358 HISTORY AND METHODS OP THE FISHERIES. 



Mr. Keuben Chapman informed us that at his factory, on Mason's Island, opposite Noank, 

 Conu., the yield of early fish was sometimes as low as a gallon to the thousand, later in the season 

 reaching 14 or even IS gallons; which would lie equivalent to 5 or 6 gallons to the barrel. 



Mr. Maddocks, writing of the Maine fish, states: "The yield of oil sometimes doubles, per 

 head, in thirty days after their coming. The fish taken on the coast of Maiue yield a considerably 

 larger supply of oil than those taken at points farther south, around Long Island, oif the Jersey 

 shore, &c. The amount of oil per barrel of fish is there about 1 gallon, against 2J here, for the 

 whole season in each case." 



And again: "The amount of oil realized varies from 1 gallon per barrel of fish early in the 

 season to 4 or 5 gallons in September. The scrap contains, on the average, as it comes from the 

 press, 55 to GO per cent, of its weight in water, and sometimes more. This is, of course, worthless 

 for fertilizing purposes. It also contains from 12 to 20 per cent, of fat or oil, which is equally 

 worthless for manure." 



Mr. Dudley considers that the first taken in Long Island Sound yield, on an average, about 4 

 ^nllons to the thousand. At Pine Island it is somewhat greater; one season averaged 3|, another 

 6J. In 1877 the average to June 12 was 5 gallons; to November 1, 3 gallons. On November 1 the 

 fat fish made their appearanc.e, and the average has since doubtless greatly increased. There is 

 usually an increase in the yield of oil after July 1, but since 1874 this has not been the case in 

 Southern New England. Mr. Dudley has cooked fish which would not yield a quart of oil to the 

 thousand. Again, in November, the yield has been 18 gallons. It is the opinion of Mr. Dudley 

 that dark oil only is yielded by fish taken in brackish water; light oil by those taken outside. 



The George W. Miles Company, of Mil ford, states that the largest amount made by them in 

 one factory in any one year was in 1871, when they produced 100,000 in about fifty working clays; 

 the largest quantity in the shortest time was 21,000 gallons in seventy -two hours, or 7,000 gallons 

 to each day of twenty-four hours. In 1872 they produced 60,000 gallons, and in 1873 105,000 gal- 

 lons in their two factories, one factory not operating all the time on account of a pending lawsuit. 



According to Capt. J. L. Stokes, of the Salt Island Oil Company, the average yield of oil is 

 -i gallons to the thousand, 9,000 tish making a ton of scrap. Captain Beebe and Mr. Iiigham put 

 the highest for the region about the mouth of the Connecticut Eiver at 8 gallons, or perhaps 3 gal- 

 lons or less to the barrel. 



Mr. Miles writes : "All depends upon the quality of the fish, whether fat or poor. In July, 

 August, and September we only get n'.sli that come into the Sound to feed, and they fatten after 

 they get here. If they are poor, we have the largest catch in June and July. If they are increas- 

 ing in fat or yield of oil, we cannot capture them successfully until August and September. The 

 fat fish in the Sound are usually wild and hard to take until late, perhaps owing to the fact that 

 their food is plenty and low in the water. When the season is unusually dry, the fish are sure to 

 be fat; but in a wet season they are found to be below the average in yield of oil. After the fish 

 get here, if their food is plenty, they grow fat very fast. In the past season (1873), in May and 

 June, 1,000,000 of fish would make only 800 gallons. In August the yield was from 8 to 10 gal- 

 lons per thousand; and in September, 10 to 12." 



At Greenport, in 1873, the average yield, on Captain Sisson's estimate, was SJ gallons to the 

 thousand; the smallest yield, half a gallon, in spring and late fall ; the greatest, 22, in September 

 and October; 8,000 fish make 1 ton of green (scrap. Hr. Havens puts the lowest yield at 1 quart 

 to the barrel; the highest at 4 gallons, an estimate much below Captain Sisson's, which would 

 make over 6 gallons to the barrel. 



Hawkins Bros, estimate the lowest yield at 1 gallon to the barrel in midsummer, and 4 in 



