88 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



iucisiou is made in the flesh, and, the finger being inserted, the dorsal 

 cord is drawu out. This cord has the shape of a long and straight rib- 

 bon. It is carefully washed, and pressed, so that the soft matter which 

 it contains oozes out, after which it is dried during from three to eight 

 days, according to the season. When the "veziga" is entirely dry, it is 

 put up in packages, fifty of which form a bale weighing one "pond," 

 (30 pounds.) A package of " veziga" of the " belouga" (Acipenser huso) 

 contains twelve dried dorsal cords, while there are twenty in a package 

 of "veziga" of the Acipenser GuldenstadtU, the Acipenser stellatus, and 

 the Acipenser schypa. A thousand "belougas" of medium size gen- 

 erally produce 5 " pouds" (180 pounds) of "veziga;" but the same num- 

 ber of common sturgeon, (Acipenser GuldenstadtU,) and of Acipenser stel- 

 latus, yield only 1 "poud," (30 pounds.) When the "veziga" is boiled, it 

 rises, and in this condition it is cut into small pieces, which form an im- 

 portant ingredient in excellent little fish-pies. The "veziga" is not used 

 for anything else. It costs from 15 to 20 "roubles" ($10.50 to $14 gold) 

 a "poud," (30 pounds.) 



Manufacture of u balyk." — The Tartar word "balyk" means "fish," 

 and is used in Russian for the backs of sturgeons which have been 

 slightly salted and then dried in the sun. For making good "balyk," 

 a large and tolerably fat fish is selected, whose head, tail, sides, and 

 belly are taken off. That which remains, the dorsal part, has to undergo 

 a special salting, while the other parts are salted in the usual manner. 

 The back of the common sturgeon (Acipenser GuldenstadtU) and of the 

 "sevriouga" (Acipenser stellatus) remain entire, while those of the large 

 sturgeon (Acipenser Huso) are cut, either lengthwise only, or else both 

 lengthwise and crosswise. The pieces are placed in a tub so as not to 

 touch each other nor the sides of the tub; and they are left thus after 

 having been covered with a thick layer of salt from nine to twelve 

 days, and even fifteen days when the pieces are large and the weather 

 is hot. The salt is mixed with a little saltpeter, to give to the " balyk " 

 a reddish color, (2 pounds of saltpeter to 50 "pouds" (1,800 pounds) 

 of " balyk.") Allspice, cloves, and bay -leaves are frequently put into 

 the brine. When the salting is finished, the " balyk" is put into water 

 for a day or two, in order to detach all particles of the brine from it. 

 Thereupon it is dried, first in the sun and then in the shade, on roofed 

 scaffoldings, which are erected for the purpose. This last-mentioned 

 operation requires from four to six weeks, and is considered finished 

 when the " balyk " begins to cover with a slight mold, the absence of 

 which shows that it has been salted too much. 



Good "balyk" must be as soft and tender as smoked salmon ; must 

 have a reddish or orange-brown color ; and must have an odor something 

 like that of the cucumber; it must also be transparent, show no traces 

 of putrefaction, nor have a bitter taste ; and, finally, it must not be too 

 salty. There are very few manufacturers who can prepare "balyk" 

 that has all these qualities. A " poud" (30 pounds) of good " balyk" 



