ALASKA 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 days, 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 13.3 on the tenth day after killing. Reference to the New York 
market quotations 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 days 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 processes, the study of sealing 
methods at the islands was continued in 1920. W. P. Zschorna, who 
carried on preliminary work in 1919 for the Bureau, was in charge 
of experimental work this year for Funsten Bros. & Co. Four other 
employees of the company, namely, Michael Syron, Oliver E. Klock- 
enbrink, Frank L. Milligan, and J. H. 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 
blubbering 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. Paul 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 plan is the taking of sealskins by the so- 
called rough method, which consists in leaving considerable quanti- 
