412 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



Thirty kilograms of salt is considered a sufficient quantity for one bar. 

 rel of roe. As regards the kind of salt to be used, it will depend how 

 soon one desires the roe to become salted. A regulation of September 

 12, 1753, prescribed that only French salt should be used, and St. Ives 

 salt was positively prohibited. At the present time, however, medium 

 coarse grained salt is preferred, especially Cadiz salt, and also St. 

 Ives or flue Lisbon salt. Coarse salt should not be used, as the coarse 

 graius are apt to spoil the looks of the roe-bag, by becoming imbedded 

 in it, and give it a burnt look. While the roe is being salted it should 

 uot be pressed. When, after a week's time, it has settled somewhat, 

 the barrel is filled, previously salted roe of the same quality beiug put 

 at the bottom. It is then closed, so as to prevent the air from affect- 

 ing it, and is put in a dry place. The barrel should be laid on its side, 

 as otherwise the lower layers are subjected to too great a pressure. 

 For the same reason, it should be turned from time to time. While 

 the roe is salted and is settling it should not be exposed to frost, but 

 after the roe has absorbed the necessary quantity of salt, it can. stand 

 much cold before it freezes. Nothing but firm roe should be used for 

 salting. Roe which is almost ready for spawning, soft roe, and roe 

 from fish which have lain some time or which are spoiled, as well as 

 roe-bags which have been half emptied, should, if used at all, be salted 

 separately. Every Salter should be very careful in sorting the roe. 

 Badly sorted roe always awakens suspicion, and will, as a rule, bring a 

 lower price than it deserves, while roe which has been well sorted 

 during salting becomes more valuable from the mere fact that it will 

 keep better, so that when it is to be repacked for shipping it need not 

 all be taken apart. The number of roe-bags in a barrel varies greatly. 

 If the roe is of prime quality it can vary between 200 and 400 ; on an 

 average, however, the number is 300, or somewhat less. 



Many people salt the roe in boxes and afterwards transfer to barrels. 

 This method does not improve the quality of the article, if the roe is 

 firm. It requires more salt and labor, exposes the roe to the effects of 

 frost and air, which exposure is apt to make it dry and hard, and there 

 is likewise danger of its being broken too much during this treatment. 

 If care is not exercised in the use of salt when the roe is transferred to 

 the barrels, it is apt to become " salt-burned." Roe which has been 

 salted too much is hard and dry, loses its natural pale red color, and 

 becomes dark and brittle. If the roe is loose, salting it again will give 

 it greater consistency. If properly treated, even soft roe will make a 

 first-class article. This is done by salting it as soon as it is taken from 

 the fish, by using more salt than for the firm roe, or by salting it a sec- 

 ond time, when care, however, must be taken not to use too much salt. 

 Occasionally it may become necessary to salt roe in boxes, because this 

 affords more space, but more frequently the reason is that when it is re- 

 salted the volume is increased, partly by the salt which is employed and 

 partly because it does uot have time to settle sufficiently before it is 



