REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. CLXIII 



The number of persons employed in tbe fisheries of these States in 

 1898 was 9,185 for ]S'ew York, and 12,270 for Kew Jersey; the capital 

 invested amounted to $7,589,787 for Xew York and $2,337,422 for :N"ew 

 Jersey ; the value of the products was $3,545,189 and $3,563,760 

 respectively. 



The large increase in the number of persons employed and in the 

 capital invested in the fisheries of Xew York in 1898 as compared with 

 1897, is due mainly to the fact that the statistics for 1898 include the 

 persons and capital in the wholesale fishery trade of New York City, 

 and also to the transfer of the location of the menhaden industry, which 

 has been consolidated to an important extent and is controlled chiefly 

 in "jSTew York. 



ARTIFICIAL DRIERS IN CURING CODFISH. 



Several fish-driers have been in use in the British Provinces during 

 the past few years. There are at present but four driers in use in the 

 United States — namely, at Boston and Gloucester, Mass.; Eockland, 

 Me., and San Francisco, Cal. The fish-drier seems to be destined to 

 become a valuable adjunct to the outfit of the cod-curing establish- 

 ment. It is not, as yet, intended to supplant open-air fish-drying, but 

 will probabl}^ come into general use as an accessory. Any desired 

 temperature and air current may be maintained continuously, and the 

 kilns may be constructed to accommodate large quantities of fish. It 

 permits of fish being dried quickly when it is necessary to do so, and is 

 useful in drying export fish for climates where well-cured fish are 

 desired. When fish, drying out of doors, are endangered by bad 

 weather, they can be saved by being placed in the drier. 



Two forms of drier are in use, one — Whitman's patent — in which the 

 kiln is fitted throughout with steam inpes for maintaining the desired 

 temperature, while an air current is forced through the compartments 

 by a blower; the other — devised by Charles E. Weeks — in which 

 the kiln is supplied with a current of warm air without the introduction 

 of heating pipes into the kiln. The kilns in both driers consist of a 

 number of connected booths, each holding about 12 sliding trays, upon 

 which the fish are placed. The trays are about 10 feet long by 4i wide, 

 with bottoms of galvanized wire netting. The salted fish are laid on 

 the trays either side up and appear to require no turning. Small fish 

 dry in about 12 hours; slack-salted fish in 36 to 48 hours. The tem- 

 perature is maintained at about 80° during the drying of heavy salted 

 fish. The kiln of the Weeks drier at Rockland, Me., carries about 150 

 quintals at one time. The Whitman drier at Boston is much larger. 



