HERRING FISHERIES OF ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, AND HOLLAND. 
7 
The following are the regulations now in force governing the official branding 
of “white-cured” herring in Scotland. They are presented in extenso because of 
their thoroughness and the model they afford: 
Fishery Board for Scotland. 
Regulations for examining barrels and half barrels intended to be filled, and branding and stencil- 
ing barrels and half barrels filled with cured white herrings, for the guidance of fishery officers 
and the fish-curing trade. 
I. Capacity and mode of construction of barrels and half barrels filled or intended to be 
filled with cured white herrings. 
1. Capacity: (1) Every barrel shall be capable of containing 26£ gallons imperial measure, 
being equal to 32 gallons English wine measure. (2) Every half barrel shall be capable of con- 
taining 131 gallons imperial measure, being equal to 16 gallons English wine measure. 
2. Tightness: Every barrel and half barrel shall be perfectly tight. 
3. Staves and ends: 
(a) Thickness: The staves and ends of every barrel and half barrel shall, when completed, 
be not less than one-half part of an inch, and not more than three-fourths parts of an inch, in 
thickness throughout. 
(b) Breadth: (i) The staves of every barrel and half barrel shall not exceed 6 inches in breadth 
at the bulge, (n) The head end of every barrel and half barrel must contain not less than three 
pieces and the bottom end not less than two pieces. 
(c) Quality, etc., of staves: The staves of every barrel and half barrel shall be well seasoned 
and well fired, so as to bring them to a proper round. The staves shall not be cracked, broken, or 
patched, and there shall not be a double croze. The chime shall not be less than 1 inch in length. 
(d) Fitting of ends in crozes: The ends of every barrel and half barrel shall fit properly in 
the crozes, and shall not be turned inside out, nor bent outwards nor inwards so as to affect the 
sufficiency of the barrel or half barrel. 
4. Hooping: (1) Every barrel or half barrel shall be hooped in one of the three following ways, 
viz: (a) Entirely with wooden Poops; ( b ) entirely with iron hoops; or (c) partly with wooden 
hoops and partly with iron hoops. 
(a) Entirely with wooden hoops: 
Every barrel or half barrel hooped entirely with wooden hoops shall be hooped in either 
of the two following ways, viz: (i) Every barrel and half barrel shall be full-bound at the bottom 
end and have at least three good hoops on the upper quarter, and every barrel shall have four good 
hoops and every half barrel three good hoops on the head end; the distance between the nearest 
hoops on opposite sides of the bulge of every barrel shall not exceed 11 inches after the hoops have 
been properly driven; the distance for half barrels-shall be in like proportion. Or, (ii) every barrel 
and half barrel shall be quarter-hooped, the barrels with four good hoops on each end and three 
good hoops on each quarter, and the half barrels with three good hoops on each end and three good 
hoops on each quarter. 
- ( b ) Entirely with iron hoops: 
(1) Every barrel hooped entirely with iron hoops shall be hooped in either of the two 
following ways, viz: (i) Every barrel shall be hooped with at least four hoops, one of those to be 
on each end of the barrel and not to be less than 2 inches wide, of wire gage No. 16, and the other 
two to be on the quarters of the barrel and not less than If inches wide, of wire gage No. 17, the 
four hoops to be placed at proper relative distances on the barrel. Or, (ii) every barrel shall be 
hooped with six hoops, one of these to be on each end of the barrel and not to be less than If inches 
wide, of wire gage No. 16, one to be on each of the quarters and not to be less than 1 inch wide, of 
wire gage No. 18, and one to be on each side of the bulge and not to be less than If inches wide, 
of wire gage No. 17, the six hoops to be placed at proper relative distances on the barrel. 
(2) Every half barrel hooped entirely with iron hoops shall be hooped with at least four 
hoops, one of these to be on each end of the half barrel and not to be less than If inches wide, of 
