IJ^I GILL-NETS IN THE COD FISIirRY 2(50 



Islands, whore lisl. .re often found in the greatest nnuibcr. son.e dis 

 tance troni tlie bottom, deej)er nets are required. 



The nets made for Captain Martin in the winter of ].S8()-\S1 were 50 

 fathoms long and 3 fathoms dee,), l>nt as nearly all the fish were canght 

 near the bottom, other persons have since had longer nets of less depth- 

 some of those made for the shore fleet have been 100 fathoms Ion-- and 

 2 deep, but the standard size seems to be about 50 fatlioms in len'oth 

 and 2,1 to 3 fathoms in depth.* The American nets •are hung to snuill 

 double lines of opposite lays, and they are tanned before being used 

 It may be well to mention here the Dutch method of tanuing cottou 

 'ornng-nets, which is thought better than any other by those foreign 

 h.s.u'rmen, and may, perhai)s, be applied with equal advantage to other 

 nets, when made of that material. The tan is made bv boiling catechu 

 m water m the proportion of one pound of the former to two and a half 

 gallons of the latter. When it is sufficiently strong the nets are soaked 

 m It for twenty-four hours, after which they are dried. They are taniied 

 and driexl three times, and then soaked ,n linseed oil. A pound of oil 

 IS provided for each pound of net, and they are allowed to remain in it 

 as long as any will be absorbed. They are then well drained and spread 

 out on the ground to dry, after which the process is completed by tan- 

 ning them once more. ^ 



Glass floats, similar to those of Norway, have been used on the Amer- 

 ican nets.t These cost about 30 cents each, when covered, and tweuty- 

 hve of them are attached to a 50-fathom net. Bricks are used for sink- 

 ers one of which is fastened to the foot of the net directly beneath 

 each of the floats, they being held in the same manner that the stone 

 ..nkers are, as shown in Plate III. Attempts have been made to use 

 «.aal sinkers and also metal floats, but these have proved unsatisfactorv 

 aaid no improvement has yet been made on the brick sinkers first adopted 

 Ihe cost of nets 50 fathoms long, with floats attached, is about $18 " 



rourteen-pound trawl- ancliors have been found quite suitable for Ips- 

 wich Lay, one being attached to each end of a gang of three^ nets, but 

 It IS probable that heavier ones will be required where there is deeper 

 water and more current. 



lor !l^wl^ "'" '''""""" 'lu^^^ter-barrels, rigged in the same manner as 



THE FISHERIES. 



L— The NouwecxIAn fisheries. 



Jucea into Nonvuv about 1685, .and nets are now extensively e „,ed 



Mtl,epr„,c,i>aJ fishing stations along the coast of that countn, bat 

 moix^ttnmjinywherejlsem c„d ashe,i^s that a« car- 



t These aio Jiiaile at the ghiss factories iu Boston, 



« 



