or wrinkle, the Salter alternating a layer of salt and a layer of fish, the salt 

 separating contact of fleshy parts. 



The success of salting demands the maintenance in arranging the tiers, 

 of just the right proportion of salt between the layers of cod, since an excess 

 burns the fish, while insufficient salt renders them "sweet" and of poor keep- 

 ing quality. On the average, the weight of salt used represents nearly three- 

 fourths of the weight of the fish treated. 



The skill of the Salter is not the only factor for good preservation. The 

 quality of the salt is equally a factor of extreme importance, for the use of 

 certain improper salts can lead to contamination extending more or less to 

 the whole of the cargo by introducing certain altering agents: chemical ac- 

 tions or the action of living organisms, molds, or bacteria. 



The gravest of these is the "red", characterized by the formation of a 

 more or less extensive slimy or viscous layer, the color of which is a rose 

 salmon or bright red. Although this is quite superficial, this accident al- 

 ways results in a great depreciation of cargoes so affected. 



Recent research has furnished the means of eliminating almost entirely 

 salts likely to cause this. They have corroborated scientifically the experi- 

 ence acquired by the fishermen as to which salts furnished by the ports of 

 Cadiz and Iviza, in Spain, and Setubal in Portugal are most sought for; but 

 they can, moreover, confirm that other salts, not having an established rep- 

 utation, are safe. 



The treatment of livers to extract oil is practiced irregularly on the sail- 

 ing vessels fishing with line trawls, while in the handline fishery it had re- 

 ceived particular attention. Outfitters and fishermen give for reasons the 

 big catches obtained by the line trawl, requiring the full time of the crew for 

 the principal operations of preparing the fish, the high price and the encum- 

 brance of casks, and the difficulties of extracting oil under varying temper- 

 atures. In general, the outfitters leave the captains entirely free to extract 

 oil or not. Often the crew will treat, under favorable temperatures, a cer- 

 tain quantity of livers, the profit from which the outfitter allows them to 

 keep. 



The process used on the sailing vessels is that of autolysis, in which 

 the livers give up their oil, about 40 percent by volume, as a simple result 

 of mass decomposition. 



90 



