FISHERIES. I I 5 



Besides these methods some kinds of fish are smoked as, for 

 instance, a small kind of herring. 



The sturgeon is prepared in another manner, called en balyk. 

 The back of the fish is dried and salted, afterwards coloured with 

 saltpetre, and flavoured with pepper, cloves, and laurel leaves. It is 

 highly valued when thus prepared, as the process is difficult and does 

 not always succeed. It sells for '6 for 40 Ibs. weight in the places 

 where it is made. 



The other products of the sturgeon are caviar, isinglass, and 

 vesiga. Caviar is the roe of the sturgeon, and is of two kinds 

 liquid and solid according to the manner of preparation. The 

 liquid caviar is the most highly prized, and is, therefore, prepared in. 

 the largest quantities. The best is made in Astrakhan, and is sold 

 there, at wholesale price for as much as 5 for 40 Ibs., while at 

 Moscow and Petersbourg the retail price is about 3s. 4d. a pound- 

 The solid caviar is not worth so much. Isinglass is obtained from 

 the swimming bladder of the sturgeon. This vessel is well soaked 

 in water to get rid of all the fat and useless matter. It is there 

 separated from its skin, and dried in rolls. When dry it is done up 

 in bundles for sale. The best is known under the name of patriarch, 

 because it is prepared in the fisheries which belong to the patriarch 

 of Moscow, just as the convent of Solovetsky provides the 

 best herrings from the Baltic. The preparation called vesiga is 

 made from the substance contained in the backbone of the sturgeon. 

 It is in the form of a long riband, and is thus dried for sale. It is a 

 great delicacy, eaten in pats, and sometimes with the flesh of the 

 fish itself, and is sold for 3 : 6s. for 40 Ibs. weight. Of this about 

 28,000 Ibs. is sold. The last product worthy of mention from the 

 different kinds of fish is oil, the value of which is .83,300. It is 

 employed for many uses for manufactures, medicine, and food. lu 

 some fish it is only found in the liver, while in others it is procured 

 from all parts of the body. The method of preparing medicinal oil 

 from the liver of the cod was first discovered in Norway, but they 

 are now able to make it in Lapland, and as a proof of their success 

 14,000 Ibs. of cod liver-oil have been ordered from our fishery here 

 for use in the military hospitals. The livers are prepared by means 

 of hot water, and sometimes by the heat of the sun, which dissolves 

 the oil and separates it from the useless matter. That which is made 

 from whole fish is prepared differently. This method is very waste- 

 ful, as much of the fish does not produce oil. , Herrings have been 

 principally used until lately, as there was formerly a great prejudice 

 in Russia against their being consumed as food. Unhappily, though 

 this prejudice has almost died out, a hundred millions of herrings aro 

 still used for the extraction of oil every year. 



The sea mammals constitute another important branch of Russian 

 commerce, which equals at least S3,300. Besides those caught in 

 the northern seas there is a species of seal found in the Caspian, and 

 in the mouths of the Volga and Oural. In the principal centre of 



