AND THE FISH THEREOF. I49 



and waterproof ground- floor, built on a slant so as to allow the brine to run 

 oft* by gutters made for this purpose in the floor, into a well or cistern, for 

 further use in moistening the fish. The liquid fat or oil which floats on the 

 water is put in casks and sold to leather-dressers. The due degree of 

 saltness of the brine is ascertained by means of a raw hen's egg ; if it sinks, 

 more salt must be added. 



The number of fish contained in each cask is marked on the outside ; 

 thus: + = i,ooo; =f- = 1,500; =fi = 1,700; >zf-= = 1,750; =£ 

 = 2,000. A cask contains from 1,200-2,200 Sardines, or 400 Mackerel. 



Three to five months after salting, the fish is in proper condition for 

 consumption ; well-cured fish keeps for two or three years ; the colour 

 becomes dark-red, the smell aromatic, and the flavour spicy. In commerce 

 a pointed stick, or skewer, is stuck into the midst of the fish in order to see 

 whether the fish is in good condition, which is ascertained by the smell ; this 

 is called speronare il pesce. 



The fish caught by the seine-nets {Tratte) do not cure as well as those 

 caught in the drift-nets {Rett d' imbrocco), being more or less damaged by 

 pressure and devoid of scales ; hence the latter are preferred for curing 

 purposes. 



Anchovies (Sardoni) and Smarts sp. (Menole) are preserved in like 

 manner, chiefly in small tubs, but not so durably, on account of the easier 

 access of the air. 



The pine wood of which the casks are made comes from Croatia and 

 Bosnia; a cask costs 80 soldi, = is. 4d. ; a tub, 30 soldi, = 6d. The salt 

 used for a cask, say about 40 lb., is supplied by the Government monopoly 

 at half the usual price charged, say 4 fl. to 4*65 fl. per 100 kilogr., = 6s. 8d. 

 to 7s. 6d. 



The curer and packer is, as a rule, also the fisherman. When this is 

 not the case, he pays the fisherman 9-12 fl. (15S.-20S.) for the fresh fish 

 requisite for one cask, say 1,500 larger, or 1,600 smaller fish. The cask of 

 cured fish sells at 15-22 fl. (25s. to 36s. 8d.). The retail price is one soldo 

 a piece, or 5-6 for a penny. A tub of salt fish contains 22 kilos, for which 

 8 kilos of salt are required. The packer pays 3-5 fl. for the fish (5s. to 



