MASSACHUSETTS: BOSTON DISTRICT. 



211 



Tlie quantities of salt withdrawn in bond from the Boston custoni-house, from 3872 to 1880, 

 for use in the fisheries, and the invoice value of the same, or the cost at the foreign port of lading, 

 were as follows : 



INDUSTRIES RELATED TO THE FISHERIES. The manufacture of isinglass from fish sounds 

 is an important branch of business in connection with the fishing industry. The sounds are 

 received from the various fishing ports and also from foreign countries. They are soaked and 

 ground up into pulp, and the mass is then rolled into long thin sheets of excellent isinglass or 

 glue, that is used for refining beer and for various other purposes. There are several isinglass 

 factories in Boston, and two or three in other parts of the State, controlled by Boston capital. 



During the past few years more attention has each year been given to the fertilizing qualities 

 contained in the large amount of fish waste and scrap that was formerly constantly thrown away. 

 Three of the fertilizer factories in and around Boston use fish products, and these factories make 

 a specialty of this line, utilizing all the scrap and waste from the numerous boneless-fish factories, 

 menhaden chum, and the large amount of refuse from the market fishermen, such as fish-heads 

 and all kinds of unmarketable fish, for which the fishermen receive quite a sum. In fact, everything 

 connected with the fish that was formerly thrown away is now utilized at the fertilizer factoiies. 



The process of manufacture is simple, and varies but little in any of the factories. Fish scrap, 

 bone phosphate, and sulphuric acid are the principal ingredients used by all the factories. The 

 use of this fertilizing material has shown such favorable results that the demand is consequently 

 on the increase. Dealers give the following as the distribution from the New England factories 

 during 1879: New York, 40,000 tons; North Carolina, 20,000 tons; South Carolina, 20,000 tons; 

 Virginia, 45,000 tons; Georgia, 45,000 tons; New England, 10,000 tons. Maryland and New Jersey 

 take a less amount, and the newer States of the West as yet care for but little, if any, fertilizing 

 compounds. A large amount is also exported to the West Indies. During 1879 the total amount 

 of fertilizers manufactured in the three Boston factories was 14,000 tons, valued at from $25 to $35 

 per ton. The proportional part of the business belonging to the credit of the fishing industry is 

 about $100,000 capital, ninety men, and $140,000 as the value of the product. 



Of the large number of barrels, drums, boxes, and smaller packages required in the fishing 

 business, Maine furnishes nearly all the barrels, one-fourth of the drums, and most of the large 

 boxes used in packing fresh and dry fish. The boxes arrive in shocks, all ready to be put together 

 as required. Kits, half and quarter barrels, for this market are mostly made at Townsend, Mass., 

 where there are five factories and numerous small dealers. There is also one factory at each of the 

 following towns in New Hampshire: Hollis, Brookline, Merrimack, and Milford. One-fourth of 

 the products of the Massachusetts and New Hampshire factories are used by dealers in Boston, 

 and the remainder in the Gloucester, New York, Philadelphia, aixl the Western Lake fisheries. 

 The boneless-fish trade demand for boxes, holding from 5 to 40 pounds, is supplied from Middle- 



