264 U- S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



tanks for seven or more days, or until they are thoroughly struck, 

 after which they are packed in barrels, flesh side up, except the two 

 top layers, which have the skin side up. To about 700 pounds of 

 fisn ISO pounds of salt are used. 



The dry salting, next to drying, is the most primitive method 

 employed in preserving salmon. The process consists simply in 

 splittiiig the fish up the belly, removing the gills and entrails, and 

 then filling the belly with salt. The fish are then placed in rows on 

 matting and covered with salt, and other rows are placed on top of 

 them until the pile is from 8 to 10 feet high, when the entire lot is 

 covered with matting and left for about seven days, after which the)^ 

 are relaid and again covered with salt. For shipping, the fish are 

 packed in mats. 



A very odd feature in connection with the operation of most of 

 the Japanese plants is that the salt to be used in curing the fish is 

 usually dumped loose onto some level spot, with absolutely no cov- 

 ering over it, and exposed to the elements. 



The Japanese consume enormous quantities of these dry-salted 

 salmon. During the Russian-Japanese war the latter country's fish- 

 ei"men were cut off from access to their usual fishing grounds, with the 

 result that they were forced to look elsewhere for fish. During 1905 

 and 1906 large quantities were prepared in Alaska, British Columbia, 

 and Washington for this trade, out as soon as the war ended and the 

 Japanese got access once more to their old fishing grounds, the Jap- 

 anese duty on salt fish, which had been suspended during and for a 

 short period after the war, was reimposed. As a result our fishermen 

 soon quit the business, and since then operations on this coast have 

 been almost wholly restricted to Japanese operating in British 

 Columbia waters. 



At the height of the production on this coast Mr. King, the Amer- 

 ican consular agent at Hakodate, Japan, made the following sugges- 

 tions to preparers and shippers of dry-salted salmon for the Japanese 

 trade: 



The salmon should arrive in Japan by December 1. Most of these fish are used 

 among the Japanese for New Year's presents. After the new year the price iii variably 

 declines 20 to 30 per cent, and for a month or two the fish are difficult to dispose of, 

 as the consumers always stock up before the new year. 



The salmon should weigh not less than 5 pounds when thoroughly cured. They 

 Bhould be free from spots, which are usually found on the salmon if caught in fresh 

 or brackish water. Mo Japanese would think of gi'^'ing a salmon wdth red and black 

 spots to a friend for a New Year's present, and spotted fish never realize more than 

 half the price obtainable for clean white fish. The salmon should be split up the 

 bellv and should be salted with fine salt. Coarse salt always tears the flesh of the fish 

 when being rubbed in. Care should be taken that the salmon are not oversalted. 



Semga salting is a more improved and sanitary method than that 

 of straight pickling and is used when the fish are being prepared for 

 the European market. Selected fish are cut open along the belly and 

 the viscera and gills are carefully removed. In order that the salt may 

 penetrate the flesh more thoroughly, the flesh on the inside is scored 

 several times. The fish are then carefully washed and rubbed with 

 brushes, after which they are kept on ice for 24 hours. The brme 

 is carefully prepared and very strong. When properly struck the 

 fish are repacked into barrels. 



