962 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Coupled with Mr. Goode's statement that half the time available for 

 fishing is consumed by the Gloucester fishermen's excursions after bait, 

 Mr. Smidth's last remark is of great interest, as showing how vital the 

 question of bait-preservation is to the fisheries. 



Two processes are in vogue : the one which may be termed rough 

 salting, and the other more careful handling and thorough cleaning of the 

 fish, washing out blood and dirt, with a view to a milder salting. Salt 

 T3ait is not so good as fresh bait, and there is a difference of opinion as 

 to the relative value of whole and cleaned, or split salted fish. Since the 

 soundness of bait thus used depends mainly on the condition of the fish 

 when first salted, it may be desirable, even where salting is continued, to 

 have means for the prompt cooling and di-ying of the fresh fish, and their 

 more deliberate packing in barrels, as at present practised. 



This seemed to have the ijreference, and the difficulties in its use de- 

 pend (1) on the limited time it can be kept frozen and secured in a fish- 

 ing-schooner; (2) on the time and distance required to secure it — a 

 j^riori, it is not easy to understand how this form of bait can have any 

 advantage over partially desiccated bait, and on carefully considering all 

 1 have learned from Professor Baud, Mr. Milner, and Mr. Brown Goode, 

 it is my opinion that the best method of curing bait will be by drying at 

 low temperatures. 



A paper was read some years ago at the Society of Arts in London 

 by Mr. Buchanan, on the preservation of vegetables by cold-air cur- 

 rents, and in justice to this gentleman I must say that the specimens 

 prepared of cabbage, Brussels sprouts, onions, &c., were all that could 

 be desired. This bore out my views as to the preservation of meats, and 

 although absolute desiccation was essential for the prolonged packing 

 of vegetable matter, animal produce may be made to preserve aU its 

 piu'ity and delicate flavor by prompt and partial drying at lower tempera- 

 tures, and effected in shorter time than by Mr. Buchanan's process. He 

 placed his vegetables on trays, or an endless band, and maintained active 

 currents of air in a confined box at ordinary temperatures, removing the 

 :moisture by chloride of calcium. This moisture could, of course, be 

 better and more economically abstracted by metal surfaces lowered be- 

 low 32° Fahr., and the dry cold air would always be preferable to tem- 

 peratures varying, say, from 50° to 70°, and over. It is true that when 

 relying on simple movement of the atmosphere the temperature may be 

 >^aried at different stages of the process, and whereas it might be wise 

 to dry slowly when the whole of the moisture in the vegetables, com- 

 bined with high temperature, might lead to decay, so soon as a large 

 percentage of the water had been removed, a higher temperature, even 

 up to 100° Fahr., might be advantageously used to expedite the process. 

 All aromatic substances retain their natural and unaltered characters 

 only if dried at the lower available temperatures. It is with great con- 

 fidence that I propose an extended trial of cold-dried bait. 



Any quantity can be profitably and inexpensively cured by this pro- 



