DIFFEKENT MODES OF CURING THE HERRING. 113 



be hranded witli a branding-iron in legible and j^ermanent 

 characters on one or more side-staves of each barrel (48 

 Geo. III. cap. 110 ; 55 Geo. IV. cap. 94). 



Barrels. — Each herring- barrel must not be smaller than 

 32 gallons old wine measure, or 27 imperial gallons, and 

 half-barrels may be used, if of legal size. The cask may 

 be of any kind of wood, fir excepted. 



Heads. — The heads or ends must be in pieces, not ex- 

 ceeding 8 inches in breadth, and when the herrings are 

 barrelled up, the head must be supplied with a flag or 

 bulrush round the ears or edges ; but tow or flax is not 

 objected to as a substitute. 



Hoops. — If the herrings are intended for home con- 

 sumption, or exportation to any place in Europe, the 

 casks are full bound at one end, and there are generally 

 three at the bilge and four at the tops. If the herrings 

 are intended for exportation to places out of Europe, tlie 

 casks must be full bound at both ends, and have, besides, 

 two iron hoops, one at each end. 



Dunting. — A dunt or dant is a round solid piece of 

 wood of nearly the size of the head. Dunting is the 

 placing of this on the top of the herrings in the barrel 

 after being repacked, and by jumping, or standing on it 

 the herrings are pressed down. 



Blowing. — After the barrel is packed and headed up, 

 there must be a hole bored in the head of sufficient size 

 to enable the cooper to ascertain by blowing into it, 

 whether the cask is air-tight or not ; this is ascertained 

 by observing if any air escapes, and the crevices or open- 

 ings, if any, must be filled up or tightened. 



Branding. — There ought to be 235 lb. of herrings 

 washed free of salt and pickle, if intended for home con- 

 sumption, in each cask ; 224 lb. for the European markets. 



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