[7] THE SALTING OF nERRlNG. 42? 



iron expands wbeii exposed to heat, the iron hoops are moreover apt to 

 become loose, and as they easily become rust-eaten their disadvantages 

 are greater than their advantages. Hoops made of hazel wood are 

 stronger than those made of willow. To prevent the lidops from sliding, 

 the outer main hoop should be nailed fast, and small pieces of wood 

 should be placed between tlie outer and inner row of hoops, so as to 

 keep them in position. 



The (irmness of the keg depends on the thickness of the staves, 

 on the material employed, and on the manner in which it is worked. 

 The thickness of the staves has already been referred to above. As 

 regards the material, it should be of some kind of wood wlii(;h will 

 not let the luine ooze through. The po])lar and the pine, whose wood 

 absorbs water easier than the fir, are not (Considered suitable for mak- 

 ing staves. The wood of trees grown on marshy soil is not good for 

 this [)urpose, and wood which has been in water for some time should 

 not be used under any circumstances. Even if by drying it quickly one 

 should succeed in giving it a wliite appearance the brine will easily soak 

 llnough. Pine wood can least of all stan<l moisture, while clean, fresh- 

 cut pine staves arc equal to fir staves. The kinds of wood usually em- 

 ployed are, oak (ITolland), beech and birch (Scotland), pine and fir (Nor- 

 way). Beech wood has the disadvantage Ihat it is brittle and warps 

 easily, for which reasou the staves should not be too broad.* Oak 

 wood, or resinous pine, or fir woodt will, more than other woods, give a 

 l)eculiar flavor to the herring. Whether this is an advantage or a 

 disadvantage will depend on the taste of the customers. In former 

 limes the i)reierence which was given to our herring in the Polish and 

 Kussian markets was ascribed to the resinous flavor which the fir kegs 

 gave to the herring, so that it e\'en became necessary to repeal the 

 order given by the Danish Government (under whose authority Nor- 

 way was at the time) prohibiting the use of fir kegs. The customers of 

 the Dutch, on the other hand, preferred the flavor iii!i)ar(ed to the her- 

 ring by oak kegs. In our opinion no wood should be employed which 

 imparts a peculiar flavor to the herring, except for markets where a 

 preference is shown for fish having such a flavor. The summer herring 

 especiall}- are n\)t to take the flavor of the wood. Fj-om the experi- 

 ments made last year by the Society for the Promotion oC the Norwe- 

 gian Fisheries, it apix'ars that spring heiring do not so (piiclcly take 

 flavor from the wood. 



As kegs, when stored away, are apt to fall to i)ieces, or at least to 

 have their staves loosened, they are filled with water, but not longer 

 than twenty-four hours belbre being used. It is not a<lvisable to let 

 them lie by the side of the vessel, as only part of the keg gets in the 

 water. It is said that putting in every keg 1^ liters [3 pints] of salt 



"In Scotland the breadth of the staves jfeueraliy docs not exceed ir>2.1 niilliirieters 

 [tj inches], except oaken staves, which may he 177.8 niilliineters broad. 

 ITill the year 1874 it was f(>rbi(hh'n in Scotland to salt lu'riiiijf in lii' kcirs. 



