112 DIFFERENT MODES OF CURING THE HERRING. 



After remaining tliree or four days, the barrel is again 

 opened, when the herrings are found floating in pickle ; 

 the superabundant pickle is taken out or poured off, and 

 an additional quantity of herrings of the same day's fish- 

 ing, to fill up the cask, is packed in ; a quantity of salt is 

 then laid on the top of all, and the barrel is headed up, 

 and it is then ready for branding. According to the exist- 

 ing British fishery laws, such barrels must be marked 

 in the proper manner, to show the month and day the 

 herrings were taken, cured, and packed, and the mode of 

 gutting, and the year, as well as the name and residence 

 of the curer. The following letters denote the different 

 months : — JN for June, JL for July, AV for August, 

 S for September, for October, N for November, D for 

 December, JY for January, F for February, MR for 

 March, AP for April, MY for May. They must be 

 Eoman letters, and scratched on the sides of the barrels 

 with a marking iron, as also the day of the month ; all 

 which must be done in a distinct, legible, and permanent 

 manner, and every letter or figure shall not be less than 

 two inches in length ; if not scratched, the same may be 

 painted black, but this is never done. The mark to de- 

 note that the herrings contained in any barrel were gutted 

 with a knife, and packed within twenty-four hours after 

 being taken, must be three Eoman letters, viz., G B K ; 

 if gutted with the finger, G B F ; and the mark to de- 

 note that the herrings contained in any barrel were gutted 

 and packed, oiot within twenty-four hours after being taken, 

 shall be G. ; and the mark of cured ungutted shall be 

 U. ; — which marks shall also be scratched on the sides of 

 the barrels with a marking-iron, or painted black, and not 

 less than two inches in length. The name and residence of 

 the curer, and the year when the herrings were cured, must 



