18 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



fish they are caught in the mass of branches which the brush or weir 

 presents, and the retreating tide leaves them stranded aud at the mercy 

 of the fishermen, who soon collect aud salt them down in barrels fur- 

 nished for the purpose by some trader who purchases the fish at a stip- 

 ulated price. The usual herring nets are generally 30 fathoms or 180 

 feet long by 30 feet deep, and good fishing fills from G to 12 barrels a 

 day, or rather at each haul, which is generally once a day. Seines are 

 generally 100 to 150 fathoms long and about 10 deep, while the "ketch" 

 is according to the size of the school. 



With regard to the curing of these fish it is well asserted by Mr. 

 Townsend that "of all mercantile fish herring is the most delicate and 

 tender, and is, therefore, the most liable to damage from the air ami 

 heat after they are out of the Mater. Herring ought to be scaled, washed, 

 and in pickle as soon as possible after they are out of the water; not a 

 moment ought to be lost that can be avoided. The flesh being so deli- 

 cate and tender, not only injures quickly by exposure, but is much less 

 liable to take the salt. On the other hand, if the herring get into pickle 

 in a clean state before they have been any time exposed they take the 

 salt quicker, and, therefore, preserve much better the natural quality 

 aud taste of the fish." On the Labrador coast the herring are generally 

 simply packed in brine in barrels and sent at once to the Quebec mar- 

 kets. 



In Mr. Perley's Eeport of the Fisheries in the Bay of Fundy, the 

 . manner of curing herring is thus described : The fish are scaled by be- 

 ing washed in bushel baskets with a square bottom, open like a coarse 

 sieve, the men standing in the water up to their knees. The best fish 

 have very few scales, and only half a bushel of them are taken in the 

 basket at once; they are then salted in large tubs, the salt being stirred 

 through them by hand; the quantity used is half a bushel of salt to two 

 and a half barrels of fish, which are a tub full. They lie in salt twenty- 

 four hours, and are then washed in fresh water to prevent their becoming 

 "salt burnt," after which they are strung on rods, with their heads all 

 one way, and then hung up in the smoke-house. In Clements the smoke- 

 houses are usually 30 feet square, with 14 feet posts and a high roof; 

 no fish hang nearer the fire than 7 feet, but the most careful curers do 

 not hang them nearer than 8 feet. Rock maple is used in smoking ; 

 when it cannot be procured ash is used, being considered next best. 

 The process of smoking usually occupies eight weeks; and it requires 

 the whole time of one person to watch the lire and attend to the smok- 

 ing, iu which much judgment and great care are required. The smoke 

 is usually made up at nightfall, unless the weather is warm and wet, 

 during which time no fires are made. In fine weather the smoke-houses 

 are thrown open during the day to cool ; and the greatest care is taken 

 at all times to keep down heat, and to render the smoke house as cool 

 as possible by numerous windows and openings. Alter being smoked, 

 the fish are packed in boxes of the established size; these are 18 inches 



