liv 



Fifth Annual Report of the 



Quantity of Of the herrings cured last year, 518,994J barrels, after being 

 entSdto examined by the Board's officers, were found entitled to the brand, 

 Brand. being a decrease under the number branded in the previous year 



of 170,330J barrels, but about the same proportion of the gross 

 quantity cured. The number of barrels, however, branded last 

 year, when compared with the average of the preceding ten years, 

 shows an increase of 5*7 per cent. ; and when compared with the 

 average of the years since 1859, when the brand fee was imposed, 

 increased it shows an increase of 36-99 per cent. Such enlarged demands 

 Branded* 01 ^ or tne bmn& are most gratifying to the Board, as showing the 

 Herrings. high estimation in which the standard of quality and cure 

 required by them is held. Although the herrings landed in 

 1886 were generally superior in quality to those taken in the 

 previous year, the great quantities caught at a number of the 

 stations during the first and second weeks of August, amounting 

 to the high daily average of from 40 to 52 crans per boat, pre- 

 vented them being all delivered in sufficient time to be assorted 

 and cured while they were sufficiently fresh. Had it not been 

 for this, a much larger number of barrels would no doubt 

 inspection for have been branded. The work of inspection for the brand 

 and^duous! 11 * wus > during the height of the season, very arduous, and the 

 requests for branding unusually urgent, particularly at the princi- 

 pal stations, such as Shetland, Wick, Fraserburgh, Peterhead, 

 and Aberdeen. The Board, however, have reason to be satisfied 

 that their officers, generally, did everything in their power to 

 meet the requirements of the trade. 

 Partkukrsof Table IV. Appendix A, shows the total number of barrels of 

 Branded 8 white herrings which were branded in Scotland last year, and of 

 the brandings in each district. To this table there is added a note 

 showing the total number of barrels therein given, which were 

 branded 'Full,' ' Matie,' or ' Spent'; and the total amount of fees 

 collected. 



Comparison of From this table it will be seen that in the year 1886, as 

 with previous compared with 1885, there was an increase of 3585 barrels in 

 years. the quantity of herrings branded 'Full'; a decrease of the large 



number of 197,306J barrels in those branded ' Matie' ; an increase 

 of 40,079 J barrels in 'Spent'; and a decrease of 16,688 \ barrels 

 in mixed herrings branded ' P.' It may be interesting to note 

 that the quantity of herrings branded 'Full' in 1886, as compared 

 with those branded 'Full' in 1884 and 1883, shows an increase 

 of 26,980J and 80,336^ barrels respectively ; but that as regards 

 maties, the number of barrels branded in 1886 was not one-half of 

 the quantity branded in any one of the preceding three years ; thus 

 showing that the quality of the herrings landed in 1886 was 

 superior to those taken in the preceding three years. 



HERRINGS EXPORTED. 



Quantity of The total quantity of cured herrings exported from Scotland in 

 CuredHenings 1886 amounted to 938,369J barrels, which, although a decrease 

 Exported. under tlie quanfcifc y ex p 0rte d in the previous year of 190,220 

 barrels, shows, when compared with the average of the preceding 



