AQUATIC riiOIUJCTS IN AliTS AND INDUSTRIES. 



99, n 



extract ol" beef, it is removed from the vacuum pau, assayed for 

 alkaloidal contents, and then dissolved in wine in proper propoi-tion 

 to represent the "active principles" contained in one-fourth its l)ulk 

 of cod-liver oil. 



Only about 10 per cent of the cod-liver oil consumed in this country 

 is produced in the American fisheries, tlie great bulk of it being 

 imi)orted from Norway. As already shown, tlie product of medicinal 

 oil in the United States fisheries is only about 25,000 gallons each 

 year, whereas the imports usually exceed 200,000 gallons annually, 

 and in some years exceed 500,000 gallons. 



The following summary, showing the total quantity and value of 

 cod-liver oil imported for consumption into the United States during 

 a series of years, is compiled from the United States customs returns : 



Statement of the quantity and value of cod-liver oil imported into the United 

 States during a series of years. 



Year ending 

 June 30— 



1880 

 1881 

 1882 

 1883 

 1884 

 1885 

 1886 

 1887 



Year ending 

 June 30— 



1891 

 1892 

 1893 

 1894 

 1895 

 1896 

 1897 

 1898 

 1899 

 1900 

 1901 



Average 



value per 



gallon. 



$0,397 

 .569 

 .524 

 .473 

 .636 

 1.133 

 .961 

 .682 

 .545 

 .494 

 .584 



PREPARATION OF COD OIL FOR TECHNICAL PURPOSES. 



The methods of extracting cod oil for currying and other technical 

 purposes does not differ essentially from the extraction of medicinal 

 oil, the principal difference being the use of all livers secured, the 

 absence of extreme cleanliness, and the greater putrefaction or the 

 more extensive cooking of the material. Considerable common oil is 

 also expressed from the livers cooked for medicinal oil after the latter 

 has been dii)ped or skimmed off. 



The original method of extracting cod oil, and the most common one 

 at the present time, is by putrefaction. In the Grand and the West- 

 ern banks fisheries, during the process of dressing the fish, the livers 

 are collected and placed in liver-butts. These butts are characteristic 

 of vessels engaged in a salt-fish trip; in the market fishery for cod, 

 haddock, etc., their place is taken by upright barrels or gurry kids. 

 There are two liver-butts on each vessel; they consist of large casks, 

 with a capacity for about 150 gallons each, mounted horizontally on 

 skids immediately in front of the house and lashed securely to the 

 deck. On the top, in the bilge of each cask, there is a large square 

 opening, covered with a piece of tarpaulin securely fastened at one 



F. C. ly02 15 



