454 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



the following label or stamp : " Sprinkled with one-half of 1 per 

 cent soda benzoate. To remove, soak out in fresh water." 



Preservatives are never used upon fish shipped to near-by points 

 or if the fish are to be consumed very shortly after being shipped. 

 Its use is generally upon fish shipped abroad, or fish shipped con- 

 siderable distances in this country during the summer months. 



MARKET FOR PACIFIC COD 



The development of the demand for Pacific cod has been one of 

 slow growth against great obstacles. In the early days of the in- 

 dustry all of the catch was marketed on the coast, and as salt fish was 

 scarce and in good demand, fairly good prices were obtained for 

 an article which, in many instances, was only indifferently cured. 

 The success of the pioneers led to a rapid expansion of the industry, 

 with the result that the local market was soon overstocked and the 

 curers had to look to the Middle Western and Eastern States and 

 abroad for a market for the surplus. 



At this period the eastern curers, and the large wholesale salt-fish 

 houses scattered throughout the country who purchased their sup- 

 plies from them, controlled the markets for cod throughout the 

 United States, while all of the cod exported from this country went 

 from New England. Naturally these curers, and the wholesalers 

 dependent upon them, did not welcome the intrusion of Pacific cod, 

 and while they were unable to prevent the loss of the greater part 

 of their trade on the Pacific coast, they fought hard for the rest. 

 Dealers and consumers were told in some instances that the fish pre- 

 pared by this coast's curers were not cod, or that they were a very 

 inferior grade of cod ; that the fish would not keep, etc. That these 

 misstatements had a wide dissemination and made a considerable 

 impression is evidenced even to this day in the prejudice which is 

 met in different sections of the country against Pacific cod. 



Unfortunately, the Pacific coast producers, through ignorance, 

 played right into the hands of their trade enemies when first invad- 

 ing the territory hitherto held by them alone. Some of the fish were 

 poorly prepared and part of them were shipped across the continent 

 during a season when the weather was warm, and as they had been 

 stowed in ordinary box cars, the temperature of these corresponded to 

 the weather, so that the fish arrived in the eastern market in very 

 poor condition, thus disgusting the few dealers who had been willing 

 to give them a trial. The shippers quickly discovered their error 

 and afterwards restricted shipments for long distances to the colder 

 months of the year and also used refrigerator cars. The damage had 

 been done, however, and from then on it was slow and discouraging 

 uphill work to extend the market for Pacific cod east of the Rocky 

 Mountains. 



The fight of the Pacific cod for admission into eastern markets is a 

 typical example of how difficult it is to overcome a prejudice, no 

 matter how insufficiently founded. 



On the Pacific coast but one species of the Gadida?, the true cod 

 (Gadus macrocephalus) , is to be found of a sufficient size for dry- 

 salting, and as a result is the only species sold in any condition 

 other than fresh. At the very time when the dealers were refusing 

 Pacific cod, and for a number of years after, the vast majority of 



