378 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



ton. The oil is put up in barrels holding about 50 gallons each, and in 

 1898 brought an average of $10 per barrel. This business was formerly 

 (luite extensive, but has greatly decreased owing to the decline in the 

 catch of sturgeon and the heavy competition with other products. 



No use is made of the air-bladder, or sound, of the Delaware stur- 

 geon, owing to its coarseness. 



PREPARATION OF CAVIAR. 



By far the most valuable by-product obtained from the sturgeon is 

 the roe, from which the valuable commercial product called caviar is 

 prepared. For this only the hard roe of the "cow" fish is supposed to 

 be used. The manner of preparation is as follows: 



After the eggs have been removed from the fish, they are placed in 

 large chunks upon a stand, the top of which is formed of a small- 

 meshed screen. On the under side is arranged a zinc-lined trough, 

 about 18 iii(;hes deep, 2 feet wide, and 4 feet long. The operator gently 

 rubs the mass of eggs back and forth over the screen. The mesh is 

 iust large enough to let the eggs drop through, and as they are sepa- 

 rated from the membrane by the rubbing, they fall through into the 

 trough and are thence drawn oft" into tubs by means of a sliding door 

 at the end of the trough. After all the roe has been separated, the tub 

 is removed and a certain proi)ortion of the best Liineburg (Germany) 

 salt added to the roe, after which the operator carefully stirs and 

 mixes the mass with his hands. The most delicate part of the wliole 

 operation is in the manner of mixing. No direct rule can be given for 

 doing this portion of the work, as the condition of the roe regulates 

 the time consumed and the manner of handling. It requires practical 

 experience to become proficient. 



After adding the salt the mass of eggs first dries up, but in 10 or 15 

 minutes the strength of the salt draws from the eggs their watery con- 

 stituents and a copious brine is formed, which can be ])Oured off when 

 the tub becomes too full. The salted eggs are poured into very fine- 

 meshed sieves, which hold about 10 i)ounds each. In the caviar house 

 are usually arranged long, sloping boards, with narrow strips nailed on 

 each side. On these the sieves are placed, and are left there from 8 to 

 20 hours in order to thoroughly drain. The eggs have now become the 

 caviar of commerce, and are transferred to small casks, of either oak 

 or pine, which have been steamed in order to prevent any possible 

 leakage ; the casks are covered and allowed to stand until the gas 

 escapes and the eggs settle. The vacant space caused by the settling 

 is then filled, and the cask headed up and put in a cool place until ready 

 for shipment. The casks cost about $1 each and hold about 135 i^ounds 

 net. It requires about 11 quarts of salt to prepare a keg of caviar. 



Formerly only the hard roe was used in making caviar, but some of 

 the fishermen have become so expert that they can handle roe which is 

 medium soft and still prepare a fair grade of caviar. Others who are 

 not quite so scrupulous as the majority even put up the quite soft roe; 



