REPORT OF THE COMUISSlOyERS xxxix 



recent years have beeu far greater tliau the supply. Were the fish now obtainable 

 in the large quantities recorded in former years, an enormous business could be 

 rapidly developed, especially on account of the increased transportation facilities 

 and the readiness with which shipments of shad could be sent in refrigerator cars 

 to the large centres of population in the west. Respecting the modes of preparing 

 shad and curing them, the earliest method was to cut off the head and split them 

 dowji the back, as one witness described was the method adopted in St. Marys bay, 

 Xova Scotia. This witness said: — 



Our method of preparing shad was to cut off the head, and split the back (some 

 split the belly) and take out the bone as far as the entrails. Then the fish was washed 

 and scraped to get the blood away, then washed twice and placed in a tub or cask 

 and allowed to soak in brine four hours or more. The tail remained on. They must 

 be salted heavy. We took out the bones as they are difiicult to cure with the backbone 

 in. The men at St. John, X.B.. split the back and left the backbone in, both the men 

 of Colchester. Economy, itc, split shad up the belly. Clean salt water is the best to 

 dress them in and for " striking " Liverpool salt is best (in bags). 



Further up the Xova Scotia shore, at Scotts Bay, a somewhat different method 

 was adopted " We split them in the back for salting." one witness testified " scrape 

 the blood out and scrape off the scales before salting. The Scotts Bay fish had in- 

 deetl a superior repute, because the shad were sealed. The scales were taken off before 

 they were salted and the head was removed." The fishermen along the Tenecape 

 shore did not remove the scales, but the following method was adopted in curing shad. 

 As an exx)erienced fisherman said : 



Our method of curing is to split them in the belly and take out the backbone and 

 sliver the tail off. We keep the scales on to keep in the fat. Soak them three hours 

 and salt, using a lot of salt the first time or they will spoil. Cover them with salt 

 or where they touch will turn black and they will stick together. 



Along the opposite (Economy) shore, a similar method was adopted as at Tene- 

 cape, and the shad acquired a wide reputation and were known as " Economy Mess 

 Shad." 



Up the Cumberland bay the Commission learned that from early times the shad 

 were handled in a different manner, the head being removed, the fish split open down 

 the back, the entrails removed and a slit made alongside the backbone to allow the 

 blood to escape, this slit being in the thick part of the fish. In later years, the men 

 in this locality adopted the method of leaving the head on, one fisherman describing 

 the process to the Commission as follows: 



' In curing we used to take the head off. but now the head backbone and tail are 

 left on, formerly the shad were split, the backbone and tail left in, but the head taken 

 off and then were struck down. When the backbone was taken out it was a ' mess 

 shad.' 



We cannot refrain from expressing the opinion that the lack of uniformity in 

 cleaning, curing and packing salt shad has been a disadvantage in many ways. It 

 is a disadvantage to the producer, the fishermen, and the merchant or dealer. The 

 removal of the head, backbone and tail is a positive detriment to the fish, and the 

 practice adopted in some localities of removing the scales before salting shad is not 

 only unnecessary but in no way improves the quality of the fish, indeed much of the 



