in barrels made irom birch
wood face un. sxcent the u'nnennnst iRver whif^h is put f'%''-6 down
with one half a barrel of St. Ybes salt, in the summer time, and one-

Miiii

Hiii

40

tliird barrel of salt in the Ml, to each barrel of fish. The barrels are
well filled, covered with canvas, and left this way for five or six days.
When it is taken up the salt is brushed off and the fish re-salted in
new barrels, with a good handful of salt sprinkled between each lawyer
of fish. The barrels are filled with fish to about six or seven inches!
above the top, and put under a screw, where the fish are screwed
down far enough to admit the barrels to be headed up ; through the
bung-hole the barrels are filled with the old pickle from the first
salting, and s owe^l in the vessel's hold. The Belgians hold the
opinion that this pickle gives the fish a nice flavour and keeps it from
turning a yelhw color. After the vessels have returned home the
barrels are opened and looked after, and filled with strong pickle, if
found necessary. This fish the Belgians call Laberdan. The last
catch of fish is generally salted down on board, as light as possible,
and not pressed. This is intended for immediate consumption and
fetches a higher price ,',han the Laberdan. This fish is called Lan-
dorium, but is not durable. A Belgian barrel of Laberdan contains
from 265 to 275 pounds of fash, net, and about 360 lbs. gross. In order
to get the fish to fit better in the barrels the napes are generally cut
off the fish, and as the fish also are mostly too large to lie straight in
the barrel the tails are bent upwards. The napes, together with the
tonguerf, lips and cheeks, are salted in separate barrels and fetch a
price from 20 to 25 francs.

THE SCOTCH CURE.

The fish caught off the •joust of Scotland is bled as soon as it is
brought on board, and after being brought in shore, split and washed
carefully. When the water has drained off it is salted in tight vessels,
with one quarter barrel of good Liverpool salt to each barrel offish. In
this salt it remains for two days, after which time it is taken up, washed
in pickle and re-salted and packed hard in barrels vith one-sixth of a
barrel of salt to each bi^rrel of fish; afterwards the barrels are filled
vdth strong pickle. The barrels used are made of ash-tree or red
pine wood. This fish is mostly sold in London in the winter time
but is not kept more than about three months. A Scotch barrel of
fish weighs about 300 pounds gross, and fetches a price of from 12 to
15 dollars.

THE DUTCH CURE.

The Hollanders treat their fisL in the same way as the Belgians
before it is put in salt. Their fish are mostly caught on bultows. To
each barrel of fish is used in the winter season one-quarter barrel, and
i« j-Vja Hiorirnf.»> fiiTifi nnfi-Half harrol of St. Ybes salt : all their barrels
are made of oak. While salting the fish it is pressed down by hand

e barrels are
I or six days.

re-salted in
n each ia_yer
even inchbd
are screwed
through the
•om the first
IS hold the
:eeps it from
ed home the
•ng pickle, if
I. The last
; as possible,
iraption aiid
! called Lan-
lan contains
3S. In order
generally cut
e straiglit in
her with the

and fetch a

soon as it is
i and washed

tight vessels,
■el offish. In
;n up, washed
ine-sixth of a
:els are filled
sh-tree or red

winter time
jtch barrel of
uf from 12 to

41

as compact as possible in the barrels and allowed to settle for three
days. Alter this time has elapsed the old pickle is drawn off and the
barrels filled with as much fisli as can be got down by a man stamping
on the head. When the barrels are hp-ded up they are supplied with
strong pickle. After returning home the fish*is again looiced after,
and if sold immediately, generally re-packed. A Dutch barrel of
Laberdau weighs about 360 pounds, gross, or the same as the Belgian
barrels. The Hollanders also salt the napes, lips and cheeks in
separate barrels.

THE SWEDISH CURE.

The Swedes also bleed their fish as soon as it is caught, split and
wash it careiully, and salt it down after the water has drained off
carefully in barrels made of red pine, Avith ^ barrel of Lisbon salt to
each barrel of fish. When the barrels are filled, they are put down
in the vessel's hold and left in pressure for four days. This done, the
lieads of the barrels are put on top of the fish, and then pressed dovirn
by means of shores, Avedged tight betweea the heads of the barrels
an<^ the deck of the vessel. When .e fish has been left in pressure the
above-mentioned time, the barrels are filled again with fish, headed
up and supplied with pickle. After returning home, the fish is sorted,
re-packed, supplied with new, strong pickle and made ready for ex-
portation.

• THE FRENCH CURE.

The fish the French put up in barrels are hook-and-line fish,
i mostly ; as before stated, caught oil' the coast of Iceland. The fish
I are bled, split, washed and salted in barrels, with } barrel of Lisbon
lor St. Ybes salt per barrel of fish. After being left in salt for three
days, the fish is taken up and washed again in clean sea-water, and
Ire-salted with | barrel of salt per barrel of fish. It is again left to
I settle for three days, after which time the barrels are filled with as
I much fish as can be pressed down, supplied with pickle, headed up and
Iput away. After returning home, the fish are sometimes re-salted
hvitb about 65 pounds of salt to each barrel.

(I

the Belgians
bultows. To
er barrel, and
I their barrels
iown by hand

ANALYSIS OF CU|iED FISH.

Tho Knpiofu PfM' iU

i

'-■1 tiivj ii::nvii-CE

:iiu3ed the dry cured codfish of different nations to be anal . ed as well
in Norway as in Spain. In order to show the difference iu the qitan-

m

42

H H

tity of nutritive substances in some of these countries' fish, I will
Bta*,e the results according to " norsk fiskritidende": —

DIFf'KRKNr K1X1>S or riMi.

per ft.

j)er ct.

SALT.

Korway . . . .

a

Iceland

• • • •

American (boneless)

Newfoundland . .

French Newfdland

" Iceland .

36 82
39 38
42 23
39 44
5130
47 40
49 78
46 92

15 50

18 42

19 90

18 81

19 90

15 00
18 42

16 50

per ct.

KITKiriVK

HIimTANCKS.

47 68
42 20
37 87
41 75
28 80
37 00
31 80
36 52

,Ill-.l!K Till'; riSIl WAfl-
ANAI.YZEll.

Norway
Spain . .
Norway
Spain . .
U. States
Norway .
Spain .
Spain .

America.

This analysis is interesting, because science here tells us better
than anything else, why some nations' fish is a better and more
durable article than others, and at the same time also points out
clearly the deficiencies of such fish as have not obtained the best repu-
tation in the markets. The American boneless fish, which is dried
very little, and preserved with other chem'cals (preservaline), cannot
be taken into consideration in this analysis.

However, it will be seen that the Newfoundland cured fish con-
tain nearly me-JiftJi more nutritive substance than the French New-
foundland bank-fish ; and no doubt better results still could be ob-
tained with the Newfoundland fish if more pressing was used during
the cure. At the present time, moat pe'^ple in Spain and the other
fish-consuming countries in the Mediterranean, are yet ignorant of
what nutritive substances the diflerent nations' fish contain—a matter
which the French take advantage of, and also helps them along con-
siderably in expanding their markets. In other words, the people do
not know that when they purchase French fish they carry home Avith
thc-m one-jifth more salt and water than they would have done it
Newfoundland fish were bought instead of the French, and that they,
for this water, pay the same high price as they do for the fish.

In this direction the above analysis also gives us a hint how to
check the French competition, namely, by making known among
those people who consume large quantities of French fish, w-iat kind
of watery stuff this fish really is, and what would be gained in real
nutriment by purchasing Newfoundland fish. By getting cejtificates
fror,"5 well known and celebrated chemists amonpr their own people.
Dublished in the dally papers, magay/ines and commercial news, as
often as possible, followed by recommendations and stating the differ-

es America.

I hint how to

43

enne in nutriment between the French aiul Newfoundhand fish, and
making known among the people in the large fi^h-consnming citiea
f'^d districts by circular^, and in every possible way and m\nner, that
by purchasing French fish they buy " the pig in the poke." It is
likely that after a little while the people will be convinced and see
their mistake ; and when this object is achieved, the French will
either have to cure their fish in such a way that it will contain about
the same amount of nutriment as their competitors' fish (which does
not pay them as well), or else be deprived of their fast increasing
markets. X nutritive, and at the same time a good-looking article,
will Always be a great weapon against the French fish, and more so,
the more education makes progress among the people.

THE CURE OF STOCKFISH.

This mode of curing codfish is carried out in the open air, and
wit-hout the use of salt. The fish, after being dressed simply, are
liung.up in the air to dry. This was the principal way of curing fish
in olden times, before salt was produced in such quantities that it be-
came a common article of connnerce. As far back as 500 vears before
Jhris,-, tribes can be traced who made stoclcfish and pounded it up iwto
a dour, for the purpose of making cakes or bread ; and even in the
time of Alexander the Great — 330 before Christ — a tribe was known
in the East Indies, who had no corn, but large quantities of fish-flour.

It was only in the early part of the fifteenth century, that the
salting of cod-fish was introduced on board vessels fishing on the
banks, and first in the seventeenth century, that cod-fish were cured
with salt, and afterwards dried in the same Avay as ac present to any
extent.

Of stockfish there are two kinds cured — the round and the split
— each of these being again sorted according to size and quality, ia
many brands, to suit the difTerent markets, -which I shall specify fur-
tlier on. At the present time, Norway is about the only country that
turns a large part of their catch into stodvfish. In 1888 the export
of cured fiah was 42,816,100 kilogram (842,746 cwt.), while the ex-
port of stockfish was 20,112,400 kg. (400,000 cwt.), making a total
export of fish 1,242,730 cwt.

In curing stockfish, particular care must be taken with the raw
product if a good article shall be obtained. The fish should be bled as
soon as it is taken from the water, in order to give the blood a chance
to escapt ; and the fish should be covered with planks, until it is
ready for dressing and hanging. In lauding the fish, care must be
taken that no gaff or pew is pushed into other places than the head.

44

4

"because if stuck in any where else in the body, ill-looking spots will
appear when the fish is cured. The fish should not be trampled on
nor exposed to knocks or kivks. As soon as the fish is landed it
ehould be d'^essed and hung up on the flakes. It is dressed in this
"Way ; that the abdomen is cut open in the middle, from the pectoral
fins, and down to the anus, thus leaving the fish to be solid a couple
of inches about the napes. The head is removed in the usual way,
and all the entrails removed, after which it should be cleansed well
in sea-water, as well outside as inside, from slimy and bloody sub-
stances. This cannot be done too carefullv. After the fish is cleansed
it is tied together by the tail in pairs and hung up on the flakes.
The tieing up of the fish is done in this manner ; that strings strong
enough to bear two fishes are tied into straps just large enough to slip
over the tails of two fishes ; then, by giving the one fish a twist
around, a turn is obtained in the strap, which is sufficient to hold the
iish when it is hung up on the flakes. The flakes consist of 8 to 10
feet high stands, on the top of which strong flake longers are placed
about two feet apart. The fish are hung up in rows on each longer,
by the straps fastened around their tails, in such a way that one fish
comes on each side of the longer. Care is taken that the fish are not
hung so close that the current of air is prevented from acting upon
them. A two-pronged stick is generally used for hanging it up and
taking it down from the flakes, which in Norway is called Hjeld.

The management of the flakes is of much importance. These must
be placed over dry ground, where there is no grass growing (rocky
ground is the best) and not close to houses or wood of any description
The flakes should be high enough to prevent snow from reaching the
fish and injuring it during the winter time. They should also be
high enough to admit a good draught of air among the fish ; and if
placed on beaches, to prevent the sea or the spray from reaching the
fish. The places around the flakes must be clean and airy. Rubbisli
and refuse of any kind is favorable breeding places for meat flies and
other insects which injure the fish ; and if any such stuff is around,
it must be removed. Heads or back-bones of fish should not be dried
on the flakes or in their vicinity. Scare-crows should be put up, in
order to frighten awi..y birds from the flakes. In Norway, in ruany
places they are much troubled by the raven (corvus, corax) for if
these birds discover fish on the flakes, they will destroy large quan-
tities. The longers should be thick enough to allow the fish to hang
clear of each other. The fish should not be taken down from the time
it is hung up and until it is perfectly dry ; that is to say, it must be
hard enough to withstand the strongest pressure of the tip of the
thumb in the thick of the flesh along the back, without giving way.

45

On the other hand, it should not hang on the flakes longer than neces-
sary, or else it gets distorted. In taking the fish down from the
flakes, dry and fair weather should be selected in order not to leave
any dampness about the fish when lu is stored. It is recommendable
to let the air get to the fish as often as circumstances allow when the
stockfish is shipped. Should any fish among the stock taken down
from the flakes be found not to be perfectly dry, it should be stowed
by itself, in order not to injure the other fish.

As can be seon by the foregoing there is very little labour attend-
ing this mode of curing fish, and no expense in salt. The fish is left
hanging out in all kinds of weather until it is dry, without any other
attention than that the few fish which may fall down from the flakes
in case the straps break are hung up again in their places.

The round fish is cured in the cold season, while the fish, whicli
is cured during the summer months always are split, and is called
Rodskjor. According to an old law passed in Norway, all fish above
2S inches inches in length should be split ; while fish below that
length, was allowed to be cured round as stockfish. Another law in
175o, prohibited the making of round stockfish except in the months
of January, February and March. Another act again, after these
were repealed, prohibited the people from hanging round fish in Lofo-
den, after the 14th of April, or taking down fish from the flakes be-
fore the 1st of June ; and in Finmarken, fish were prohibited to be
hung round on the flakes after the 15th of May. After this time, all
fish which was not cured in salt should be made into Rodskjor (split.)
At present fish in Lofoden is not allowed to be taken down before
the 12th of June. This law is passed merely to enable all the own-
ers of stockfish hung during ih'^. fishing season to be present at the
diff'erent fishing places at the one time, for the purpose of taking
down their fish. The custom is namely this: that the fishermen or
other parties, who have got fish hung to be cured as stockfish leave
the place entirely, as soon as the fishing season is over, and come back
to bring their fish home, or sell it on the spot, when it is cured. Be-
fore this law was passed, the people sometimes went up to take their
fish down at different times ; and when, as often is the case, that fish
belonging to different parties are hung close to each other, complaints
were sometimes made that one party supplied themselves with fish
which really belonged to other parties. The split stockfish (rodskjor)
is split right through in two, just leaving enough meat and skin by
^he tail to bear its own weight. The back-bone is cut out from about
hree joints below the anus, and the fish hung up on the flakes across
he longers by the tail, in such way that one half of the fish comes to
lang on each side of the ^'^'-gers. Large fish is also cured this way

46

«

■-'3

duriug the winter tiue and spring. Besides codfish (gadua morrhue)
the disk (brouiius viilgarip), the coalfish also, in some places called
pollack (gadus carbonarius,) the haddock (gadus oglifinus,) andthe
ling (gadus molva) are also cured in the same way. The principal
markets for this fish is Italy, southern parts of Spain, Holland, Ger-
many and Sweden. A good deal goes also to the United States of
America.

The faults which make their appearance on stockfidi are the
following : —

1. If the fish has been left on the fishing gear any length of time,
the skin loosens in different places, the fins get damaged ; and the ab-
domen becomes the colour of the liver. This is reckoned as refuse
fish.

2. If the fish has been lying in heaps a while after being land-
ed, it gets flat, and is very liable to turn sonr.

3. Frozen fish loosens in its meat, and if exposed lo very hard
frost it turns soft.

4. If the fish is hung too close on the flakes, it gets raw and sour
in places, where the fish has been in contact with each other, and is
decreased in value.

5. Fish which has been hung over damp "^nd swampy ground gets
covered with black spots and becomes mildewed.

6. Fish which has been a long time on the ay, during wet wea-
ther, or has not be^n cured sufficiently during its conveyance, is liable
to get wormy.

7. Fish which has not been properly dried througli, when taken
down from the flakes, is liable to turn sour around the back-bone, and
spoil.

8. Fish which has been eaten by birds, or damaged by g.iffs or
pews, loses in value.

The faults which make their appearance with split fish are gen-
erally, that it is not split far enough down towards the tail, and that
not enough of the back-bone is removed. If this is not done, the flies
will lay their eggs in the corruptible blood in the remaining portion
of the back-bone.

The split fish are also dressed in a special way to suit the Rus-
sian markets. It is split through the back, but left solid in the abdo-
men; a cut is made through the uppermost part of the fish, about an
inch long. Through this hole the fish is tied on longers and hung up
to dry.

47

fi^h are the

beiiiff land-

There is no article of fish which is sored iu so many different
kinds as the stockfish. The round cured fish is sorted in eight differ-
kinds, and codfish below 14 inches in length (which is called fitling)
again iu three brands. The split fish is sorted in five brands. Be-
sides the other kinds of fish such ascu-^k, are sorted ir three brands;
ling in four brands; pollock in seven brands and haddock in three
brands. Then again a distinction is made between codfish cured in
the winter and spring, and that which is cured during the latter part
of the summer and the fall.

The eight brands which the round stockfish of cod is sorted in,
are named as follows : —

1. Westlofotuollander :— This fi.sh is caught in the west part
of Lofoten, which the name^also indicates. It is reckoned to be the
most valuable of all stockfish. The middle size is 2U inches; it is the
smallest and lightest of the merchantable brands, and has g-t a nice
bluish gray colour along the back and the sides.

2. Fine Hollander : — This fish is of about the same size as the
first fish, is partly a little more thick or full, but it has not the nice
colour,

3. Common Hollander :— This fish is a little larger and more full
than the preceding brands, the middle si^ie is about 24 inches, it must
be clean and of a good appearance.

4. Bremer Fish :— This is larger and stouter fish than the others;
its length varies from 2C to 28 inches ; it must be clean and of a nice
bluish-grey colour and stout or thick around the neck and along the
back.

5. Samfang (Mixed):— This is fish to which there is not put such
requirements, as to the previous brands in regard to thickness and
size, but it must be fresh and in good condition, and of good appear-

lance. As a rule, fish from any of the above mentioned brands, which
I have got some perceptible defect in shape or in colour or have been
lexposed to more than orr^inary frost are reckoned to this brand. The
'size is variable.

6. Lob (plump fish) is the largest and stoutest fish cured round.
Ilts length varies from 28 to 32 inches ; it must have a clean and fair
jappearance. This fish is not much in use, it has a small value, and
jfor this reason not much is cured of it.

7. Mayer fish (meagre fish). — This is fish which is not full enough
lo be reckoned to any of the previous brands ; fish left on the fishing
jear for a few days if well cured, is generally sorted to take this
)rand.

48

8. Udskud Run dfisii( Refuse round fiah).— This is iish which has
been tlamuged in different ways, such as by being left too long in tho
nets, hung too close on the flakes, eaten by worms or by birds, or fish
in Avhich the liver has dissolved or b.ing sir.ay and has got spota
about the skin, caused by being hung too close or o^'jr damp ground.

These are the eight regular brands of round stockfish prepared
from the codfish.

The smaller sizes of cod. oii which are cured to stockfish is called
Fitling, these are sorted in these brands: —

1. HoLLANDER-FiTLiNG with R average size of 14 inches, it must
be clean and without faults and have a dark grey colour.

2. Bremer-Fitling is smaller but has the same qualities as the
former. Its length is not under 10 inches, OF this fish there is very
little in the markets.

3. German-Fitling signify low fish, which is damaged in one way
or the other.

Then we again have Ilo.strundfisk, this is codfish caught in the
latter part of the summer and full. Tliis fish, as a rule, is stoi't, fat
and of a dark grey colour. Its length varies much ; middle size, oout
22 inches.

Rodskjer, as 8*-ated before, is codfish which are split right through
the back and abdomen, and on.y coherent by the tail ; it is sorted in
five brands, according to siae and quality.

1. Hollander Zart-fish. — This is thick, fat fish; it must be clean
and without faults, and not below 20 inches in length ; the middle
size is about 22 inches. This is the most valuable brand.

2. Wakker-flsu. — This fish is not m fixt, but must be good, full
fish, without faults and of a middle length of 20 inches.

3. Hoker-flsii. — This is the smallest fish, of a poorer quality than
the others. The middle size of this fish is about 14 inches.

4. Danish-fish. — This is fish of a poor quality and a dull colour,
which has slight injuries, such as a little frost-burnt or eaten by
worms; its size varies considerably.

5. Udskud Rodskjor (Refuse-fish) is fish which ai'e considerably
damaged.

The haddock is sorted in large, small and split, but is most /
cured round. As the other kinds of fish such as tlm cask, ling and
pollock are not found in uny great quantities in Newfoundland. I

isli is called

in one way

49

presume it will bo of no interest to describe the different brands in
which they are sorted in in Norway. Some flounders are also dried
in the air without salt and exported to Holland. The fish shipped to
the United States of America is mostly of round fish Bruner and
Common Hollander, and of split fish : Hollander ZartfiaU and Wakker-
llsh. A portion of the stockfish is also consumed in Norway, but it is
mostly then prepared in a special way, by steeping in a lye of potash,
and in by many considered a favorite dish. The retail prices for
Weslofoto Hollander fish in Livorno in 1888 was from Lire 75-80 per
100 kg. (220 pounds English »veight) duty off, while cured salt fish
was sold at juiire 52 to 55 per 100 kilogiam cif, in Genoa.

The wholesale prices in Venice, in lar'^er quantities, at the sam»
time were :

Prime stockfish from Brym Lire 78 per 100 kg.

Second " " 66 to 50 "

Prime " Hammrfish 79 "

Prime Fitling " ...... 74 "

Prime Haddock " 45 «

all duty paid, with discount. The retail prices for stockfish are always
ten per cent higher. At the same time, salt cured fish from Norway
was retailed for 72 to 75 Lire per cwt. It must be observed that
stockfish is much lichter in weight than salt cured fish.

The duty as well for stockfish as salt cured fish in Itaty is five
francs or Lire per 100 kilogram. Besides this duty there is charged a
municipal tax on all prepared fish consume i that country. In
Venice this tax runs up to IS Lire per 100 k • tarn, but varies some-
what in the difTerent po: ts. Stockfish can be cured*lso in Newf'land
in the colder seasons (spring and fall) However, the market for this
fish is not as large as for salt cured fish. When it is to be exported,
it is by the means of presses put np into square bundles of dimensions
20x24x29 inches, tied together with strong wire strings. These bun-
dles are supposed to contain about 100 kg — 220 pounds. It is also
put up iato 50 kg. bundles.

ask, lins anc

60

i

PART II.

THE CURE OF HERRING IN EUROPE.

To cure or salt herring properly, in oidf-r to meet the tastes of
ihe consumers and bring a good price in the markets, is a work which
requires skill and good caiu. Besides the quality, the nice Uavour of
a herring depends at the sauic time also upon how it is treated rnd
sol ted.

If too much salt or too strong pickle is employed, the ties!: • Miu
herring will after a short lime become hard and dry, and will ':... de-
prived of its real good and natural Uavour. The less salt and the
weaker pickle can be used, the longer and better it will retain its
iiice flavour; but on the other hand, if sufficient salt and prope: *^'ckle
is not employed, the herring will get tainted, and not tit for human
food. The art of curing hea-ing as well as other fish with salt de-
pends mainly upon a proper knowledge of wmit quantity really the
diflerent kinds of herring lake in the different seasons, and what
quantity of salt is required to preserve the herrings for the various
markets, nnd in the difteront ways, they are to be treated for such
" arkets.

In Europe, the salted herring for export are all pui up either
round or mostly gibbed or gutted ; none as far as T niu aware are
ripped down the stomach, as they do in Newfoundland, the Dominion
©f Canada and partly also in the' United Suites. In each of these in-
stances, diflerent cpantities of salt must be employed. A round her-
ring takes more salt than a herring which is gibbed and gutted,
and these last again more than the herring, which is ripped
in the stomach, and all the entrails removed. Again, a fat herring
takes more salt than a lean one ; a large herring more than a smaller
one ; and in the hot season of the year, all herring requires more salt
than in the cold season.

Besides the proper amount of salt employed to the different kinds
of herrings for the various marke' j and in the different seasons of the
year, due attention must also be paid as to how the herring is treated,
packed, and what kind of barrels is employed, if a real good ar-
ticle shall be obtained.

The old -lode of curing herring in Europe was to pack them in
larn^la just as they were taken oui of the water, with necessary salt
without either gibbiiig or gutting or sorting, and this way is partly

llU'L

hmmn

<- %

*;

.«i^^-

.t

the tables of
work which
le flavour of
treated rncl

J llesi; ' »lie
1 win r.. de-
alt and the
1 retain its
trope: *"'ckle
t for human
ith salt de-
y really the
s, and what
the varjous
:ed for such

t up either
I aware are
le Dominion
of these in-
, round her-
ind pjutted,
1 is ripped
fat herring
m a smaller
J8 more salt

■erent kinds
asons of the
; is treated,
il good ar-

lok them in
cessary salt
y is partly

51

lu use yet in some parts of Norway, where they are shipped to certain
markets, in which there is a demand for them in this way. The only-
exception is, that they are, as a rule, sorted. These are called vound
herring in contra-distinction from those which r e gibbed or gutted.
By this old mode of curing herring, all the blood is retained in tae
[ish, and makes itself visible after a short time by turning the flesh
all along the backbone a dark colour. Sometimes such h'- ing when
exported to Russia, whore all imported herring I'Mjst be gibbed, are
taken up from the suit, gibbed ond repacked, just before shipment, af-
ter beiiK'- ' i salt perhaps for se'/eral months. Of course the gibbing
/f herring in such cases is no gjod, nor of any improvement in the
cure, but it is more a trick used fo'- the purpose of getting the herring
admitted into Russia, and to make vij people perhaps believe that the
herring was gibbed before it was salted. However, this way of cur-
ing herring is objectionable, because it will never make a good or du-
rafjle article, because tlie blocdy substances undergo decomposition
l)of<)re the salt gets a chance to force its way through the skin and
flesh, and the herring in the meantime loses thereby its sweet flavor,
and will not keep as long as if the blood was removed immediately
after it was brought out from the watc, and be'" re it was saHed.
The decomposition takes place first in t'le right gill of a her: ing, and
spreads, from this place all through the body.

Th J gibbing, gutting and the cure of the fierring, in the way ifc
irt performed among the Dutch at present, was first introduced by a
Hollander in lo80, and was considered to be such an important im-
pr.-vement that the Dutch government, until l.io year 1850 gave the
crews of their fisiiing-crafts an annual compensation, under the obli-
gation of oath not to betn.y the secret of this mode of cure to any-
other nation. However, when the compensation ceased, the promises
also ceased, and at present the Scotch as well as the good Norwegian
cure of herring, is based upon the same principle as the Dutch.

In Norway, this mode of cure has not baen introduced to any
large extent, but it is gradually wo.lr.ing its woj in among the curera
and producers. The great reputaiion the S ;otch cure of herring of
late years has gained on the continental markets, is due to the prin-
cij)!e adopted from the Dutch; althougli the cure is not carried out
exactly in the same way, still the main principles are based upon Hie
Dutch cure. The food which the herring contain — in Scotland gener-
ally designated " gutpoke"— has much to do with tiie cure. Some of
this food is quite poisonous, works itself into the muscular tissues of
the flesh, taints and damages the fish .ight through, in such a way
that the herring cannot possibly be cured in any way, and is entirely
unfit to use as an article of food. This is the case with herring which.

52

contain a corny, black food (looking something like gun-powder),
which by some people is held to be the spawn of squids, which under-
goes such a transformation in the stomach of the herring. Whether
such is the fact or not, I have had no opportunity to ascertain.
Other food, again, upon v;hich the herring feed, works in along the
blood veins which run around the back-bone, taints the flesh that sur-
round this, and burns the abdomen. A nasty smell can even be felt
at the end of ^he back-bone of such herring, by tearing the tail apart
and exposing the bone. In any case, herring is not fit to be cured
before such »od is removed. Even if it is ripped open in the stomach,
and all the ntrails removed before it is salted, the effects of such food
upon the flesh is not without injurious consequences. For this reason
herring which are caught in seines and kept barred until they are
cleaned (which, as a rule, is done in the course of four or five days).
are more valuable and give a better article of food than herring
caught in nets.

The ripping of the herring down the stomach and the removal of
all the entrails and blood, before it is put in salt, is certainly the most
proper and complete mode of trefitment ; but as tbe continental con-
Bumers of herring generally value either the fat or the milt and rc^.
very much, this way of treatment finds no acceptance in Europe. It
has, therefore, to be cured according to the consumers' taste, with the
Tat, milt and roe left in *he fish, in order to meet a demand in the
markets.

OBJECT OF GIBBIXG AND GUTTING HERRING.
The object of gibbing and gutting is : —

1. To liberate the herring from the blood, which is done by the
removal of the gills, the throat and heart.

2. To remove such ingredients as are already in a slate of de
composition (such as the stomach and intestines), or such matter as is
most apt to decay, before the salt has a chance tu penetrate into all
parts of the herring.

3. To give the pickle a better chance to act upon the herring, as
well from the inside as from the outside, through the skin.

4 Finally, to lessen the quantity of salt used in the cure of her-
ring, and thereby improve the flavor of the fish.

In Norway, as a rule, only the throat, pectoral fins, the heart,
and in some cases the gills, are removed. By this operation, which
id done either by tearing out a [)iece in the throat with the fingers,
or by clipping it out with a scissors made for that purpose, the first
object (to remove the blood) it^ obtained, and even this only partly.

53

i herring, us

cure of her

The Dutch and the Scotch remove the gills, throat, pectoral fins,,
liver, heart, stomach, crown or blind gut, if the herring is intended
for export to foreign countries ; and by this operation the full object
of gibl)ing and gutting is obtained. What is left then is onl/the
milt and roe, which some people are very ibnrf of. The blind-gut is
claimed by many curers and consumers to give the hcrrina: a nice
flavor, and for this reason it is often allowed to remain.

NORWEGIAN, SCOTCH AND DUTCH METHODS.

Why the Norwegiaiis, as a rule, do not gut their herring; like
the Scotch and Dutch is that the most of their herrings are cau^t in
the fjords with seines, and kept barred until what food the herrings
may contain has worked out. The Scotch and Dutch catch their her-
ring with nets in the North Sea and outside the coast of Scotland, and
have therefore no chance to get the food worked out of the herring
in any way, but removes instead thereof the stomach. The fat her-
rings, caught in the summer time, are, as a rule, most infected with
injurious food. It is recommendable to remove the blind-gut with the
surrounding fat such herring contain, which is caught during the
summer months, because the fat at this time is generally loose and
dissolves into oil, Avhich again easily becomes rancid, and injures the
stomach of the herring as well as the pickle. Fat herring in which
the stomach is ripped open, and all the entrails removed, sometimes
also shoot their fat after being salted. This, as a rule, is due to the
fact that such herring have not been put quick enough in salt, or
have been exposed to heavy pressure, by being packed together in
I too large quantities, while being conveyed to the curing place, in
fresh condition. The herrings caught in the North Sea, on the coast
of Scotland and Norway, are, on an average, smaller than the herring
J caught in Newfoundland, on the coast of Labrador and the American
j-coast ; but with the exception of the Labradoi" herring, are considered
I to be a superior quality. The eating of these herring does not, as a
jrule, when well cured, cause a rising in the stomach, which often is the
lease with herring cured on this side of the Atlantic Ocean. On the
Icoast of Iceland there is caught in the summer months and fall, a
jherring which resembles the Labrador herring very much in fatness
land size. These ar-, by the Norwegians, often salted down round in
Ibarrels., and gibbed a»id re-packed after the vessel's return hou\e in
khe fall — a fact which contradicts the idea many people have got in
Newfoundland, that the Labrador herring is too fat to be cured round,
|eyen when gibbed and gutted. I have myself caught these fine her-
ring on tl e i>orthern coast of Iceland, being that fat they could not
be smoked, on account of the oil dropping from them in such large
juantities that the smothered fire was put in a blaze. These Iceland

54

'-tr Tors Sf:fr^'b^r -rr ^s tT/„tf V' th??«lt

rt':X!gt"!^ -;°f"Mhey oa„ be cured round without

being damaged.

NEWFOUNDLAND HERRING/

Altliou.^h the Newfoundland herrings are large, they cannot
oommre wUh the bost Labrador or European herring m fatness and
?^.7fla?or S 1 the good winter herring, which I have seen in Pla-
"Ind /ortune B.y are. fully equal Jo the hernng caugh m
FnrmiP in the vdnter and spring, if not better; and it put up in a
!^L^F,nonean wa would, I consider, be fully able to compete with
fh e trrLTLX' Imeri'can markets. Whether tl-- large hern^^^^
would suit the European markets is a question. The continental
people, as a rule, do not care much for very large herring, ihey
consider the flesh in those too coarse.

QUALITIES OF THE GOOD HERRING.

Concerning the nature of the fresh herring, it is required in order
to obtSn a good article, that the herring also possess -tain q-a ifi^^^
tions such as sufficient size and maturity, fleshiness and fatness. A
kan drv, a smembered or half rotten herring, can never S^^^.^Z
an cle e^en if it is cured ever so well. A small herring, winch has
n^^Z^eUe full state of maturity, fetches only --/^ P-es m h^
markets. Of much importance is also the development of the sexual
^rta^s It these are in a far advanced «tate the herring loses in lat^
ifeTs and flavor. These should be firm and the -l-^f -J^P/'^^^^^^
with a certain quaiitity of fat. Large amounts of tat around tt^e
bliil-'utisasignof the herring being fat right U^^'o^^S \/l^«^. ^^^f^
A a i^^le, ocean°herring (sucli herring as pass most the of the time in
the ocean and only approach the coast for reproductive purposes) are
cons Ssuperio^olhe herring that keep the„.3elves c-e to he
coast or in the bays all the time. Of these herring again, those n hich
are cauoht in de.p water are better than those caught in shoal water.
A iU^-i herr\ng is known by its small ^'--V .U an^Tas
body; is broad acrossjhe back and plump towards ^l^ tail, and has
got a great depth from the back to the abdomen, which gives tins a
well-rounded shape.

IMPORTANCE OF EARLY SALTING.

Li order to obtain a good article of salt cured li^i-^^S;;^^ ^''jf,^;
.urv that the herring is liberated from its food, and P^;^;;^^:^ ^ .i«
soon as possible after ])eing brought out from the water. En en it the

^ V^

he food is
r the fact
id without

ley cannot
itness and
sen in Pla-
caught in
it up in a
11 pete with
rge herring
continental
ing. They

red in order
in qualifica-
fatness. A
give a good
, which has
irices in the
the sexual
loses in fat-
I penetrated
around the
h the llesh.
I the time in
urposes) are
ch>se to the
those which
shoal water.
: and plump
tail, and has
gives this a

ig it IS necos-

put in salt as

Even if the

55

quality is ever so fine, a good article can never be had if it is not pro-
perly treated during the whole cure. The Scotch herring cannot get
the official crown brand except they are salted at least twenty-four
hours after being brought out from the sea. As a rule the curers do
not care about herring which is more than twenty-four hours out of
the sea before they are landed, and only take those at a low figure.
In Holland even a distinction is made between the herring, which are
taken out first, and those which are taken last from the nets. The
cure of herring on board the fishing crafts commences therefore, if cir-
cumstances allow, soon after the nets are hauled in. To leave the
herring exposed to the hot sun, while being conveyed to the salting
place, or to leave the herring in the nets until the shore is reached,
if the catch has taken place a long distance off the shore is objection-
able. An old law in Norway, of 1775, even prohibited people from
taking such herring from their seines, in the summer time, before 10
o'clock in the evening and after 5 o'clock in the morning, if it was going
to be salted for export.

EUROPEAN CLASSIFICATION OF HERRING.

The herring in general are classified in Europe according to the
development of the sexual organs, in three main branches: "fat
herring;" "full herring" and "spent herring."

1. Fat Herring (matties are generally reckoned as fat herring)
[with ver}' little or no development of the sexual organs at all, but
I much fat about the blind gut.

2. Full Herring : with full developed but firm and dim milt
land roe, and little or no fat about the blind gut. Of these the male
lis considered the most valuable as an article of food. A poorer quali-
|ty of full herring are those which have got their milt and roe loose

ind transparent.

3. Spent-Herrin(; : — These are fish which have spawned and con-
tain no milt, roe or fat. A distinction is also made between those
ppent herring that have spawned recently, and got their sexual or-
gans much collapsed, but not yet gained much in flesh after spawning
jind those which have spawned some time previous, with less collap-

2d sexual organs and a little fat beginning to form around the crown-
tut. Among the fat herring are nlso found in larger quantities a
[mailer herring, which have not reached maturity ; but still are fat
Ind well fittt '1 for salting purposes. These are reckoned or sorted as
linall-sizcd " mattits." Each of the three main divisions of herring
|re again sorted according to size.

Jj

56
BEST SALT FOE HERRING.

In ve-ard to what kind of salt is the most suitable for salting

In 1 egaro ^ " "* ^ the preferenco. The choice

herring, it is difficult to P™ ""f,™? „■ „ :,' „„;„, to be cured, and

of salt depend, much upon ho; 'he h - -o .s^^om,^^^ ^^^,^ .^ ;,^^„^

"^Z^t i"t is "cdn proper uanities. Fine and watery salt melts
^'llfer.'b^it'lire^w f {picuL ^

;:S''^tt'itrhm%'a .Tr:;leulng ;:' ^h^lr thlherrlng is intend.

T-u coU Txrliilp thp Norweciaus use bt. ibes salt, ii is oi muou
^iitant'al fo^erlv ^ted to put the herring in salt as quick as
impoitance as 0 meriy j obtained. For this reason the

St'af thfhe';^:^ is'Sed. sprinkle it heavily with salt in ins
or vessels made for that purpose, before it is gibbed and ^ ttea

£dt better and quicker when they are afterw,irds gibbed and g t-
ted The Hollanders rail their herrings in trays filled with flue L. v-
erpool or St Ybes salt, as soon as they are gibbed and g«".ed. before

much.

PACKING HERRING.

In nackin-r the herring in barrels, it is recommendable not to
u.ok t^hem too ti^ht before °they have shrunk in the salt and also to
pack herHng of Sie .ame size and quality right through the whole
Lr el The^^acking is performed differently among different nations^
In Norway tie herrlngs'are packed slantways on their back whie^
the Scotch and Hollanders pack them fully on their back. By this
ast mode (which no doubt is the best) the herring get a more roun4 -
uid hick Lppearance in the back ; and it has also this ^dvan age that
the nickle has .^ot a better chance to get in and saturate through the
Ibdomtaltvity of the gutted herring. After ^^^-^^^J^
, 1 • xu_ ^_ii. |Up hTrrol" n^*^ fil^p'd up asrain. and put away,

shrunk m the Suit, tnc Darrsi _ „i- . i 'i„^j' AaimKr

but care is taken that the herring is not packed too hard. As lon„

57

for salting
The choice
cared, and
lU is clean,
T salt melts
importance
)arse saU is
g is intend-
y length of
ht Cadiz or
\j is of much
as quick as
} reason the
salt in bins
and gutted,
pool salt (or
' this means
can also be
jed and gut-
:th fine Ltv-
itted, before
ecisely. In
the herrings
have to use
sprinkling of
t on board of
A them very

idable not to
t, and also to
rh the whole
;rent nations,
r back, while,
ick. By thisj
a more round
Ivantuge, that
e through the
I herring has
.nd put away,
ardf As long

as the barrels are left to remain still, there is no need of hard pack-
ing, but when they are to be shipped, it is recommendable to repack
the herring so tight that they do not move about, even if the barrels
are handled ever so roughly, so that the receiver may be exempted
from filling the barrels again after they have reached their place of
destination.

HERRING BARRELS.
The quality of barrels used for salting herring in is of much im-
portance in order to obtain a desirable product. If too soft wood ia
employed, the pickle will work through the staves, the herring be-
come dry, and be damaged within a short time. Among the folifer-
ous wood in Europe, the populus (poplar) is considered least answer-
able; and among the conifers, the spruce or fir are less suitable than
the red pine wood, because the former is generally knotty and more
ready to get saturated with pickle or water. Good hard and clean
spruce, which is cut fresh and has not been soaked in water, may com-
pete with the pine when it gets properly seasoned. The 'Hollanders
use mostly barrels made of oak, the Scotch, barrels of birch or beech,
and the Norwegians, barrels of spruce and red pine wood. Staves
made of birch are brittle, and apt to twist. In Scotland the regula-
tions for making her ing barrels are that the staves shall be not less
than half an inch thick, and not wider than six inches, except the oak
staves, which may be seven inches wide; and that the bottoms should
be at least of the same thickness as the staves, and none of the pieces
uf which it consists be made wider than eight inches. The usual
thickness of the staves in the Scotch herring barrels are from 9-six-
teenths to lO-sixteenths of an inch, and the bottoms are generally
made 3-fourths of an inch thick. In Holland there was a law passed
enacting that a iierring barrel should be manufactured of at least 13
staves (which makes every stave on an average b\ inch wide), and that
no stave should be less than | of an inch in thickness. In Norway

he staves as a rule are made | inch thick, and the barrels mostly made
by machinery. The Scotch barrels are generally full-banded for ex-
port to hot climates in the summer time. They are also furnished
with an iron hoop on each end. The Dutch barrels are furnished
[with IS to 20 hoops (divided 5 or 6 on each end, and four on each side

)f the middle), while the Norwegians have only 12 to 16 (divided
three and three, or four and four) or if iron hoops are used, they fur-
fiiish each barrel with iron hoops.

The normal capacities of the European barrels are : —

The Dutch barrels 125 litr 33 gallons ') \fr\„p,

aM,^ af.^t„i, u 1 oi o a Q9 .« ' vvine

TheNor'gian" 110 " 30.6 « ^^^'^easure

W£

58

r

'1

• • • • •

28'6 inch.
25| "

Oho

17a "

1. The Dutch barrels should, according to an Act which was re-
pealed in 1858, have the following dimensions :—

The whole height outside. . .. 710 ni.m.
The length between the crosses 654 m.m.

Circumference of bilge 1700 m.m.

Diameter of bottom 446 m.m.

2. The dimensions of the Scotch herring barrels are generally as
follows : —

The whole height 30^ inches.

Diameter of bilge outside » • • 21

Diameter of ends outside 1^

Length inside " --^ ^

Diameter of bilge inside 1^2

Diameter of the ends inside 17

1. The dimensions of the Norwegian barrels are : —

Toial height • ^^

Circumference of the ends outside. oi

Circumference of the middle of the bilge 04

Diameter of the bottom and head 1^

Length between the crosses 26

29 inc! es.

a

111 Norway a movement has been made lately to get a law accord-
ing to which all'barrels for shipment of herring should be manufac-
tured of a certain kind of wood, and of certain dimensions ; but as far
as I am aware, such act has not been passed yet. If the barrels are
made of fat spruce or red pine, and also of oak, the herring will take
a flavour from the barrels which some people like very much, but
others again do not care for. In Scotland it was prohibited to salt her-
ring in barrels manufactured of red pine until the year 1874 ; and for
many years back a similar act or law existed in Norway ; but this was
repealed again on account of the Russians, who consunnd large quan-
tities of salted herring, and valued the Norway cure very much on ac-
count of the resinous taste the herring got from tb? red pine barrels.
Some people again value the Dutch herring very much on account of
the taste or flavour they receive from the barrels. To keep the bar-
rels from shrinking, it is recommended to put a little pickle in them
while they are kept in stock.

lich was le-

lenerallv as

59

THE NORWEGIAN CURE OF HERRING.

As formerly stated, the largest quantity of herring in Norway i»
caught in the fjords by seines, and kept barred until what food the
herring may contain, is worked out in the natural way before they
are taken up, dressed and salted. As a rule the herring are salted in
the vicinity of the places where they are caught, so that they can be
put in salt almost alive, which is of the utmost importance in order to
obtain a good article. In this way they have an advantage over the
Scotch, who have to go far off the coast for their herring, and cannot
get them in salt before they reach the shore, which often takes along
time. They have an advantage over the Dutch, because although
they salt their herring on board of their 'vessels soon after they are
caught, still they may have been dead several hours in the nets be-
fore they are hauled on board, and at all events none of the herring
taken in drift-nets or other nets, can be deprived fully of the injuri-
ous food they may contain as they can when barred in a seine. When
brought to the shore, or salting places, from the seine, the herrings are
gibbed in this way ; — that a triangular piece of the throat, large
enough to admit the heart and the pectoral fins to be removed, is cut
out by the means of scissors made for that purpose, or by a small knife
(some also use the fingers). This cut should be made deep enough to
divide the large blood-veins situated close to the neck-bone, in order
to remove the blood it contains. Sometimes also the gills are removed
especially on the full herring caught in the spring.

SALTING AND PACKIFG.

Generally a large enough crew is employed, to admit the gibbing
and the salting to take place at the one time. On account of the her-
ring caught in seines being always mixed, every gibber has got placed
before him or her so many barrels or tubs as the herring are to be
sorted in (from three to five) ; and according as they are gibbed, every
herring is also at the same time, by the gibber, sorted anc' placed in
the various barrels or tubs to which they belong. The Salter then
takes the herring and packs them in new barrels, which lately have
been soaked in sea-water, slant ways on their back, with 4 barrel of
St. Ybes salt to one barrel of herring. The herring are packed loosely^
one lays across the other the whole Kit-^'I through. The uppermost
layers are packed sometimes slantwise back up. Some packers put
•from 1^ to 2 gallons of pickle (made of ^ brl. of salt to one brl. sea-
water) on the herring soon after it is salted, and head up the barrels
immediately. Others again let the barrels remain unheaded for one
day before they fill them with pickle. Before the barrels are headed
up, a layer or two of herring are generally put into the barrels, in

i 'i

i,j!

ik

60

order to fill np the empty room caused by the shrinking of the her-
rings By putting the' pickle on the herring soon after they are
packed, the salt dissolves quicker and saturates the herring more
speedily, so that the contents of the stomach (provided the food is
liberated) hardly has got any injurious effects upon the durability of
the herring. After the barrels are headed up, they are broached in
the head and blown into by means of a brass pipe containing a valve,
which is put down in the hole, and if found tight, the hole is plugged
up as soon as the air has escaped ; if not, they are made tight in the
places where they are leaky, and blown over again before they are
fitowed down on board the vessels.

SHIPPING HERRING.

After reaching the port of shipment and before being exported,
the herring are repacked and the barrels filled with the original
pickle which was formed first ; and if this does not hold out,
new pickle is made to supply what is wanting. As a rule, the her-
ring are repacked in such a way that out of four barrels salted in the
fishing-places, from 3^ to 3J barrels of herring are obtained, when
packed for shipment. They never, as a rule, pack their herring as
light as the Scotch or Dutch do, except the herring is specially to be
put up in such style.

SORTING THE HERRING.

The herring is sorted according to quality and size agreeable to
the producers' or'curers' individual judgment, as there has been no offi-
cial cullinsr system since since 1857, and no law iu existence at pre-
sent, that "fixes certain rules or regulations according to which the
herring is to be sorted. Therefore the sorting also varies a little iu
different years, according to the quality and size of the herring caught.
Some years back the herring was sorted into four sizes : Ejohimndsdd
(merchantable), Middehild (medium). Store ChristiaTn'adld (large
Christiania herring), and Small Christianiasild (small Christiana her-
ring). Of these, the merchantable was the largest and the small
Christiania herring the smallest; and each of these sorts of herring
was signified by the initials K. or M., or C. or CX.,or else with one,
two, three or four strokes. At present the herring are sorted in six
g-,./;es— onf! size larger than the merchantable and the other small' r
than the small Christiania herring.

The most rational method is to have a certain length, according
to which the herring should be sold. This has been proposed and also
recommended by the Society for the promotion of the fisheries in Nor-

ei

way. The length proposed, which also corresponds as near as possible-
with the different sizes the herring is sorted, are as follows; —

DKSUiNATIONa.

I^rge herring
Merchantable.
Medium . . .
Large Christiania
Small do
Smallest do

The varioim marks Pinploycd

which liBiiify the saint'

kind of herring.

o Stroke

i t

KKKK.

I "

K.

KKK.

2 "

M.

KK.

3 "

C.

K.

4 "

ex.

M.

5 "

cxx

C.

liKXOril or THE Hkiiii(n<

beyond 300 m. ni. — 12^>4 inch.

from 300 to 271 m. m. — i2}i to 10^ "

" 270 to 241 r.;.m. — 10^ to 914 "

" 240 to 211 m.m. — i,'/' to S}4 "

" 210 to 181 m.m. — S}( to 7^ "

below 180 m.m. — 7^ "

Although so confusing to have so many different marks for the
same kind of herring, still these marks have, during a length of time*
worked their way into the domestic herring trade ; and as the old peo-
ple would not give up their way of marking their herring bar-
rels, according as the new was introduced, they are still in existence ;
but at present, the latest introduced marks quoted in the last rubric,
are best known in foreign countries, and therefore used on exported
barrels of herring.

In 1753 there was a law passed in Norway, according to which
all herring or other salted fish should be culled and branded by the
culler with an official mark, before it could be sold in t' " domestic
markets or exported to foreign markets ; but this law was repealed in
1857, and since that time no culling nor ofScial marking of herring
has taken place,

A Norwegian herring barrel weighs about 100 kg., 2201 pounds,

THE SCOTCH CURE OF HERRING.

As soon as the herring is landed and sprinkled with salt, the gib-
bing and gutting take place. This is performed in the following
manner : The herring is held in the left hand, stomach up, in such
Avay that the head reaches beyond the thumb and forefinger (index.)
With the other hand a small straight-edged and sharp-pointed knife
is pushed in, just below the gill-lid, on that side of the herring
that shows towards the rigl t hand and forced right through the
throat, close to the neck bone, so that the point of the knife comes
well out on the other side. The forefinger is then pressed against the
head, and the thumb across the pectoral fins. A little cut with the
knife is first made down in the direction of the tail, after which it is
given a twist, and a cut made close up under the pectoral fins. The
throat is grasped between the index and middle finger (on the right
hand), and with a sn^rt jerk, the intestinals, (stomach, crown-gut,

•^

62

liver and heart,) along with the gilld and pectoral tins, arc torn out,
leavin.' only the milt or roe to remain in the herring. When the
herring is intended for expc.i to the continental markets, the crown-
gut is often allowed to remain.

Another way of gutting herring when these formerly have been
clipped, is to put the thumb behind the gills, and with a jerk from the
top and downwards, break the gills loose from the head ; when these
then are taken out, the esophagus (gullet) and the sto.uach follow,
because all these are cohesive; but this way is seldom in use auy-
where else than in some cases in Norway.

SALTING AND PACKINCx HERRING IN SCOTLAND.

According as the herrings are gibbed and gutted they are sorted
in baskets and put into the rousing tubs, where they are rolled in
small Liverpool salt, before being packed in barrels generally made of
birch. In these the herring are packed fully on 'their back, with a
small plate full of salt sprinkled between each layer of fish. The one
layer of herring is put across the other, the whole barrel through, and
each layer furnished with two '' head-herrings," put on their sides.
The barrels are filled until a couple layers of -fish above the chime, or
top, and covered Avith wooden covers made for that purpose. In this
way they remain two or three days, after which time, when the herring
has settled, the barrels are filled up again with fish from the same
packing, headed up and put down on their sides. Every second day,
as 3 rule, the barrels are given a little turn around, until the last
packing (bung-packing) takes place. A look-out is, during this time,
kept upon the barrels, that none of them are leaking. In order to
obtain the official crown brand, the herring must have been in salt at
least ten days, exclusive of the first day of packing and the last day
filling up or bung-packing When the barrels, after such time, or
later on, are going to be made ready for shipment, the pickle is
drawn off" through the bung-holes and these plugged up ; the barrels
are then opened and more herring of the same packing pressed into
the barrels, either by the means of a common press, or else by the
way of a man pressing the herrings down, either by liand or by
trampling them down after a small barrel-head had been placed on lop
of the herring. Care is in the meantime taken that tho herring is not
pressed that tight that no room be left for the pickle. The object
with tliis last and tight packing is to prevent the herring from being
shaken about in the barrels during the ume of conveyance and to
save the recipient from the trouble of re-packing the barrels after they
have reached their place of destination. After a sufficient quantity
of herring is pressed into the barrels, they are headed up and filled.

torn out,
When the
he crown-
have been
k from the
t^hen these
ich follow,
n use any-

A.ND.

are sorted
; rolled in
ly made of
,ck, with a
. The one
trough, and
their sides,
e chime, or
e. In this
the herring

the same
jecond day,
til the last
; this time,
n order to
in in salt at
le last day
;h time, or

e pickle is
the barrels
)res3ed into
slse by the
band or by
laced on top
erring is not
The object
from being
mce and to
lis after they
nt quantity
p and filled,

63

through the bung-hole, with the same pickle which was drawn off
formerly, after being strained. The bungs are then put in tight, the
hoops driven home and the barrels blown ; after they are joined tight
the uppermost hoop is nailed fast, the blow-hole stopped up, and they
are in a condition ready for shipment. If the herring is to be exported
to countries outside the European Continent, or to hot climates, it is
gerferally, when the bung-packing takes place, emptied out of the
barrels altogether ; the crown-gut is removed, if it is left, and the
herring rinsed in clean water, and re-packed with coarse Liverpool salt.
In place of using the original pickle the barrels are then filled with
new pickle made of clean salt. All these barrels arc full banded and
furnished with one-inch wide iron-hoop in each end. In order to ob-
tain the official crown brand, such barrels should contain no less than
212 pounds of herrings, e.xclusive of salt and pickle. A good many of
the Scotch herring are also packed' in half barrels.

BRANDING— ITS VALUE.

The system of culling, along with the official crown mark on all
exported herring barrels, has contributed more to the good reputation
the Scotch herrings have gained in the continental markets than
many may imagine.

The dealers, on reception of Scotch herring with the crown
brand, are satisfied that the barrels really contain what they are
branded for, in regard to quality and weight ; and this has given
them such confidence in the Scotch herring that these are received
and approved of without even being opened, while the Norwegian
herring barrels, since the official branding was abolished in 1851,
must be opened and re-packed before the recipient can sell them,
which often causes a good deal of inconvenience. The Scotch herring
is sorted and branded according to the treatment or cure and the de-
velopment of the sexual organs in : —

Crown P. Full Brand. — Barrels obtaining this brand must con-
tain all fine, well cured, large, full herring, and not mixed with her-
ring of a poorer quality, nor with spent herring, nor matties, which
have not got their roe or milt fully developed.

Crow>^ p. Matties Brand.— Barrels obtaining this brand must
contain fine, rich herring, with small milt or roe, must be well cured
and not be mixed with full, spent, broken or dismembered herring.

Crown P. Spent Brand.— Barrels with this brand should contain
spent herring (herring, with their sexual organs, more or less col-
lapsed after spawning), properly gibbed^ and cured, and all full her-
herring, matties, broken ur dismembered herring aoricd out.

64

*•'!

l-tt

l^m

Crown P. Mixed Brand.— This brand la used for mixed herring
<8uch herring as cannot be borted as full, rnalties or spent). The
mixed herring should also be pr. perly gibber , packed and cured, and
uo dismembered herring bo packed in the barrels.

Crown P.P. Re-packed Brand. Barrels with this brand should

contain herring which has been in salt at least ten days, exclusive of
the day of packing and the day of re-packing and branding. Further,
this herring should, when they are re-packed, be emptied out of the
barrels in > ''ich they were first packed or cured, the crown-gut be re-
moved and the herring be rinsed and re-packed, with sufficieht salt,
in the same barrels, and supplied with new, strong pickle made of
clean salt. The barrels should be fun-banded and furnished with a
one-inch wide iron hoop in each end.

Lo/ENOE Brand.— This brand is used for herring which formerly
has been bung-packed, and branded, but afterwards re-pack' d in the
same way as is required, in order to obtain the re-packed brand. The
lozenge is branded just below the crown brand. In case new barrels
are employed, they are branded with the crown brand and the lozenge
in the same way.

THE DUTCH CULE OF HERRING.

The most of the Dutch herring are caugh*. at sea in drift-nets
and cured on board of the vessels. If there is a chance, the dressing
(gibbing and gutting) takes place according as the nets are hauled
on board and the herring picked out of them. The Dutch way of gib-
bing and gutting herring is about the same as the Scotch; the only
diflference is that the crown-gut is anowed to remain in the herring,
as it is considered that the fat which is attached to this gives the
herring' a nice liavour. After the knile is put through the throat, the
cut is at once made up towards the pectoral fins , thus the opening is
made smaller than in the Scotch herring.

According as the herrings are dressed they are sorted in baskets,
and from tJiese, about a couple of hundred at a time are put into large
trays, filled with fine Lisbon or St. Ybes salt, and rolled in this salt.
After the herring is carefully and well rolled in the salt, it is packed
in barrels, back down, the same way as the Scotch, with Lisbon salt
sprinkled on the top of each la>er of fish. Whcm the whole catch is
salted down, a bucket o( blood-jnckle (made of sea-water and the leav-
incrs after the dressinsr') is put over the herring and the barrels headed
and put down in the vessels' hold.

65

d herring
ut). The
cured, and

tnd should
cclusive of
Further,
out of the
-gut he re-
cieht salt,
le made of
ed with a

li formerly
:■ J ill the
and. The
ew barrels
;he lozenge

1 drift-nets

tie dressing

[ire hauled

way of gib-

i; the only

he herring,

gives the

throat, the

opening is

in basket
i into lai^"
n this silt,
t is packed
Lisbon salt
)le catch is
id the leav-
rels headed

PACKING AND SHIPPING THE DUTCH HERKING.

The obj'^ct of heading up the barrels so soon is to prevent the
herring from being affected by the air. I" this state the barrels re-
main for a time of from six to ten days, w»ien they are taken up and
lilled with herring of the same packing, after the pickle firsi, ia
drawn. This filling or sea-packing is pretty compact, and it take :
about ti'ree barrels to fill four of them. After the barrels are filled,
the origini^l pickle, after being strained, is put over the herring, and
the barrels hmded up and ' '-^wn, and if found tight put back into the
hold of the vejiael. It is c .usidered of importance not to undertake
the filling of the barrels too early, as the herring, in such cases will
be shrivelled; but c . • other hand, it should not bo performed too
late, because if so, the tierrings, by being tossed about in the pickle,
while the vessel is rolling in the sea, loses a great deal of their scales.
After the vessels arrive home, the barrels are r »ain filled with her-
ring and supplied with the original ■ '^kle. In this lust filling, it ia
gtnierally estimated that thirteen bu. Is of herring in a fit state for
shipment are obtained from fourteen sea-packjd barrels. A h'.rg's
quantity of herring is also re-ijaoked in small kegs — one-si.Kteenth
part of a barrel, and containing from 45 to 50 herring. Tliis especially
is for the American markets, whi'e a smaller quantity are also packed
in half-barrels, but these do not take very well. A Dutch barrel of
full, selected herring, with milt and roe, contain about 800 her^ir-^j,
which weigli from 110 to 115 kilogram (242^ to 254.6 pounds) net,
e.ia'lusive of salt and pickle.

SORTING THE ^>UTCn HERRING.

The I i-rings are sorted according to tho development of

the sexual o.^'^us^ i" four qualitin.s : — full h<^rring (vol herring brand-
ed VOL) ; matties (maatjis branded M) ; sp • i '^erring (I;len branded
I.T or IJLE) ; and herring which h-ive vecen^ spawned { .uit branded
KZ); besides herrings which have not been packed beioi-e tiie day
alter they were caught are branded 0. Each of the first three l>randa
are again sorted in three or more qualities, and branded numi.jr one,
two and thrse. All herring which on account of so large a catch could
iiot be cured the same day, but had to be left over a night b'^fore they
w^lre packed, together with torn bellies, or chafed herring, are sorted
;i. iurding to quality, as number three, while all herring in good con-
dition and fp.o from faults, as No. 1 and No. 2, - ,cordi\g to quality
and treatment. Distinction is also rnncle between herring caugh in
the open sea, near the coast, andin the Zu'derSea; and the barrels are
generally furnished with a mark signifying the place and the year in
which thv. herrings were caught. Be" re the official system v>f cull-

66

ing was abolished, in the year 1878, this was branded on the bilge of
the barrels for if the herring were packed in smaller packages on the
most convenient place) by the culler, in such manner that a royal
crown was branded in the middle, and the other directions in letters
on either side of the crown. For instance : —

1890.

z

^ Co:

of
1 Arin»
\ inside

1

^.,, f [This brand would signify full herring caught in the
^' ^ mL ) '^- ^ North Sea, in the year 1890.

\ inside y

VOL.

18!»0.

(This brand would signify rnatties uauglit of[ uie coast
^•' '- the V ear 1890

J

in

Z.

IS.SIt

This brand would signify spent he"ring caught iii
Zuider .Sea in the year 1889.

the

It was also custompry to brand the bar-els which had been culled
with the letter Wr., which meant " wrakken" (culling) after VOL.
M. or I. J. — for Instance, like (VOL. Wr.). Since the official dystem
of culling was done away with,*he branding is often deficient and has
also changed a little; for instance herring expoViv-J to America are
branded : —

18M1).

VOL

Snppcrior.

s.

Thi.^

lis would mean selected superior full herring caugaK
in the year 1889, which has been culled.

The Dutch herring are also sometimes sorted as male and females
nnd packed in small packajres roiitaining either all milt or all roe

herring.

he bilge of
ges on the
at a royal
! in letter*

ght in the

T the coast

Light iii the

been culleil
after VOL.
;ial djstein
!nt and has
merica are

ring ca

nd females
or all roe

67

CONSUMERS' TASTES TO BE CONSULTED.

It is an important point to cure the herring according to the con-
sumers taste and not according to one's own. and to put them up ia
packages suitable for the different markets. Most of the continents
people in Europe hold the opinion that the original pickle (blood-
pickle called) gives the herring a nice flavour; and it is also held that
the Dutch herrings are superior to any other, because thev are salted
on board immediately aft«;r being caught, and the motion of the vessel
has a beneficial influence upon the pickle and the herring. The Dutch
believe much in the original pickle; and when this gets short they
even make pickle of the fresh offal after gibbing or gutting, instead of
making pickle of clean salt and water. A good pickle should have &
mild and sweet taste. L' the pickle commences to get a disagreeable
taste, it is a sign that the herring has not been salted satisfactorily,
and that the herring will spoil within a short timj. In such cases it
IS recommendable to do away with the bad pickle, if the herrinc' still
IS good, and supply the bai-rels with new pickle, made of clean salt
and water.

HOW THE AMERICANS LIKE THEIR HERRINGS.

The European herring are mostly consumed among the con-
tinental people in Europe, and the European population of Ame-
rica. These people seldom cook their herring, but eat them in tha
pickled state, after being soaked in fresh vvator, or pack them up into
salad, or in pickle, in various ways, made of vinegar and spices.^ For
this reason they do not ^are for a herring, wliieh is over-salted, and
hard in the flesh, or deprived of its flavour by too much salt, nor do
they care for too large herrng with coarse flesh, nor for lean herring;
but prefer uiddle sized one, with rich, fine and te.ider flesh, salted
as mild as .'ssiblo. They appreciate a herring of such a quality and
so cured, mat it almost melts away in their mouths, when it is eaten.
The Dutch reckon they use in all one barrel of Lisbon salt to five bar-
rels of herring in the hot season, and one barrel of salt to six barrels
or herring in the colder seasons of the year.

A 8II0R1 VIEW OP THE EUROPEAJ^ HERRING BUSINESS
IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

f'Aie European herring the Dutch cure has gauied the widest
na in the States. The export of herring to the United States
Holland has increased largely of late years, and at the same
t'p-eaiso the deuuiud for the best and flnest qualities, which has be-
come an universal article of food among a large number of the inhabi-
tants.

%c.«

)^mim

68

The largest demand for Dutch herring is in kegs, one-sixteentK
part of a barrel, and has got the following dimensions :—

Total height outside 10| inches.

Length between the crosses 9j

Diameter of the middle of the bilge inside 8 ^^

Diameter of the enJs of the keg inside 7

Diameter of the bottom or head 7^ *^

Thickness of the bottoms and the staves i

These kegs are made of oak and banded with either 8, 14 or
16 wooden hoops. The staves in the chime at the bottom end of the
keg are of the same thickness as the stave right out to the end, while
in the head end they are slanted off" towards the end. The export
of herring from Holland to the States in these kegs runs up to about
half a million every year ; besides they export about 5000 barrels
«nd a few half-barrels annually to America. Half ard quarter bar-
rels do net seem to take very well in the United States.

Herrings packed in one-sixteenth kegf; ?.re classified thus :—

Dark herrings in kegs with 8 hoops contain 50-55 Vol! Herring.] Roe or Milt
White " " M-16 " " 45-50 Supr. do herrmg or all

yf\^\tc " " 14-16 " " 45-50 Sel. Slip, do ) milt herring.

One of these kegs containing about 15J pounds of herrings, ex-
clusive of the pickle. A barrel containing from 242 to 254 pounds of
herring net, as before stated. Herring packed in barrels made of
hardwood, fetch from 50 cents to one dollar higher price than herring
packed in softwood barrels.

The duty on pickled herrings is A cent per pound, which brings
ibe duty on a Dutch barrel of herring up to about $1.20, or $1.27^
and duty on one-sixteenth kg. to about 8 cents.

SEASON FOR HERRINGS IN THE U. STATES.

The first Dutch matties arrive in the Str.tes in the month of June
•« Vol!" herring arrive in the latter part of July, but the great de-
mand for and sale of herring commences about the first of September
and continues until the middle of November. From this time and
ontil the month of February only a small business h done m herring^
in the States. The season "for demand and sale open ag^in about |Me
first of February and continues to the middle of April. The st<
herrings are as"a rule disposed of before the hot weathor sets in. x^
is of no use to keep herring in stock the summer over, in the States,
or to send old herring there, because these cannot be sold, and will
only bring the shippers heavy loss. The people who consume
European herrings want to get a fresh and newly cured article.

m

sixteenth

iches.

II

a
a
t(

II

8, 14 or
?nd of the
end, while
'he export
p to about
)0 barrels
arter bar-

ns : —

Roe or Milt
jrring or all
Tiilt herring.

rrings, ex-
pounds of
,s made of
an herring

lich brings
, or $1.27,

ith of June
e great de-
September
time and
in hcrrinr
1 about
he Btc
iets in.^
the Sttti ^
I, and will
o consume
tide.

69

PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES.

The prices on Dutch as well as other herrings vary often, and like
other articles are regulated by the supply a.d the demand. Some-
times kegs which contain only milt-herring will fetch from 15 to 20
cents more than kegs, which contain milt and roe herring mixed.
Certain brands of selected superior herring packed by careful shippers,
also fetch higher prices, than the common packing. The average
prices for the kegs of Dutch herring are from 40 to 70 and 110 cents ;
and by the barrel from 9 to 10 dollars, according to quality and
packing. —

BRANDS.

All the Dutch exporters brand their barrels and kegs with a cer-
tain trade mark, of which the purchrsers have taken notice, so that
when a good article under a certain trade mark has been obtained,
the demands for such brands always increase, which again has encour-
aged the parties, who took the pains to put up a real good article to
continue to do so, because thereby they always secure a ready sale at
profitable prices.

TRADE CUSTOMS.

Almost all herrings are shipped on consignment to the States;
formerly the consignee sometimes used to advance cash for consign-
ments, but lately this system is more and more done away with, be-
because the consignees often received poor articles, which could not be
sold satisfactorily. The custom is therefore mostly now to forward
the consignors the accounts and remittance, as soon as the herrings
are sold. By this system the consignees claim, that the consignors
nre led to ship better qualities and better cured and packed herring;
mm that by this system the herring is better preserved and has a
(diiarice to increase the demand. One of the largest importers and
tfenlors inEuropean herring in New York has kindly forwarded me a
pro forma, settling of accounts, by which can be seen what expenses
the European herring is submitted to when exported to New York
on consignment. He takes for this purpose a shipment of 1,000 one-
sixteenth kgs. and 100 barrels of Dutch herring.

70

Sai.k : — 1000 — i-i6 kegs
100 — brl.

- 0.70 cts. — $700.00
^9.00 rts. — 900,00

Kxi'F.NSKs: — Freight paid in advance:
Cartage of kegs at i y^ cent.
Cartage of I)rls. at 20 cent. -
Duty 1000 kegs at 7 cents
nuty 100 brls. at 120 cents -
Custom-house < Icarance each invoice
Krokerage, 1000 kegs at 2 cents. -
Brokera'i'e, 100 brls. at 25 cents. -
Coopering and bona fide e.xpenses
Storage and Insurance for one month
Commission at 5 per cent.

$15.00
20.00
70.00

I 30.00

5.00

20.00

- 25.00

9.00

20.00
80.00

$1600.00

Net dividend,

$ 3S4.00
$1216.00

This makes 1543.50 for the kegs and $072.50 for the barrels, or
54| cents per keg. — $6.72| per barrel net.

The storage and insurance are generally charged with 10 cents
per barrel of herring, the first month; and G cents in the second
month.

SCOTCH HERRINGS IN THE STATES.

The import of Scotch herrings to the United States is
yet limited, but a few thousand barrels have been imported
and sold at favorable prices ; and as the Scotch are working
hard to get their herrings introduced into the American markets, no
doubt by continued shipping of the finest and best cured herring,
they, atter a time, will gain markets and increase their export. A
Scotch barrel of herring contains about 250 pounds of fish, exclusive
of pickle, and from 700 to 800 large herring with milt and roe. I
have been informed that Scotch crown full herring has been sold in
New York at 9 and 10 dollars per, barrel, according to quality
and packing.

NORWEGIAN HERRINGS IN THE UNITED STATES.

Tlie export of herring from Norway to America is estimated to
be of late years from 15,000 to 20,000 barrels. The most of this
is exported to New York. The demand is mostly for fat herring
classifitd as K.K.K. and K.K. (respectively from lo| to 12|, and from
9^ to 10| inches in length). The prices vary from $8 to $10 "^
according to quality and demand. The larger brands of winter
spring herring have not found a ready market yet. The season
consumption ^^ Norway herring is also from the Ist of September L
the middle of November, r.nd from the first of February to the middle
of April.

Soo.oo

5S4.00
J16.00

irrels, or

10 cents
e second

tates ia

imported

working

kets, no

herring,

port. A

■xcUisive

roe. I

sold ia

quality

nated to
it of this
herring
[ind fr
. $10
titer
janon
jinbor
e middle

71

Besides herrings there are also from 1,500 to 2,000 barrels of
spra s, and from 2 000 to 3,000 half-barrels of anchovres exported an-
nually to New York from Norway. The sprats fetch from 4 to^5 doH per
trr 1 f^' ••^I'chovies from 5 to 6 doll, per half-barrel. A Norwegfan
barrel of herring weighs 100 kilogram (220.5 pounds net, exdusive

Eurooe InldT^f if ^Tk' '^ herring \o the United States, from
Jiurope, should be followed by an invoice in duplicate, certified by an
an American Consul in the country from which the goods are shipped
and forwarded to the consignee in order to reach him before or aft he
same time as the goods arrive at its place of destination. Unless such
nnTh^^'^T^'Tr"*'!^'^ ^" American Consul, the herring will

geneial order, which causes unnecessary incaease in duty and storeao-e
expenses. ^ ai.uit.aQi.

..Uh^^^ herring exported to the States ought also to be covered fully
with insurance (the amount of invoice with addition of 15 to 20 per
^an^Z7^Pw^"' ^'^'' ^° protect the consignor, not alone
Snl \ fl ' b?* ^^«Ofgainst expensesin case such accident should
happen to the vessel in which the goods were shipped, that the car^^o
had to bear its share of expenses of what damage the ship may re-

ToZ!'- f^ ".f ?u ' ^'^ '^^PP^^ *b^ consignee ought also to be made
acquainted with tlie name of the company with which the cargo is
insured and who the agent is for such company in the United StStes
or in the place to which the goods are shipped '

NORWEGIAN HERRINGS IN EUROPEAN MARKETS

To the European markets the herring is also mostly shipped in
consignment. The prices vary much according to quality, supply and
demand. Russia was formerly a great market tor herring of inferior
quality, but after the duty on imported herring was raised some years
ago from three to about seven shillings and sixpence sterling per bar-
rel, It does not pay to export cheap herring to fhat country Should
the proposed increase of duty (about 17s. stg. per brl.j take place, the
Russian markets for herring will be entirely closed against foreign
««i^tation The large quantity of poor but cheap Swedish herriSo-
I?" *he coast of Bohuslan (Sweden) which of late years are
|into the continental markets in large quantities, threaten also
m down the prices of the better quality and cure. For these
is the American markets have also been sought after and the
export to that country of the best qualities and cure of herring is
gradual y increasing every year. The prices paid for the different
kinds ot herring in the continental markets can be found in the fish
trade Gazette, issued every week in London. Entrlmul n«,i w;,t«i., ^j,,^
cuialed in Newfoundland. ° ' '"^ "

liWiMiwfwprrwwiiwwii rmminwiii iiahiiiiiiiiiiawiiWI

72

In order to compare the expenses charged on herring shipped for
instance on consignment to Hamburg, with those in New York, I ^hall
quote the rates charged by the consignees in Hamburg:

Import duty .••• marks— 1,700

Wharfage and labour.... |^' 0 15 per barrel.

Lighterage " ^ 20 ^^

Cooperage, salt, hoops & packing. " 0 60

Cartage " J^ 20

Storage and insurance " 0 2o

Brokerage " 0 oO

The discount on the total value of the hening (consignment)
charged is 1|: per cent. One mark is equal to one shilling sterling.

SMALL HERRINGS.

Of late years a market has been worked up in Europe for very
small herrings, which are exported in salt condition either whole or
cut and dressed, from Norway to Germany, Galicia, Hungary and
Austria, where they are prepared as Russian sardines. When dressed,
the head is cut off and the herring ripped down in the abdomen.
After the entrails are removed they are cleaned and salted heavy m
barrels, in which state they are allowed to remain about a fortnight.
After this time they are repacked tight in barrels with no salt except
a little put in the bottom and on the top of the barrels. .After these
are headed up, they are supplied with pickle made of clean salt. The
length of these herring is six and seven inches, when -.ut, reckoned
from the tip of the tail-lin. The barrels contain 120 kilogram (264.5
pounds of lish.) The price obtained last year in Hamburg for these
herrings, when cut, was from 21 to 26 marks per barrel cif, and 15
marks for not cut nor dressed herring. Last year these herrings were
scarce in the markets and the demand pretty brisk. It would be
worth while to try the export of such herring from Newfoundland,
where they can be obtained in large quantities during the summer
time in many of the large bays. The system of dressing them where
cheap labor could be employed would certainly yield the best profit

HERRRINGS PRESERVED WITH BORACIC ACID.

Tiie preservation of fresh herring in boracic acid has of late jj^r-.
been much in use in Norway and Sweden, and large quantitituliRc
exported yearly to England, where this herring is mostly used for
smoking purposes. Some years ago herring was preserved for bait
purposes in the same way, but it proved to be a failure. The fish
would not take the herring preserved in boracic acid- The herring,

}

S

ipped for
c, I shall

[•rel,
<

(

(

}

gnment)
erling.

for very
whole or
inry and

I dressed,
ibdoraen .
heavy in
fortnight,
lit except
'ter these
alt. The

reckoned
nm (264.5
for these
if, and 15
'ings were
wonld be
bundland,
i summer
em where
t profit.

[D.

late

II ti ties are
y used &k
d for bait

The fish
10 herriuff.

when preserved in this manner, must be perfectly ftesh and free from
in.iunous food, rinsed in clean water and packed in barrels, in layers,
the same way as the salt herring is packed ; over each layer is sprink-
led a Irttle of the boracic acid, mixed with table salt or fine Liverpoal
salt. To each barrel should be used 1.1 pound of boraoic acid, mixed
with 4.4 gounds of salt. The barrels should be filled with herring ua-
fal about two inches below the cross, and headed up immediately after
the herrmg are packed, and the empty space in the barrel filled with
fresh, clean water. It is recommendable to roll the barrels around a
few times every day the first three or four days after the herring is
packed, m order to hasten the absorption of the boracic acid. Herring
treated this way will keep fresh in the winter time for 3 or 4 weeks.

SMOKED HERRING.

In Europe the largest quantities of herring are smoked in Great
Britain and Holland. The most suitable article for this purpose is
full herring, which always obtain higher prices than the spent herring.
On the Continent a middle-sized smoked herring is considered better
than a large herring. The smoking-houses are all built on the same
principle, but vary in size, the largest being in England. The Dutch
smaller ones consist of a long one-storey house, built of brick and di-
vided into many small rooms, each generally from 12 to 15 feet deep,
9 to 15 feet wide, and from 10 to 12 feet high from the floor to the
lower part of the roof, which generally is a sloping one. Along the
one side of the smoke-house is built a balcony, with a door in each
end, and furnished with a separate roof and windows along the side.
From this balcony, which is used as a work-room and store-room, a
door leads into each smoking-room. Some of the large smoke-houses
are built in such a manner that a wide hall-way runs right through
the whole length of the building in the middle, and the smoke-rooms
are placed on each side of the hall-way. The walls of the hallway are
then made higher than inthe smoke-rooms, and furnished with a separ-
ate roof and windows on both sides, above the roof of the smoke-houses,
in order to bring sufficient light m the hall- way, which is used as the
work-room and store-room. The doors to the smoking-rooms are
"^o^'^lly divided in two, so that the lower part of the door can be
<jfcd and used for the regulation of the draft during the process of
limping, while the upper door is kept shut. Each room is also furn-
ished with a small window placed close underneath the roof, which
IS used as a ventilator, and at the same time brings light into the
smoke-room. The floor, as well in the working room as in the smok-
ing-rooms, consists of brick. In each smoke-room is placed horizontal
lying beams, about three feet apart and six feet above the floor, which
run parallui with the partition walls. Upon each of these beams are

/

74

V
'S-.

^

raised uprights about 3^ or 3 feet apart, which reach right up to the
roof. On each side and across these uprights are fastened laths, about
10 inches apart, upon which the sticks the herring are stuck on are
placed. In the balcony, or hall-way, similar raft-work is also erected,
which is used for storage of the smoked herring. In a smoke-room
12 to 15feet, about twenty barrels of herring can be smoked at the
£ame time.

ENGLISH SMOKE ROOMS.

The English smoke-houses are about twice or three times larger
than the Dutch and much higher, but aie built on the same principle.
The raftwork in the smoking rooms commences also in the Englisb
emoke houses about six feet from the flo r. In connection with the
smoke-house is generally built an additinna two story building, which
is used as a workshop for dressing, salting and packing the herring.
There are doois leading into the sraokina; rooms from the first and second
flat of this building, the herring generally beins: br ught into the smoke-
rooms from the first fldt and taken out when smoked through the doors
in the second flat. Each emuking room i^ furnished with two or three
small windows, the one above the other, and ventilators in the roof to
bring for h the required draught of air to keep th*^ fire burning The
herring, as a rule, are brought to the smoking houses in freeh condition
and suited or pickled in the workshops, while the Dutch herring general-
ly ar.* Fait d on loard of the vessels before they are brought to the
smoking-housps, and have to be soiiked before they are smoked Tue
stuff used for smoking purposes in Ilvjlland is dry chips of oak and saw-
dust of the same kind of wood, to smother the fire with. When oak
chi'^j are scarce < ther S( rts » f filiferous wood is used, 8ti<h as poplar,
birch, ash or elm. In England, hs a ru'e, a mixture of the, above-named
sorts of wood is used, but instead of chips, boughs are mostly used. The
fire is kindled in small heaps scattered around on the floor in the smok-
ing-r oms.

ENGLISH BLOATERS, KIPPERS AND RED HERRINGS.

The English smoking-houses prepare chiefly three kinds of smoked
herring — bloaters, kippers and r d herring.

1 Bloaters are prepared from fresh herring, which are pti^n
strong pickle for six or seven hours, and afterwards washed in cllai
water, in order to liberate the herring from its scales. After being
washed, it is threaded on thin sticks through the eill-lids, and agam
rinsed or dipped in water, before being hung up sn the fmoking;rnoms,
where they are smoked from ten to tweke hou's, with a temperature on
«n average of 78"^ Fahrenheir. Bloaters src calculated on immediate

I

C\

aiMM

■mbmii

75

^onsamption, and nre not durable more than three or four days In

threading the hen.no on the stick, the left (,ilMid is opened and the

tick pushed r,ght through, floaters have a light yellow^color Some!

soaked for^S hoars in freshwater and smoked about twenty hours
Those h.rnng are^mostly consumed among the poorer clas. of people in
he Wc..r part of England. The principal market for the real bloaters
s London to where they are shipped in boxes, eich conUiniwg from 6»
The ll": ' . Bloaters are sorted in-best full, mixed, shot and tents
headL ! Th '"■' ^"T^ ""^''^ ^""" ^*"^" ^"'^'^ «°d are broken or
sotlty the^huTdr:" '"'^"' " ' ^"^^' '" '^'^ '''^^^^^ ^'^^'^^ ^^ •'^»-

«,K- rfK^'^^^^'*^-* ^'^«,««'*''e split through the back like the way ia
which the Americans spht their mackerel. This operati .n is generally

^^lTf^ ^f. 7"?.- 1 ^^'''' '^"' ^^"■"^" ^^^ «P^i^' *hey ar. rhised weU
o i?r f1/-'^''T^'^''''''''^"^ then put in strong pickle made
of Liyerpo.d salt, in anoher vessel, where they are allowed to remain for

f.',^rn'?=l""^'-\ '"^''^ '''"^ "^^^^ '^"'^ *'^^^" "P' «"d put into troughs
furnished wi h an iron stand m each end, and holes in the bottom. Into
th^-se iron stands are placed small square pieces .f wo d. furnished with
hooks, and each herring taken from the tr ugh is hung up by the eill-
arch on two hooks When the .ticks are filled with h'erring; thev are
brought in o the smooking-room^ and hung np or placed on the 'raft-
work, and this . peration repeated, untiUhe whole quantity are dealt

So^>,^'P/''■'*^'■^'"'^'*■^"^ i" ^2 hours, in an average temperature of
b. tahr.,tor speedy consumption Hut if thev are going to be kept
tor some time they mu-t be smoked at least 9A hour*. The fire is
made "f a mixture of oak. hrch-tree, beech, elm and birch, and renewed
every thud hour^ Well-smoked kippers have got a straw colour on the
skin side, and a light brown colour on the inside. They are consumed
in large quan-i.ies in the interior of Kngland and are packed in the same
liind jt boxe^ as the bloiter.s each box containing 70 kippers and .sorted
in two qualities. 1 best-selected kippers. 2 second quality kippers. The
bo:^:S are ma^e of 4 inch spruce or pine lumber the end pieces bein- #
inch thick. Ihe dimensions are Hi « 9^ xi 4| inches.

3 Red RK^^imi are also mostly prepared of fresh herring, which

• • ited (fry on the floor in the salting room, connected with the smok-

souse, and allowed to remain in the ^alt 2 to 6 days, according to

Opiength of time they are mte, ded to keep and according to markets.

s«IF'which they are prepared. After being left a sufficient time in salt.

they are nnsed in dean water, and then threaded on sticks in the

same way as the- bloaters, and hung up in the smoking rooms, where

they are smoked for abont four weeks. If high dried are wanted the

76

time of smoking is nbout six wee'- The red-herring are smoked with
a smaller fire than bloatera and kippers, made of chips of oik and saw-
duet, and the fire only renewed once every day. The average tempera-
ture in the smoking rooms is kept nt about 02'' Fahrenheit vi^ome-
times rcdherring are prepared from herring which has been pickled in
large cisterns. These are soaked \<\ fresh water before they are hung
up to be smoked, but otherwise treated in the sutc manner as the dry
salted red-herring. 'I he pickle salted, are called Scotch-reds, and
are lower in price than the dry sidted herring, Herrinur which have
fallen down, or are headless, are smoked on the same sticks of wood as
the kippers, nnd is called " red-tenters" and " plucks."

EXPORTATION OF RKI) FIERRINGS.

A considerable quamity of red henings are expi rted to Italy pack-
ed in 1 and ^ barrels which '.lold about 1 bri , oU(» herring and ^ brl.
200 herring. These herrings are of the common brown smoked color.
Light-colored red-he; ring aio mostly consumed in the large nmuufiicturing
towns in England, wl ile the dark-colored, such as UiiT.-cured and black
herring, mostly go to London and the Colonies. The stronger
the he ring netds to te smoked, the higher or nearer the roof it is hung
in the smoking-roome. Red-herring for t-hipnient to the diff'i'rent parts
of Eiifjland are packed either in boxes of the same kind as is used for
bloaters an 1 kippers, or in kegs 10 inches high, 1 1 inch in diameter at
the bottom, and 13^ at ihn top, which hold from 80 to lUO herring.
They are sorted as first and second quality, and a3 "tenters" and "plucks."

Holland : — In this country the most herring is prepared us Red-
herrirg (Bokking). The most of this herring is us formeily stated,
caufiht in the North-sea, and ^alted round, on board of the \essel, in
burn Is. After they are brought to the smoking houses the barrels are
opened, and the herring put irto lnr{>e vessels to f e tteepcd in fresh
■waier The length of time in which the herring are steeped df pends
upon the different marktts fcr which it is prepared, For the local
markets Antwerp and Brussels, it is steeped for two days, while for the
Italian markets the herrings are steeped one day, and sometimes not
steeped at all, but (Tily washed. In order to liberaie the ! erring as
much as p* esible from scales, it is stirred about several times during the
day with a stirring pole. Herring which are salted heavy or h;
mained in salt over the ordinary time, are first steeped one day^
taken up and put in baskets for twelve hours, and »fter this again
ed another twenty-four hours. After the herring is sufficiently ste%ed
the water is drawn off and the herring sorted and put in baskets, which
contain about half a barrel, and islett in these in the balcony f u' 18 to 24
hours. The object of this is that the herring, by its own weight, in the

ed with

empera-

ckled in
re hung
the dry
'd8, and
ch have
wood as

ily pack-
id 'L bi-1.
3d color,
acturing
lid black
stronger
is hung
3nt parts
used for
ineti-r at
herring,
'plucks."

as Red-
y stated,
lOssel, in
irrels are
in fresh

d< ponds
he local
e for the
imes not
■rrin},' as
iring th(t
ha\
ly ;
in fe
i ste*^
s, which
18 to 24
t, in the

77

baskets, shall press out some of the water, and serve instead of drjinir
and thereby facilitate the smoking. Subsequently the herring are thread-*"
ed on willow-twigs, as in England, and brought into the smoking room-,
where they, m the mean time, until they can be hung up in the raft-
work are placed on stands made for that purpose. When hung up
to be smoked, the fattest, and such herring as are to be smoked strongest,
are placed nearest the roof, The fire is made on the floor in a dozen
small heaps (according to the size of the room) in each room, and chips
of oak are geneially used for that purpose, if i» possibly can be obtained ;
ir not, a mixture of poplar, ash, el n and birch. Saw dut of oak is
applied in order to smother the fire and keep it from flaming ; also to
form a good body of smoke. After the fire is kindled, the small windows
close to the loof, and the loner part of the door are kept open, in order
to give a better draught, and also to give the dampness from the herring
a chance to escape. The lire is renewed whenever the glowing chips
are getting low. When the water after a couple of hours has evapor-
ated frr m the herring, the small windows close to the roof, and the lower
part of the door are shut, if sulhcient draught can be had through the
ventilators in the roaf. The temperature is kept as near 65° fahr. as
possible and is regulated by opening and closing the small windows and
the doors ai in the English smoking houses

MARKETS FOR THE HOLLAND SMOKED HERRINGS.

Herring prepared for the two principal markets, Antwerp and
Brussels, is generally smoked for 12 hours, and supposed to keep good
for two weeks. These markets want the herring to be lightly smoked,
and of a bright bronzed colour. H.rrings prepared for Germany, Italy
and other Belgian parts are smoked for 24 hours, and supposed'to keep
good from one month to six weeks They are dark coloured. After the
herring are smoked the small windows and the doors are opened, and the
herring left to cool, either in the smoking rooms, or in the balcony in
the raft-work erected there, for a couple of hours, before it is packed.
The heriing is packed in baskets made of willow-twiga 28 inches long,
17 inches wide at the top, and 12 inchea at the bottom, the height about
J. ^^^^^ containing 2<M) each, for tlie Belgian, German and home
""■"""^ while for the Italian markets, boxes and drums made of soft
used. The boxes are 21 1 inches 1 mg 12 inches high and 9|

^ide, and hold about 200 herring. The druius are 20 inches
id 12 inches in diameter and c ntain fiom 800 to 400 herring.

ierring i? packed slantways, back down, across the boxes or baskets,
li the exception of the two uppermost layers, which are packed back
up. The packing in the drums is just the same as the common packing in
barrels. As a rule a little straw is put in the bottom of boxes and baskets.

aaMpn

78

ft

I

.i'

If ♦

^1

■(■

The bowtd basket-lid is sewed faecby the belpoflonp ,eedle and twine.
The herring are sorted for the Belgian and (J^rman :nj»rkcto in fnU and
spent, with no regard to size. For the Ifaiiaa ujar^ ■ . /art ected
in large, full, medium full, and bp'^it herring. Ofth*? iar . ful' it tu^es
about 300, of < he medium about 400, and of th3 i^^e'^t »uout 570 to fiL a
drum of the above-mentioned diraensi ns, Besid - '^ herring caught
in the north sea and treated and smoked in the m** described, u Ic "^

of smaller herring caught iv the Zuidei Sea is also smoiwed f jr local con-
sumption, These herring are generally brought *.^ smoking houses
fresh, are pickled in strong pickle for about one l ui, ieft in the bask^s
to dry a while and smoked for 8 to 4 hours. The smoking of heiiing
for export to foreign countries has not been carried on in Europe to any
extent in other countries than Great Britain and Holland, until of late
years, when a lot of this article has also been exported from Norway and
Sweden. According to the report from the Swedish government fish-
egent in London, the import in 18S3, to chat city, from Norway, was
133,095 boxes of kippers, and from Sweden, 2,007 boxes of kippers

This only serves to show how great the consumption of smoked
herring must > in Great Britain, where the London market ulone, be-
sides the enormous quantities of English smoked herring, can also find
ready sale for large quantities of foreign imported articles. It is there-
fore probable that also smoked herring from Newfoundland could find a
profitable market in Engl?nd. An experiment in that direction would
be interesting and worthy of a trial, m')ra so, because the best demand
for smoked herring is ip the winter time ; and this would suit the winter
herring fishery in Plucent'-i rnd Fortune Bay, where the herring can be
had cheap and in large quantities.

« , , ^ A. NIELSEN.

St. John s, Newfoundland,
April, 1890.

\