10 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION 
Winter-caught herrings: Winter herrings may, from the 1st November of the one year to 
1st April of the succeeding year, be crown-branded, with the word “ Winter ” branded right across 
the St. Andrew’s cross on the shoulders of the crown, so that it can not be removed without effacing 
the crown brand. 
VII. Examination of barrels and half barrels in respect of their capacity and mode of constr uction. 
(a) Barrels and half barrels intended to be filled with cured-white herrings: Officers shall 
examine at least four in every hundred barrels or half barrels intended to be filled with herrings, 
the capacity of one being tested (if necessary) by liquid measure, and the capacity of the remain- 
ing three by diagonal rod 23 inches long for barrels and 18| inches long for half barrels, measured 
from the croze of the bottom end to the croze of the head end; the examination to be made at a 
time or times suitable for the officers themselves. 
(5) Barrels and half barrels filled with cured white herrings: Officers shall examine all barrels 
and half barrels filled with herrings, and (if necessary) shall empty the herrings out of at least 
one barrel or half barrel in every hundred and test its capacity by liquid measure and test the 
capacity of at least three others by callipers. 
VIII. Examination for branding and stenciling barrels and half barrels in respect of the 
quality, method of cure, packing, etc. , of the white herrings they contain. 
(a) The barrels or half barrels presented for branding shall be laid out so that the bottom ends 
come at once under the eye of the branding officers. 
(b) The curer, or his authorized manager at the place of cure, having delivered to the officer the 
proper account of cure of the herrings presented for branding, and a request note containing the 
number of barrels and half barrels to be presented, the officer shall see, first, that the number of 
barrels and half barrels is correctly stated in the request note; second, that the request note is 
signed by the curer or his authorized manager (as the case may be) ; and third, that the branding 
conditions attached thereto are likewise signed by the curer or his authorized manager. 
N. B. It shall be understood that no manager can be recognized as an authorized manager 
except under authority obtained from the board upon application previously made by the curer. 
(c) Brand fees (at the rate of 4 d. per barrel and 2d. per half barrel) corresponding to the 
correct number of barrels and half barrels in the request note shall be deposited with the officer 
before branding, subject to the condition that if the parcel be not branded the amount of brand 
fees so deposited shall be returned to the curer; or, if only a portion of the parcel be rejected, the 
brand fees corresponding thereto shall be returned. 
(d) The curer 's declaration shall then be taken and signed by him. 
(e) The minimum number of barrels to be examined per hundred shall be seven. Two barrels 
per hundred or smaller parcel shall be examined down through the original, the remaining five 
down to the lower quarter hoop of either end. 
Officers are not restricted to this scale, but if need be shall open as many more barrels or half 
barrels as they may deem requisite to satisfy them that the herrings are fit for branding, for 
which they will be held responsible to the board; but they shall understand that in no case what- 
ever shall fewer barrels or half barrels than what is prescribed in the above scale be opened for 
examination previous to branding. 
(/) The barrels or half barrels selected for examination shall, as a general rule, be opened at 
the bottom and head end alternately — that is to say. No. 1 shall be opened at the head end. No. 2 
shall be opened at the bottom end, and so on until the whole examination is concluded. The 
herrings in all barrels or half barrels opened shall be searched down to the lower quarter hoop 
of either end, two barrels per hundred or under as in note (e), and as much farther as may be 
deemed necessary. 
But where an officer, from any cause, sees reason to examine a larger proportion of barrels or 
half barrels at the one end than at the other, he shall be at liberty to substitute the examination 
of such larger proportion for the above alternate examination, only observing that not less than 
the full proportions per hundred or smaller parcel which are laid down for the minimum scale of 
examination shall be examined in all. and that as many more shall be examined as he may see fit. 
(g) In examining a parcel the work of different packers shall be selected, as well as herrings 
of different dates of cure. 
