482 . HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 
the same, shall be made of good sound boards sawed and well seasoned, the sides, top, and bottom 
of not less than half inch, and the ends of not less than three-quarter-inch boards, securely nailed, 
and shall be 17 inches in length, 11 inches in breadth, and 6 inches in depth, in the clear, inside. 
“Sue. 51. Each box of alewives or herrings inspected shall be branded on the top by the 
inspecting officer with the first letter of his Christian name, the whole of his surname, the name of 
the town where it was inspected, with the addition of Mass., and also with the quality of number 
one or number two. Herrings taken on the coasts of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Labrador, or 
Magdalen Islands, and brought into this State, shall also be branded with the name of the place 
or coast where taken. 
“ Szc. 52. The fees for inspecting, packing, and branding shall be 5 cents for each box, which 
shall be paid by the purchaser; and the inspector-general may require from his deputies 1 cent 
for each box inspected, packed, and branded by them.” 
As has been already stated, many of these laws, though never repealed, are not regarded by 
the fishermen, who suit their own convenience as to the size of the boxes and the quality of the 
fish put up. Few are ever examined by the inspectors, and the returns of these officers are so 
incomplete as to render the statistics obtained from their reports utterly worthless. Few of the 
fish now seen in the markets are branded, but smoked-herring dealers have adopted various trade 
names for fish of different size and quality. 
The following table gives a list of the names recognized, together with the number of fish con- 
tained in a box of average size. 
Herring to 
the box. 
Dall SOG. sun cais pamienwxtnnnn ad nen eeaneaeanues 150 
Medium gcaled.....ce.ciscennvixvawnscedsnacssucneas 120 
Sealed yi ema een cate bat ts Lee SY a Se 80-100 
Medium tucktails .....2.....0. 0... eee e ee eee eee eee 35- 40 
Tear ge ta Oktail aie siento wins seisaais occ saneis sivenie ce cones 25 
TUBING wcccasc cn nansnonisesenedaceiauinesennene 30 
Mapdaletignvecsicessveesuauususescarcueee tes neve 30 
Number 0008 icc sccedeccurscupsdenes oxacnwescveeey 80-100 
The principal brands are scaled, tucktails, lengthwise, number ones, and Magdalens, the others 
being less generally recognized. 
” 
7. MARKETS AND PRICES. 
MARKETS.— When the Magdalen fishery was at its height the smoked herring were marketed 
by the same vessels that brought them from those islands. On arriving home the vessel proceeded 
to her wharf to unload her cargo, remaining until the fish were smoked and boxed, after which 
they were stored in the hold and she set sail for market. The principal dealers at that time resided 
in Boston, these handling the greater part of the fish prepared within the limits of the United 
States. Many of them were engaged in the export trade, and in addition sent large quantities of 
herring annually to the different portions of the South, a majority of those consumed there being 
purchased by the large planters for distribution among their slaves. The trade continued to 
increase until the close of the Rebellion, when the emancipation of the negroes interfered seriously 
with it, and for a number of years parties engaged in the business lost heavily, owing not only to 
the decreased demand, but also to the improper method of curing and the poor quality of the fish 
placed upon the market. During the abnormal demand the fishermen became anxious to realize 
the high prices, and for this reason they often put their fish upon the market in a half-cured con- 
