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containers, the weight of moist fish, and the long railway- 

 journeys entailing heavy freight, make the success of the 

 experiment doubtful ; it will however be thoroughly tried 

 next season when mackerel may be cheaper and the 

 experiments on a larger scale. 



A further departure was made in pickling mackerel 

 with vinegar and spices, the latter being either pepper 

 only or a variety. The idea is (i) that vinegar, being a 

 strong antiseptic, will therefore keep the fish in better 

 condition than when merely salted and will also minimize 

 the use of salt which is wasteful both of nutriment and 

 fiavour ; (2) that the product will be both palatable, and 

 salutary as an internal antiseptic ; (3) that the product 

 can be used by poor people as a condimentary addition 

 to cereal foods rather than as a food in itself and thus 

 provide a wholesome and savoury addition instead of that 

 too often supplied by putridity or " high " condition ; (4) 

 that being fairly proof against putrescibility, a keg or tin 

 can be opened by a retailer and sold in very small quanti- 

 ties to petty consumers. The method is applicable to 

 fish other than mackerel, but this fish is usually abundant 

 and cheap, and a sort of pickled mackerel known as 

 Colombo-cured mackerel is already made by Colombo 

 curers on the coast and sent entirely to Ceylon ; this is a 

 very hard-cured and unacceptable product. 



The trouble is with containers since small kegs are 

 dear and often not water-tight either because of unsuita- 

 ble (porous) wood or bad coopering, while kerosine tins 

 are acted upon by the vinegar ; this difficulty is being 

 got over by employing a good cooper and by double 

 lacquering the kerosine tins inside. The experiments 

 will be continued next season as very promising if the 

 expense can be recouped. 



8. Vinegar. — An essential item in the above cure is 

 cheap and good vinegar. British vinegar can never be 

 very cheap, since it is an article very bulky for its value 

 and has to be sent out in expensive casks ; dear at all 

 times, it is, at present, of prohibitive cost. Local vinegar 

 made from toddy is only moderately cheap (about 12 

 annas per gallon) but is so weak as to be almost useless. 

 Consequently the manufacture of vinegar was begun late 

 in the year ; the " quick process " was adopted, the 

 alcoholic base being rectified spirit with various feeding 



