6 The Commercial Products of the Sea. 



tillage, without expense of seed or manure, without the 

 payment of rent or taxes, is inexhaustible, the extraordi- 

 nary fecundity of the most valuable species of fish would 

 alone afford abundant proof. 



In spite, however, of this large supply of whole- 

 some, palatable, and nutritious food, yielded by the sur- 

 rounding seas of Great Britain, every acre of which is 

 infinitely more productive than the same quantity of the 

 richest land ; notwithstanding that these salt-water fields 

 are perpetually " white to the harvest," it is a remarkable 

 fact that, in the inland and middle counties of England, the 

 labouring classes scarcely know the taste of fish, which of 

 late years has become a scarce article, even in some of the 

 maritime counties. Formerly salmon, whilst in season, was 

 the common .food of all ranks in the northern counties 

 bordering on the sea, and in most parts of Wales, and what 

 could not be used fresh was salted for winter consumption ; 

 there was scarcely a family in the neighbourhood of a sea- 

 port or salmon fishery that did not lay up a supply of 

 pickled salmon for the winter. 



The produce of the sea around our coasts bears a far 

 higher proportion to that of the land than is generally 

 imagined. The most frequented fishing grounds are much 

 more prolific of food than the same extent of the richest 

 land. Once in the year an acre of good land carefully 

 tilled produces a ton of corn, or two or three cwts. of meat 

 or cheese. The same area at the bottom of the sea on 

 the best fishing grounds yields a greater weight of food to 

 the persevering fisherman every week in the year. Five 

 vessels belonging to the same owner, in a single night's 

 fishing, have brought in 17 tons weight of fish, an amount 

 of wholesome food equal in weight to that of 50 cattle, 

 or 300 sheep. The ground which these vessels covered 



