no 



and much of that is lost by failure to dissolve and by 

 efflorescence in drying, that used in pickling fish is far 

 larger, viz., one-third or two-fifths of the weight of fish, 

 and practically the whole of this remains with the fish in 

 the barrel and passes to the purchaser and may partly be 

 recovered from the brine ; hence the Salt Revenue 

 authorities may object to granting cheap salt in the fish- 

 curing yards, and it may be necessary to use excised salt 

 which is perhaps possible at present rates ; 



(2) that some of the nutriment contained in the 

 tissue cells is extracted by the salt and passes into the 

 brine where it is lost to the consumer ; 



(3) that a given weight of fresh fish placed in pickle 

 weighs with the salt and barrel two or three times as 

 much as the same weight when properly dried, so that 

 transport charges are heavy ; 



(4) that the barrel is difficult to make and an 

 addition to the cost. 



Nevertheless it appears probable that there will be a 

 market among the better-ofl" classes for these goods, and 

 an export trade with Ceylon and China is a possibility to 

 be reckoned with. 



It will be necessary in this connection to experiment 

 not only on the methods and material most suitable, viz., 

 the best classes of fish, the quantity of salt, etc., but 

 on the woods available for barrel staves and on the 

 industry of coopering, for which a master-cooper will be 

 necessary. 



34. Mealing or shredding is a process not much 

 known but of which much may be hoped. In the 

 United States, especially at Gloucester, Mass., I have 

 seen shredded salt cod which is a very admirable 

 production, being perfectly sound, moderately salt, 

 thoroughly dry, and palatable ; this is only akin to 

 mealed fish, however, which is a dry coarse powder with 

 a pleasant if somewhat strong smell, and is produced 

 largely in Norway and Germany ; at Geestemund the 

 fish meal which I saw was thoroughly edible, though 

 sold for trout food. The advantages are — 



(i) that if the fish when taken from the salt is at 

 once deprived, mechanically or otherwise, of the bulk of 

 its more tangible or extra-cellular moisture, it can be 

 rapidly shredded or ground, and in that state will dry 

 not only thoroughly but with far greater rapidity than 



