Fishery Boa rd for Scotland. 
xxiii 
a number of fishcurers at some of the principal stations in Scotland, 
under statutory powers subsequently acquired by the Board. 
Previously, it was only lawful to hoop such barrels with wooden 
hoops ; but under the new regulations either wooden or iron hoops 
may be used. The reasons for the change were fully given in a Reasons for 
previous Eeport ; but it may be here repeated that there was often chan s°- 
a difficulty in procuring, at a moderate price, a sufficient quantity 
of wooden hoops to meet the requirements of the trade ; while an 
unlimited supply of iron hoops could be obtained at any time ; 
and also that iron hooped barrels could be made stronger and 
more easily tightened than those hooped with wood. 
The new regulations have given general satisfaction. During Results satis- 
the past year, 848,984 white herring barrels were made in Scotland, factol T- 
and of these 543,037 barrels, or 63'9 per cent., were hooped more or 
less with iron hoops ; 305,947 barrels with wooden hoops ; and 
1000 with iron hoops entirely. The method most approved of 
seems to be hooping partly with iron and partly with wooden 
hoops, as it is being adopted to a greater extent each year. 
Standard Measures for Fresh Herrings. 
As stated in a former report, representations have been frequently Fishermen 
made to the Board, by large numbers of fishermen at different parts desire that a 
of the coasts, that the mode adopted for the measurement of fresh Measurebe 1 
herrings, as between buyer and seller, was of a very unsatisfactory legalised, 
character, and they asked that the Board would take steps to put 
matters on a better footing, and especially that they would frame a 
regulation for making quarter-cran measures of basket work, and 
legalise their use. Fishermen and also numerous fishcurers com- Reasons there- 
plained that, in the delivery of herrings, baskets were frequently for - 
used for measuring them, which, while being represented as of the 
capacity of a quarter cran, were of larger size; and that there was, 
therefore, a great lack of uniformity in this respect. 
Powers have been conferred upon the Board by the Herring Board autho- 
Fishery (Scotland) Act, 1889, and under that Act they are authorized "e^uktiJSJfor 
to make regulations for the construction and branding of a quarter- constructing 
cran measure which may be used for buying, selling, delivering, or and branding 
receiving fresh herring in the Scottish Herring Fishery, being a measure. 0 ™ 11 
measure of such capacity that four times its content, when filled 
with herrings, shall be equal to one cran. 
Acting under these powers, the Board have made and established Regulations 
regulations for the construction and branding of such a measure made * 
which shall take one of the two following forms : — 
I. Basket Measure. — A basket of a circular form, well bound, Quarter-cran 
and composed of willows, pieces of hoopwood, hardwood, and cane, £j?^J re 
all of fresh quality, and of suitable size and strength, which shall, 
for convenience in use, have two cane handles, and shall have a 
crown brand on each side. 
II. Box Measure. — An oblong box, constructed of properly Quarter-cran 
seasoned fir or other suitable wood, well bound with iron hoops box measure, 
secured by nails, all of suitable size and strength, which shall, for 
convenience in use, have two rope handles, and shall also be crown 
branded. 
