

HERRING AS AN ARTICLE OF TRADE. 191 



mass. Before the fish are to be shipped, the barrels must he examined 

 again, and if any further sinking is noticed, the barrels are filled up 

 with fish for the last time. 



The brine, which during the filling of the barrels, flows over, as well 

 as that which is obtained during every salting, may be put into those 

 vessels in which the fish are placed immediately after being caught, and 

 where they are kept during the cleaning process. It is, however, im- 

 portant that such old brine be exchanged for new alter it has been 

 once used and has become filled with impurities. 



To salt fish, as is done in the province of Ostergotland, with 9 gallons 

 of salt per tunna, is not advisable, because then the fish is pressed 

 too bard and salted too thoroughly. After it has been sprinkled with 

 salt all that is required is 25 gallons per tunna, and for this purpose the 

 fish ought to be placed immediately in the barrels and not be pressed 

 more than is absolutely necessary for the proper filling of them. In the 

 province of Norrland it is customary to let the herring lie uncleaned in 

 the brine for twenty-four hours ; and, moreover, to use brine which has 

 been often used for the same purpose. That this mode is objectionable, 

 and that the herring ought to be cleaned as soon as possible, will be 

 evident from what has been said above. 



In Carlskrona, south coast of Sweden, it is customary to use only 1 

 gallon of salt per tunna for sprinkling the fish, and then to salt them 

 with 7 gallons per tunna. This method cannot be recommended, as 

 the fresh fish, if they have absorbed enough of the brine, do not require 

 as large a quantity of salt as 7 gallons per tunna. 



The Baltic herring, prepared in the manuer explaiued above, fiud a 

 ready market, not only at home, but also in foreign ports on the Baltic. 

 The price paid for herring differs of course in different years, being 

 partly regulated by the quality of the fish and partly by the price of 

 Norwegian and other foreign herring. In some years, when the herring- 

 fishery both in Norway and Sweden has been good, the fishermen can 

 scarcely dispose of their fish at home at such a price as to fully remu- 

 nerate them. It is, therefore, advantageous to seek a foreign market, 

 and prepare the fish accordingly. German ports on the Baltic, especially 

 Stettin, Stralsund, and some others, afford, at certain seasons, a very 

 good market for the common salted herring. The most profitable season 

 for selling herring in these places is from midsummer to the beginning 

 of September. The fish inteuded for exportation to Germany are pre 

 pared in the above-mentioned manner, but ought to be very carefully 

 packed in good sound barrels, not in barrels ("tunna") of the same 

 size as in Sweden, but somewhat smaller, such as are used in Boruholm 

 and on the German coast. In Stettin, such barrels, if the fish are sound 

 and well packed, bring from 13 to 21 riksdalers, (1 riksdaler, silver= 

 about $L currency,) which is a very good price, considering the fact 

 that these barrels are much smaller than the Swedish ones. 



