REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. ST 
TIME REQUIRED TO SOFTEN THE BONES OF VARIOUS SPECIES OF FisH, 10 PouNDs 
Pressure, 240° F. 
Species. Weight. et Soft. Species. Weight. ag Soft. 
Black bass: Lbs. | Mins. | Mins. Lemon sole: Lbs. | Mins. | Mins. 
BLO Sataacgae geceees| ol 6 100 120 Large. .....- ‘ 24- 34 80 90 
Sap caneuscewe get 21 100 110 Small. toecch<s + 2 60 70 
Bluefish: Mackerel, medium. . -| £14 60 7 
Barpact’. fai jni!s = SgEES 6-9 90 100 || Mackerel, Spanish, me- 
FS 701 | eee eS Reet 1-2 80 90 CUS ee earaeass epg: 14- 23 100 110 
Butterfish, medium. ....| + 4 60 80 || Perch, white, medium...| 4- # 100 110 
(OF % no eae oe Se ee 8 -12 110 120 || Perch, yellow, medium..| } # 90 100 
Catfish: Pollock, medium........ 5 - 7% 60 70 
Marge. doco binem sce 14- 2 70 80 || Salmon, medium........ 13 -19 90 100 
Small sos. ons eee 3 60 70 || Sea bass, medium........| 1 - 14 60 70 
Cero, medium....... -.-. 10 -13 80 OO NMShsd: [222982 SR 54 90 100 
Cod: Smelt: 
MATEO de sniedeaclte 6 -16 80 90 Aarpe’s neces Dawe aeeee 3 60 70 
Pima stescesa wewecece 1-2 50 60 DINAN Es ccc acectesdocen b) 50 60 
Croaker: Snapper, red: 
Warges Boise 8s S29 3-1 90 100 airpe fos. thasosesi ss 10 -15 110 120 
Sn | a ee + 3 50 ‘60 Sra Seer emeas tcc 5- 6 90 100 
Mee Seen t ected. shea 2 - 34 100 110 || Squeteague: 
Flounder: Large. -.... 80 90 
Weare Oe reeset tack cee s 1-13 70 80 Medium. 60 70 
MAME ee. Posse seh Ss 4-1 60 Small...... 50 60 
Haddock: Striped bass 
Medium lio d6 fist. e 3-5 60 70 ESOS toa setlactbioels te 110 120 
DIMI enhanc cxaaeess 1-2 50 60 Smalls so eo. tk a $ 70 80 
Halibut, medium........ 50 -90 70 80 || Sucker, medium.......... + 80 90 
Hickory shad, medium-..| 1}- 2 60 70 || Tilefish, medium.........| 6 -12 90 100 
JAGSHS Soo. cchoms woceats 4 50 60 || Whiting, medium....... +1 50 60 
Kingfish, medium....... 4-1 60 70 
a¥rom 5 to7 to the pound. b From 15 to 20 to the pound. 
Some experiments have recently been made to apply a known 
principle to the domestic canning of fish so as to obviate the neces- 
sity for employing a pressure cooker. The reference is to boiling the 
cans or jars in a saturated salt solution; that is, at 228° F. for a time. 
For this process, only apparatus usually found in the home, such as a 
wash boiler, is employed. By this method, the bones are softened 
satisfactorily and the fish thoroughly cooked, and difficulties in clos- 
ing fruit jars to withstand the pressure created are overcome. Nearly 
100 containers of glass and tin have been processed and some success 
has been attained. It is planned to make additional tests before 
recommending the use of the method to the public. 
DEVELOPMENT OF AQUATIC SOURCES OF LEATHER, 
The Bureau has continued to cooperate effectively with tanners, 
fishermen, and others interested in the development of new sources 
of leather from the skins of aquatic animals. Among the advances to 
be recorded in this work during the past year the following may be 
mentioned: (1) The development of types of nets suitable for catch- 
ing sharks and devices claimed to be satisfactory for quickly removing 
the hides from the fish; (2) progress in the development of methods 
suitable for tanning the hides of the smaller fishes on a commercial 
scale; (8) perfection of arrangements by tanners to engage in the 
industry; (4) establishment of connections with the fishing ce..ters 
for supplies of raw materials; (5) preparations for the establishment 
at various points on our coasts of small plants for fishing for sharks, 
the flesh to be used for food, the liver oil to be extracted and 
' marketed, the hides to be tanned into leather, and the refuse to be 
