38 HERRING FISHERY. 



Salt is not generally ufed in the barreling of 

 herrings ; however, if the barrels are made up to 

 be fent by fea to hot climates, a fmall quantity of 

 large fait is fcattered between the beds of her- 

 rings. 



In fome ports they leave the barrels, after they 

 have been headed, near one another with the 

 bung-holes uppermofl:, through which they pour 

 in at different times fome of the Lrine, in which 

 the herrings had been wafhed, after it has flood 

 twenty-four hours in large cafks, to clarify by pre- 

 cipitation. The bungs are then clofed, and the 

 herrings are fit to be fold. 



It is to be noticed, that old brine, clarified^ is 

 preferred to new brine, and that fome falters dif- 

 approve of the cuftom of pouring in brine by the 

 bung-hole, for they fay it makes the fifli lofe part 

 of the brine, which it had imbibed. But it does 

 not appear how adding of new brine, ihould make 

 the herrings lofe their own brine ; it is probable 

 that new brine is preferable to the old, which is 

 mixed- with the lymph and blood of the herrings. 

 But as fait is very dear in feveral ports, it is the 

 intereft of the falters to be fparing of it. 



Of curing Herrings in Brittany. 



After having drefs'd and half-falted them, they 

 make them up in barrels, with a layer of fait in 

 the bottom, upon which they place a row of her- 

 rings, 



