USEFUL PROJECTS. 



835 



herring-busscs. But, after this pe- 

 riod, immediately on being got on 

 board, and gutted, they are assorted 

 into three qualities — full herrings and 

 shot herrings. The first of these are 

 those taken earliest, and without roe 

 or milt, but which, though well fla- 

 voured, do not keep. Full herrings 

 are those taken at Midsummer, on 

 the point of spawning, from which 

 the brand herrings, so called from 

 the barrels being marked with a hot 

 iron, only differ in bting caught 

 later, repacked immediately on ar- 

 rival, and so close and hard pressed 

 down, that they do hot require re- 

 packing at other places, but only 

 new pickle, and are immediately ex- 

 pedited, or may remain on band ; 

 whereas the other two sorts, not be- 

 ing so closely laid, must absolutely 

 be repacked. Shot herrings are 

 those which have spawned, or are 

 taken in the act of spawning, in 

 consequence of which they are thin 

 and lean. 



With the last two sorts the busses 

 themselves return (as soon as they 

 haye got their loading, or find no 

 more fish) one after another, to 

 port, where all three sorts, except 

 the brand-herrings, before Ijcing ex- 

 pedited, are opened, salted anew, 

 re-packed, and so heaped up, that 

 fourteen casks arc re-packed in 

 ^.twelve, which make a last. By a 

 regulation of the states-general, this 

 rc-packing must be j)erformed in the 

 open air, where strict watch is kept 

 that the spoiling fi^h be carefully 

 separated from the good, and the 

 latter properly laid in the barrels, 

 and strongly pressed down. 



The Dutch fishery continues ge- 

 nerally from twenty to twenty-six 

 weeks, or even somewhat longer — 

 namely, from tlie 25th of June. 

 The Dutch fish only on the Scotch 



and English coasts, oif Hittland, 

 Fairhill, and Bock en, from Mid- 

 summer till the 25th of July ; ofi" 

 Bocken or Sercnial, from thence 

 till the 14th of September; and in 

 deep water, east of Yarmouth^ and 

 as far as the mouth of the Thames, 

 from thence to the 25th of Novem- 

 ber, when the regular fishery ceases. 



But herrings are found not far 

 from Yarmouth till the end of Ja- 

 nuary, after which the fishery is 

 prohibited, as the spawning season 

 then commences. 



Herrings, however, are equally 

 good, wherever they are taken, pro- 

 vided they be but caught in the pro- 

 per season, and well managed; As 

 they die immediately on quitting 

 their element, salting and packing 

 are the circumstances which princi- 

 pally affect their quality. The su- 

 perior excellence and flavour of 

 Dutch herrings, above those of all 

 other countries, arising from the 

 close attention and indefatigable in- 

 dustry employed. p]very thing, 

 however minute, both as to season 

 and management, which can main- 

 tain the reputation they have enjoy- 

 ed for more than two hundred years, 

 is most punctually observed : and 

 above thirty ordinances on the cur- 

 ing and management of herrings arc 

 recited by Sir William Temple, in 

 the seventeenth century. 



Herrings cured with Scotch salt 

 very quickly decay. Those of Nor- 

 way are cured in the same manner 

 as the Scotch, but with French salt, 

 and packed in fir or deal, in conse- 

 quence of wliich they are worse, 

 and less palatable, as they leave a 

 sour taste in the mouth, and soon 

 spoil. In like manner other nations 

 are equally careless in assorting the 

 fish regularly and early off Hittland, 

 from the 25thi of Juno, because they 

 3 H 2 are 



