Fish Oils and the Fisheries connected therewith. 225 



detriment to his pocket. Fish oil cannot, however, be used 

 for lubrication. Its body and the rapidity with which it 

 absorbs oxygen arid " gums " entirely precludes its applica- 

 tion to machinery. The literal and metaphorical bad 

 odour formerly attached to fish oil is passing away. It has 

 been found that by cooking the fish while they are fresh a 

 perfectly sweet oil can be obtained. The vile smell of 

 former (and to some extent of latter) days resulted from 

 the treatment of stale or decaying fish. The common kind 

 of oil is extensively used by curriers and in other trades, 

 and the flesh and bones, after the oil is extracted, form a 

 manure which is in great demand for the cotton fields of 

 the south. 



The amount of capital invested in this business is very 

 large. In 1873 it was ascertained that ;^5oo,ooo was in- 

 vested in 43 factories scattered along the coasts of Long 

 Island Sound, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Maine. 

 The quantity of fish caught was 1,173,700 barrels. The 

 yield of oil, 2,250,000 gallons, was valued at over ;£'200,ooo ; 

 and that of fish manure, 36,000 tons, at ;6^i 25,000. 



