142 PACIFIC SALMON FISHERIES. 
some days in old brine and then packed in strong casks holding about 
25 gallons each. It might also prove to be a good bait for tolling 
mackerel on the Atlantic coast. 
In 1910 a considerable quantity of salmon roe was prepared in 
Siberia and sold in competition with caviar, which is prepared from 
sturgeon eggs. The product met with favor in Europe and now large 
quantities are prepared each season. 
In thiscountry Miss Ida Tuholski, of San Francisco, who had been en- 
gaged in the preparation of sturgeon caviar for some years, put up 
a number of sample lots of salmon caviar which were fully the equal 
of the best sturgeon caviar. Capital has been chary, however, about 
engaging in the business, although undoubtedly it will be an impor- 
tant industry some day. 
For making caviar the eggs should be as fresh as possible, and in 
order to make sure of this thesalmon, all species, except the sockeye and 
coho, are utilized in Siberia: the chum eggs make the best caviar. They 
are taken alive, if possible, shortly after coming from the water, killed 
and bled, the belly opened up and the roe taken out. This work can 
best be done on work and living scows anchored close to the fishing 
camps. The roe is placed upon a stand, the top of which is formed 
of a small-meshed galvanized-iron wire*screen. On the underside is 
arranged a zine-lined trough. The operator gently rubs the mass of 
egos back and forth over the screen, the mesh of which is just large 
enough to let the eggs drop through, and, as they are separated from 
the membrane *y the rubbing, they fall through into the trough and 
are thence drawn off into tubs by means of a sliding door at the end 
of the trough. 
After all the roe has been separated the tub is removed and a cer- 
tain proportion of salt (the sturgeon caviar makers employ the best 
Luneburg, Germany, salt in this work, while some of the Siberian 
makers of salmon caviar use no, 2 Berkshire salt from England) is 
added to the roe, after which the mass is mixed withthe hands. . 
The most delicate part of the whole operation is in the manner of 
mixing. No direct rule can be given for doing this portion of the 
work, as the condition of the roe re ulates the time consumed and 
the manner of handling. It requires practical experience to become 
proficient, but this should be an easy matter for one used to handling 
salted products. ‘The sturgeon caviar makers use about 11 pounds 
of salt in preparing a keg of caviar. 
After the salt has been added the mass of eggs first dries up, but 
in a few minutes the strength of the salt draws from the eggs their 
watery constituents and a copious brine is formed, which can be 
poured off when the tub becomes too full. In Siberia the caviar 
makers put the eggs into a brine solution of 19 to 22 per cent Baumé 
strength immediately after they come from the trough. The salted 
