SALMON FISHERY. 14! 



tubs, filled with ftrong brine, and leave them there 

 for a month or fix weeks, and fometimes longer, 

 waiting until there may be a call for them : for it 

 is thought, that falmon keeps better in thofe large 

 veflels, than in barrels ; but care mufl be taken to 

 have it conftantly covered with brine. Laftly, it 

 is to be taken out of the tubs, and barrelled. 



In the bottom of the barrel, they put four or 

 five fmall falmon, and then lay on the large good 

 falmon, prefling them together as much as poifible, 

 and putting a little fait between them. In the top 

 of the barrel, likewife, they put fome fmall falmon. 

 When the barrel is full, they pour in a fmall quan- 

 tity of ftrong brine, and immediately clofe it up ; 

 for it is neceflary to guard the fifti again ft the con- 

 taft of the air, and to prevent the brine from being 

 loft. Without thefe precautions, the falmon would 

 grow yellow and nifty, and would contraft a bad 

 fmell. Large falmon is more liable to thefe incon- 

 veniencies than the fmaller fort, and, therefore, re- 

 quires more fait in the barreling of it. It is more 

 difficult to preferve falmon than cod. The Scotch 

 take care not to mix falmon of different forts and 

 qualities, in the fame barrels, and not to export fuch 

 as are bad. There is a bounty on every barrel ex- 

 ported, and there are infpeftors in every port of 

 Scotland, whofe bufinefs it is to enquire into, and 

 certify the good quality, fpecies, &c. of the fiili. 

 When the barrels arrive at their place of deftina- 

 tion, they ought to be filled again with frefli brine. 



From 



