qt' i/is Fishery Board for Scotland. 



187 



practically double that of 1905, all of which have come into competition 

 with the Scottish article. Twenty years ago the markets were not 

 affected to the same extent, as the quantity cured was less than 

 20,000 barrels. Several of the curing companies, who within recent 

 years have added to their fleet of steamers, are awaiting the develop- 

 ment of the motor before investing further in steam power. 



The quantity of cured herrings exported to the Continent in 1910 

 was 1,718,207^ barrels, the value of which was £2,611,302. Of 

 732,345 barrels expoited to liussia, 56 per cent, was from the East 

 Coast, 4 J per cent, from Orkney and Shetland, and 3 per cent, 

 from the West Coast. The increase to Russia compared with 1909 was 

 158,037 barrels. Of 982,360 barrels exported to Germany, 65 per 

 cent, was from the East Coast, 33 per cent, from Orkney and Shet- 

 land, and 2 per cent, from the West Coast. Tlie increase to Ger- 

 many over the previous year was 195,678 barrels. Large quantities 

 of herrings were again sent coastwise via Leitli and Aberdeen for 

 exportation by the regular trading vessels to the Continent. On 

 several occasions the pressure was so great that special steamers were 

 chartered for this purpose. Another feature of the export trade was 

 the large number of vessels which loaded for the Continent at more 

 than one port. 



Although in the manufacture of herring barrels there is a decrease 

 as compared with the previous year, coopers had almost constant em- 

 ployment. The season in which the men are most busily employed is 

 during the winter. The early commencement of the herring fishing 

 removes from the workshops about the beginning of May large numbers 

 of men, now required for the supervision of herring-curing, who 

 formerly remained at barrel-making until the beginning of July. The 

 coopering industry is chiefly confined to the East Coast. At Aberdeen, 

 Peterhead, and Fraserburgh there are several barrel tactories capable 

 of turning out thousands of barrels weekly. Were it not for the 

 enormous quantities of factory-made barrels produced by machinery, 

 the supply would not meet the demand. A large proportion of the 

 output was sent to Orkney and Shetland, and also to Yarmouth. The 

 Board's circular issued to the trade in March last has apparently put 

 a check upon the use of inferior wood for the construction of herring 

 barrels. The wood now used is superior to anything that has yet been 

 produced for the purpose. During the year the Board's officers made 

 periodical visits to the workshops and factories to test the size of the 

 barrels, and to see that the barrels were constructed in accordance with 

 the Board's regulations. 



In 1909 thousands of Scottish-made barrels were exported to 

 Holland, but during the year under review the Dutch have evidently 

 recognised the importance of providing new barrels for the reception 

 of their herrings, with the result that five barrel factories have been 

 established in that country. The barrels were made on practically 

 the same lines as the Scottish, an improvement which, I venture to say, 

 will have a considerable effect on the sale of Scottish goods, as the 

 Scottish-made barrel is the one most favoured by the traders on the 

 Continent. 



In the manufacture of the herring quarter-cran baskets there was a 

 decrease of 9599 as compared with the previous year. The decrease in 

 a measure was due to the large stocks that accumulated during the 

 previous two years, and to the fact that a similar basket is now being 

 manufactured in England and permitted as a standard measure in 

 Scotland. Complaints were made during the year by Scottish curers 

 regarding the basket manufactured in England being drawn in at the 

 waist, and the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries have issued instruc- 



