224" DUTCH METHOD OF COKING HERRINGS. 



Dutch method rings, full herrings, and (hot herrings. The flrft of thefe are 

 wrin^f ter- d thofe taken earlietf, and without row or melt, but which, 

 rings, though well flavoured, do not keep. Full herrings are thofe 



taken at Midfummer, on the point of fpawning; from which 

 the brand-herrings, fo called from the barrels being marked 

 with a hot iron, only differ in being caught later, re-packed 

 immediately on arrival, and fo clofe and hard prefled down, 

 that they do not require re-packing at other places, but only 

 new pickle; and are immediately expedited, or may remain 

 on hand : whereas the other two forts, not being fo clofely 

 laid, mutt abfolutely be re-packed. Shot-herrings are thofe 

 which have fpawned, or are taken in the aft of fpawning, in 

 confequence of which they are thin and lean. 



With the laft two forts the buffes themfelves return (as foon 

 as they have got their loading, or find no more fifh), one 

 after another, to port, where all three forts, except the brand- 

 herrings, before being expedited, are opened, falted anew, 

 re-packed, and fo heaped up, that fourteen cafks are re-packed 

 in twelve, which make a laft. By a regulation of the States- 

 General, this re-packing muft be performed in the open air, 

 where ftrict watch is kept, that the fpoiling fifh be carefully 

 feparated from ihe good, and the latter properly laid in the 

 barrels, and ftrongly prefled down. 



The Dutch fifhery continues generally from twenty to 

 lwent)-fix weeks, or even fomewhat longer, namely, from 

 the 25th of June to the middle of January. The Dutch fifh 

 only on the Scotch and Englifh coafts, off Hittland, Fairhill, 

 and Bocken, from Midfummer till the 25th of July ; offBocken 

 or Serenial, from thence till the 14th of September; and in 

 deep water, Eafl of Yarmouth, and as far as the mouth of the 

 Thames, from thence to the 25th of November, when the 

 regular fifhery ceafes. But herrings are found not far from 

 Yarmouth till the end of January, after which the fifhery is 

 prohibited, as the fpawning feafon then commences. 



(To be continued.) 



