31 G REPORT OF C0MMISSI0>.'ER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [2] 



a. The fish are g-oneriilly cut across the gullet and lulled as so(^n as 

 they come out of the water; but unfortunately this rule is not followed 

 universally. On decked vessels the lish are i;enerally killed by makiiiu- 

 a cut near the .uill« toward the neck, or else by nuikin^^ a snudl wound 

 in the head with the point of the hook. This last-inentioued method is 

 generally employed in the boat fisheries, and even a small wound will 

 cause the fish to bleed to death. 



h. After the fish has been cleaned it is always w^ashed, but not with 

 a brush, excent, perhaps, on decked vessels; but even there a brush is 

 found to be less practical than a common mitten. 



d. Mr. A. is nearly correct when he states that a barrel of salt is used 

 for IGO kilograms of dried fish: the quantity of salt, however, is rather 

 less than more, but rarely less than ;{ bushels. The quantity of salt 

 used varies somewhat with the season, the (piality of fish, the time they 

 are to lie in salt, and according to their being salted in barrels, boxes, 

 or simply in piles. Fish that have lain in salt two or three days are 

 not piled up in new heaps, at least not in the Soutldand and in the 

 VA^esthind; although this may possil)ly be done on decked vessels. It 

 is my o[)i7iion that this is done only on l-'rench and other vessels, where 

 the fish are kept on board for some time. 



It is scarcely eoirect to say that fish whieh have lain in salt during 

 winter are just as gooil as those that have been caught in the same 

 year or after new-year's. We shall come nearer the truth when we 

 say that such lish make a tolerably good article. 



Aft<'r the fish have been taken out of the salt they are often piled u]) 

 in large heaps; generally, however, small lieaj)s are ])ref(n'red. The 

 smaller fish are put at th(! bottom with the skin downward, and so on, 

 one on the top of the other, all except the bottom layer having the skin 

 u])ward, so that each layer is i^retty well covered by the one above it. 

 When the heap is suliiciently high (from 7 to 10 layers), one of the 

 largest codfish is laid on the toj) to serve as a cover. Many people, 

 however, pile the fish one above the other, all turning the same way 

 (that is, with the tail turned outside) in a long row, making about" 20 

 layers or more. There can be lu) olyection to this, even if most curers 

 of klip-fish prefer (especially when there is pros])ect of rainy weather) 

 to lay the fish in isolated heai)s of from 7 to 10 layers, when it is of 

 course not necessary to relay them. The statement that in case of 

 rainy or unfavoraljU^ weatlu^r the fish are laid in s(|uare heaps and 

 jepiled daily nnist be regarded as an unsafe method, of wliieh, however, 

 I know nothing. 



It is very difficult to lay down any rules for pressing the fish, as the 

 varying circumstances of each case should guide in this respect. The 

 same also a])plies to the relaying when the i)ressing becomes too lengthy 

 a process; and it may, on the whole, be recommended to use less press- 

 ure. No relaying should take place unless tlu're is danger of the fish 

 fermenting. Pressing is used to smooth tlie fish aiul in order to dimin- 



