MAINE SARDINE INDUSTRY. 37 



Other fish of the same lot, in enamel pans, were intimately mixed 

 with salt until they were almost covered, when a final layer just 

 covering them was sprinkled over the top. A fairly large excess of 

 salt in proportion to the quantity of fish was used. 



The changes which the fish held in pickle and in dry salt underwent 

 at certain intervals of time are shown in Table 14. 



As was to be expected, the water content of the fish decreased 

 during the first 48 hours they remained in the salt and pickle, the loss 

 being much greater in the case of those kept in dry salt. At the end of 

 the 48,-hour period the percentage of water lost by the eviscerated 

 fish in pickle was practically the same as that lost by the une vis- 

 cerated fish. The uneviscerated fish in dry salt, however, showed 

 at this period a slightly greater loss of water than did the eviscerated 

 fish in dry salt. The water content of the fish kept in pickle and in 

 dry salt for 96 hours increased from that shown for the 48-hour 

 period, the increase being more marked in the case of the fish held in 

 pickle. 



There appears to be a greater loss of volatile nitrogen, as ammonia 

 and amines, from the tissues of the fish when kept in pickle than 

 when kept in dry salt. No change of a significant nature was found 

 in the results obtained for the amino acid nitrogen or the acidity 

 of the fat. 



The fish used in the second experiment, brought to the laboratory 

 during cool weather, were in good condition, having been but from 

 4 to 6 hours out of the water. They were oil size, packing on the 

 average 6 fish to the can. 



After a representative sample, designated as fresh fish in Table 

 15, had been taken from the entire portion, 500-gram lots were 

 accurately weighed into beakers, and 350 cc of pickle reading 90° 

 on the salimeter were added. At the expiration of the time intervals 

 indicated in Table 15 the samples were removed and weighed, and 

 the volume, specific gravity, and weight of the pickle determined. 



Of the other fish, 500-gram portions were treated with 100 grams 

 of salt. At the end of the stated periods the brine which had formed 

 was poured off, and the whole mass of fish, rinsed free from adhering 

 water and brine, was analyzed. 



The results of the analyses of the fish appear in Table 15, and of 

 those of the pickle in Table 16. 



The loss in weight, 4.4 per cent of the original weight of the fish, 

 which occurred during the first hour they were held in pickle, was 

 almost doubled at the expiration of the 8-hour period. A gradual 

 loss in both water and fat, corresponding to the length of time the 

 fish remained in the pickle, occurred. 



