XX 
NiiitJi Annual Report of the 
anr.e upon the inshore grounds. No vessels were fitted out on the 
East.Coast for this industry in 1890. Upon the West Coast sixty 
were fitted out and made seventy-eight voyages, curing 29,993 
barrels of herrings on board. Fifty-nine vessels cured 29,558 
barrels in 1889. The number of the vessels some years ago varied 
from 90 to upwards of 300. 
Total quantity No. III. Appendix A, shows the total number of barrels of 
ofiierrings white hei'fings cured or salted in Scotland last year, both on board 
S^on shore!^^ of vessels and on shore, and the districts in which they were 
taken and cured, distinguishing the herrings cured gutted from 
those cured ungutted ; and also the quantities of herrings cured 
as kippers, bloaters, or red herrings, or preserved in tins. 
The herrings cured as kippers, bloaters, or red herrings, or 
preserved in tins, are distinguished in this Appendix from those 
cured in the ordinary manner. 
BRANDING OF HERRINGS. 
Rearrangement 
of crown 
brands. 
Revised regu- 
lations issued. 
Description of 
new brands. 
Quantity of 
herrings 
branded. 
Decrease 
under 1889. 
The Government crown brand for cured herrings has from time 
to time, to suit the requirements of the trade, undergone many 
changes since it was first established in the year 1809. In order 
still further to meet the wishes of the Continental merchants and 
their customers, the latter of whom consume 98'53 per cent, of all 
the herrings branded in Scotland, the Board resolved last year to 
rearrange the different crown brands into 'Large Full,' 'Full/ 
'Matins Full,' ' Spent,' and 'Mixed,' and issued revised regulations 
for the guidance of their officers, and the trade. 
The following is a description of the new brands: — 
'Large Full '-—for herrings, with roe or milt, not less than 
\\\ inches in extreme length. 
* Full ' — for herrings, with roe or milt, not less than 10| inches 
in extreme length. 
' Matie Full ' — for herrings, with roe or milt clearly seen at the 
throat, not l^ss than 9^ inches in extreme length. 
' Spent ' — for herrings, not less than 10^ inches in extreme 
length. 
'Mixed' — for herrings, not less than 9^ inches in extreme 
length; and 
' Repacked ' — for herrings repacked according to Regulations. 
During the season of 1890, 406,538J barrels of herrings were 
presented to the Board's Officers for the various brands, and after 
examination, 376,280 barrels were branded, and 30,876 barrels 
rejected, or 7*59 per cent, of the quantity presented, as not being 
entitled to the brand. In the previous year (1889), out of 
475,566 barreh, the rejections were 20,350J barrels, or 4*27 per 
cent., and in 1888, of 390,239^ barrels, 6,259 were rejected, or 1-60 
per cent. These figures show a decrease in the branding of 1890, 
under the preceding year of 79,005^. Of ihe barrels branded 
12,984 were ' Large Full ; ' 156,5161 ' Full ; ' 117,205^ ' Matie Full ; ' 
51,443 ' Spent ; ' and 38,131 ' Mixed.' The amount of fees received 
by the Board on account of this service was £6,271, 6s. 8d. 
