THE PRESERVATION OF FISH 191 



of the backbone cut out. The fish are then passed on 

 to other workers, who remove the larger bones one at 

 a time with small pliers. 



After the yellow and stained portions of the fish 

 have been cut away, the fish are cut into strips. Since 

 the large, thick "middles" or "steaks" command the 

 highest prices, the cod are cut so as to obtain as much 

 of this meat as possible, which is packed either in 

 ^ye or ten pound boxes. The smaller pieces are 

 packed in one and two pound boxes. The white 

 trimmings are made into "fibered codfish" or "fluff" 

 and then packed either in cartons with parcliment 

 paper lining or in glass jars. "Not a bone" salted cod 

 contains less bones than the "boneless" grade and 

 consequently commands a higher price. "Hard dried" 

 cod prepared especially for export is packed either 

 in large boxes or drums. That which is shipped in 

 drums is tightly compressed in hydraulic presses. 

 Nothing is wasted, for the skins, bones, and yellow 

 trimmings from the salted fish are sold to the glue 

 manufacturer for use in the making of liquid glue. 



Such is a brief picture of the ancient salt cod 

 industry, which is slowly passing out in America, 

 mainly because the taste in preserved fish has 

 changed to canned fish. Two of the leading fish-salt- 

 ing establishments in New England have read the 

 handwriting on the wall and now operate canneries 

 in conjunction with their factories. 



Haddock, cusk, pollack, and hake are salted along 

 with cod in the same establishments according to the 

 same methods. Recently, since the general introduc- 

 tion of steam trawlers, which catch principally had- 



