HERRING FISHERY. 



Loch Fyne herrings were better cured than the north highland, 

 and bore an higher price : but both forts were much inferior to 

 Dutch-cured herrings : one grand objection to them was, their 

 great inequality of tafte ; many of them had a tolerable good fla- 

 vour, while others in the fame barrel had a very difagreeable fla- 

 vour. This inequality arofe probably from a circumftance which 

 I will explain in the anfwer to the next queftion. 



Do you know any reafon which gives Dutch herrings a pre- 

 ference to Britim, and if (b, in what refpecls are they prefer- 

 able ? 



There are various caufes which give Dutch herrings a preference 

 to the Britifh : Firft, the Dutch are much more exacl in regard 

 to the quantity of the fait, fo as neither to render the herrings 

 too fait, nor on the other hand to endanger their {linking from 

 ufing too fmall a quantity. Secondly, in regard ta the quality as 

 well as quantity of fait, whence the Dutch herrings derive their 

 peculiarly fine flavour. Thirdly, in regard to the forting of her- 

 rings before they are falted the fecond time. The fecond faking 

 of the herrings is performed after the herrings are brought to port, 

 by a fet of men called fifh wardens ; and it is the (kill of thefe 

 men which gives to the Dutch herrings their peculiar excellence. 



Another material caufe of difference between Britifh-cured and 

 Dutch-cured herrings, conftfts in the mode of treating them when 

 they are, iirft taken out of the water. It is well known, that the 

 fooner a herring is gutted and falted after it is taken out of the 

 water, the better it is, and that by being fuffered to lie only a feu 

 hours in the open air, efpecially if the fun mines, it is rendered 

 lefs capable of receiving a fine flavour ; hence the Dutch never 

 expofe their herrings uncovered to the open air, but the moment 

 they draw the herrings out of the water they throw them into 

 brine or pickle ; then they immediately gut and pack them ; and 

 if any remain, when they (hoot the nets again, they are obliged 

 by the laws of Holland, to caft that remnant overboard as unfit 



