COD AND OTHER SALT FISH FOR THE MARKET. 



Percentage of moisture and salt in fish while curing, using different kinds of 



salt. 



One of the interesting facts shown by this table is that there is 

 little difference in the action of fine and coarse salt in abstracting 

 water from the tissues of the fish. A physical examination of the 

 fish, particularly during the first four days, indicates that the fine 

 salt has accomplished much more than the coarse salt. Competent 

 judges considered that those treated with fine salt were as well ad- 

 vanced in the pickle at the end of two days as fish ordinarily are 

 after a week or eight days in the regular pickle. At the close of the 

 salting period all of those treated with the fine salt had the appear- 

 ance of being slack salted. The fish had a peculiar white semi- 

 translucent appearance rather than the solid, white, opaque appear- 

 ance resulting from the coarse salt. These fish were all pronounced 

 to be " struck " at the end of the second day, the fine-salted fish being 

 better than the coarse salted. At the end of the first period (twelve 

 days) the fine-salted fish had made little change, but the coarse-salted 

 fish were the firmer. To the sense of taste the finely salted fish were 

 apparently much the saltier for the first four days, and there was 

 also a sweeter taste. 



A few of the fine salted fish were said by the packers to be " salt 

 burned," that is, the surface presented the effect of being slightly 

 coagulated, the salt crusted into the tissue, and the interior of the 

 tissue remaining soft. From the appearance of fish described as 

 " salt burned," and others seen at the factory, it is evident that these 

 fish come in contact with such quantities of salt in a fine state of 

 division that it unites with the tissues so rapidly as to cause coagula- 

 tion of the surface albumen and this apparently resists the penetra- 

 tion of the salt to the deeper structure. This is said to be one of the 

 objections to the use of fine salt. The coarse salt dissolves more 

 slowly and is supposed to maintain a more even strength in the pickle. 



