AIoASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL, INDUSTRIES, 1920. 75 



animal oils are handled in warmer regions. Accordingly samples 

 were taken of oil rendered from carcasses of seals which had been 

 dead 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, and 12 clays, and these were later for- 

 warded to the Bureau of Standards. 



The report on the analyses showed that with seal blubber, as in 

 other animal fats, a decided increase in free fatty acids takes place 

 within a very few days. The acid number of the seal oil samples 

 ranged from a minimum of 2.8 for the first two days to a maximum 

 of 13.8 on the tenth day after killing. Reference to the New York 

 market c^uotations at the end of the year showed a price of 45 cents 

 per gallon for herring oil containing less than 5 per cent of acids, 

 while only 28 cents per gallon was offered for the same oil containing 

 between 5 and 10 per cent of acids. The seal-oil samples taken 10, 11, 

 and 12 da3'S after killing showed an average acid number of 11.2, and 

 the samples for the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh days had 

 an average acid number of well over 5. In view of the great depre- 

 ciation in value of oils having a high acid content, it is of primary 

 importance that the oil be rendered from the animal tissues as early 

 as practicable. Other features of the analyses did not show progres- 

 sive changes on which sound conclusions could be based. 



IMPROVED SEALING METHODS. 



With a view to securing improvement in the quality of the seal- 

 skins prior to the dressing and dyeing i)rocesses, the study of sealing 

 methods at the islands was continued in 1920. W. P. Zschorua, who 

 carried on preliminary work in 1919 for the Bureau, was in charge 

 of experimental work this year for P'unsten Bros. & Co. Four other 

 employees of the comi)any, namel}^ Michael Syron, Oliver PI Klock- 

 enbrink, Frank L. Milligan, and J. li. Quatmann, were detailed for 

 duty at the Pribilofs during the active sealing season and assisted in 

 this special work. Particular attention was given the features of 

 bluijbering and washing the raw pelts before salting, and of salting 

 the skins only once instead of twice, as formerly. While this work 

 was of an experimental character, it was on a scale sufficiently large 

 to warrant its being used as the basis for making changes if any were 

 found to be desirable. 



The method of handling raw sealskins in effect for many years was 

 to allow them to lose their natural heat while lying on the killing 

 field. They were then taken to the salt houses, and at the end of five 

 days were removed, examined for faulty curing, and returned to the 

 salt to await shipment, usually at least five or six weeks later. In the 

 summer of 1920, however, 1,000 skins were given different treatment 

 on St. Paid Island. Immediately after killing, or as soon as they 

 could be hauled in from the killing fields, these skins were cooled in 

 a tank of running sea water; all blubber and meat was carefully 

 removed, they were again washed, and then were stretched and placed 

 in salt to remain until removed for shipment. Advance reports on 

 these skins indicate that they are of such an improved quality as to 

 warrant the extension of the washing, blubbering, and stretching of 

 the pelts to the whole take of skins. 



A feature of the new |)lan is the taking of sealskins by the so- 

 called rough method, which consists in leaving considerable quanti- 



