Fishery Board for Scotland. 
xxix 
sented to the Board's officers for the various brands ; and, after Quantity of 
inspection, 256,318 barrels were branded. The remaining 1.4383. bSSSStn 
barrels — 5*31 per cent, of the quantity presented — were rejected as 1891 and 1890. 
not reaching the required standard. Of the barrels branded last 
year, 4,672 were ( Large Fall/ 115,064J 'Full,' 64,4811 ^Matie 
Full/ 54,9831 < Spent/ and 17,116J ' Mixed.' The amountof brand 
fees received by the Board was £4271, 19s. 4d. 
Appendix A., No. IV., shows the total number of barrels of white Particulars of 
herrings which were branded in Scotland last year, and of the landed 
brandings in each district. This Appendix also shows the 
respective number of barrels which were branded ' Large Full/ 
' Full/ ' Matie Full/ ' Spent,' and ' Mixed/ and the amount of brand 
fees collected. 
From this Appendix it will be seen that, as compared with the Decrease in 
results for 1890, there was a decrease in 1891 of 119,962 barrels 189 V\ c ° m 
, , • oi' i i i i i 7 • pared with 
in the total quantity or herrings branded, there being a 1890. 
decrease in all the brands with the exception of the ' Spent ' 
which exhibits an increase of 3,540J barrels. It is important, 
however, to state that the proportion of cured herrings which increase 
received the brand has steadily increased during the last 50 3f 1 ring last 
years, in periods of 10 years, by 30'34, 21'54, 66-35, and 4"95 y years ' 
per cent, respectively ; and the average for the last 10 years was 
475,721J barrels. As regards the comparatively small number of 
barrels crown branded last year, it may be stated, that in the early 
part of the season many small herrings were taken which could Keasons for 
not be branded, and the majority of these herrings were sold comparatively 
a • srritill Hum D6r 
chiefly to Russian buyers at very low prices. A new trade mark 0 f barrels 
for unbranded herrings marked 'Medium Fulls' was also intro- "branded, 
duced by a large number of curers who use the crown brand. The 
fishcuring trade preferred the various crown brands a quarter of 
an inch lower than was recommended by the Board through the 
deputation which visited the East Coast. Meanwhile, it is not 
thought advisable to change the present regulations, as the majority No change 
of the trade is satisfied with them ; and it is computed that but regSions 
for this at least 80,000 to 100,000 barrels more would have been advisable, 
crown branded. It may be mentioned that the new regulations 
issued by the Board have effected an improvement in the selection Regulations 
of unbranded herrings, even among the best trade marks ; and the g^ecti!m roved 
prices of fresh herrings have thus been materially enhanced all among trade 
round. marks, and 
In rearranging the different brands, and framing the new brand- value of fresh 
ing regulations, as well as in fixing the basket measures noticed in herrings, 
former reports, we have been greatly indebted to Mr Johnston's 
practical knowledge as a curer, which he has freely placed at the 
disposal of the Board. At great personal inconvenience, he twice 
visited the Continent in order to investigate the subject in the 
foreign markets, and it is due to him to state that in all these 
matters he spared neither time nor trouble in devising such im- 
provements as would be just and beneficial. That he has succeeded 
is proved by the fact that the past has been the first year for many 
years in which no communication has been received by the Board 
either from home or abroad, finding fault with herrings branded 
with the crown brand. 
