414 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



if it had been salted in salt, as the salt diminishes the quantity of 

 water in proportion to the quantity of salt used. When salted in mild 

 brine, the roe, if allowed to stand too long, begins to ferment. When 

 such roe is to be sold, it is packed into a barrel, if brine roe is asked 

 lor, or it is put in a perforated barrel if the buyer wants dry-salted 

 roe. Such roe can sjways be recognized by its being soft. It takes it 

 a longer time to settle completely, and decay may have set in, without 

 any noticeable indications. Roe salted in brine, which is afterwards to 

 be dry salted, very soon becomes dark and brittle. Buyers should 

 therefore be careful not to be imposed upon by such an article, which 

 ought never to be prepared. 



Referring to the above, we must consider as not advisable : 



(1) To thaw roe in snow, or during mild weather. 



(2) To salt roe in boxes. 



(3) To use coarse salt. 



(4) To use too much salt. 



(5) To expose the roe to frost before it has absorbed a sufficient quan- 

 tity of salt. 



On the other hand we recommend : 



(1) To let the water run off before the salting begins. 



(2) When there is frost, to salt the roe as soon as possible, or in case 

 it should already be frozen, to thaw it in salt water or brine. 



(3) To use the dry-salting method. 



(4) To salt the roe in barrels. 



(5) To use Cadiz, St. Ives, or fine Lisbon salt. 



(6) To fill up the barrels as soon as the roe has sufficiently settled, 

 and then to close the barrels at once. 



(7) To let the barrels lie for a while after they have been closed. 



(8) To be very careful in sorting the roe. 



(9) To use more salt for loose roe, or to salt it a second time. 

 As altogether objectionable we must mention : 



(1) To keep roe in snow for a considerable length of time. 



(2) To salt frozen roe. 



(3) To salt the roe first in brine and afterwards in dry salt. 



In sorting roe the following three sorts should be distinguished: 



First quality, full and perfect roe. 



Second quality, torn, frozen, or salt-burned roe, or roe some of which 

 has been lost by spawning. 



Third quality, roe of which there is hardly anything but the bags, and 

 sour roe. 



All roe is turned when it is to be shipped; and when this is done ir 

 will be found difficult in well-sorted roe to separate the different bags. 

 Very little salt is used (about two or three barrels to one hundred bar- 

 rels of roe), and this especially at the bottom of the barrel. In France 

 this latter process is omitted. 



