FISHERIES AND THEIR PKODUCE. 43 



rentals of all the principal rivers have decreased 

 during the last twenty years, shows that these 

 complaints are but too well founded." Besides 

 the system of poaching in close time, the weirs, 

 salmon-traps, and other obstructions placed in 

 the rivers, prove impediments to the fish in 

 their ascent, and prevent many from persever- 

 ing, while over-fishing has added its share : but, 

 perhaps, the main cause may 'arise from the 

 close time being too limited, which should com- 

 mence as early as the middle of August, and 

 continue to the close of February. It is now 

 -the practice to pack the Scotch salmon in 

 coarsely pounded ice, by which means they 

 arrive quite fresh in London, whereas formerly 

 the greater part of the salmon caught in the 

 Tweed, and other Scotch rivers, were pickled, 

 or kitted, after being boiled, and sent to London 

 under the name of Newcastle salmon.* 



The Irish salmon fisheries of most note are 

 in the Bann, near Coleraine ; the Foyle ; the 



* Within memory, salted salmon formed a material article 

 of economy in all the farm-houses of the Vale of the Tweed, 

 as a considerable portion of their winter stores, inasmuch as 

 that in-door servants often bargained that they should not 

 be obliged to take more than two weekly meals of salmoii. 

 It could then be bought fresh caught in summer at two shil- 

 ings the fish stone of nearly 19 pounds' weight. But from the 

 introduction of ice enabling the whole to be sent fresh to 

 London at all times, the price hardly falls below 12*. a stone, 

 and is often 30.?., and sometimes 42s." Kwr's Berwickshire. 



