440 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
but in 1898 tbe price was approximately the same. A 200-pound, barrel of fresh 
herring will weigh 144 pounds when siilit and eviscerated, losing 56 pounds in dressing. 
Sometimes, in order to fill out a shipment of split herring, round salted herring are 
split and eviscerated and added thereto. In this operation care must be taken not to 
tear the fish. 
The present condition of the pickled-herring industry in this country is far from 
satisfactory. Great improvements in the methods of cure are desirable, and unless 
the quality of the product be bettered there seems little probability of an increase in 
the prosperity of the business. The abundance of these fish on the New England 
coast during certain seasons of the year, and the large market demand for pickled 
herring in this country, should encourage our fishermen to put up a product that will 
compare favorably and compete with the foreign cured herring, the great necessity 
being a fixed standard, applicable to quantity as well as quality, with proper culling 
and grading of the different kinds. Usually during September and October there is 
a run of fine herring on the New England coast, which if prepared with that care 
exercised in the curing of European herring would probably be nearly if not equally 
as good; but at present their value is depreciated by too long exposure to the sun 
and air before salting, by carelessness in the manner of salting, failure to separate 
the fish into the various grades, and by using weak barrels in the packing. 
THE IMPORTATION. OF FOREIGN HERRING. 
The great bulk of the pickled herring consumed in the United States is iirepared 
in the Netherlands, Norway, and Scotland. Of the 1,321,020 barrels received during 
the ten years ending June 30, 1898, 377,480 barrels came from the Netherlands, 231,098 
barrels from Norway and Sweden, and 111,198 barrels from Scotland. 
The Holland herring are the most popular of those received in the United States, 
and the demand for them is constantly increasing. The first of the Holland herring 
arrive here in June. These are known as “matties,” having small roe or milt. 
The “vol” herring, which have the roes fully developed, arrive usually about the 
latter part of July. The trade becomes brisk toward the end of August and continues 
until near the end of November. There is also considerable demand during February, 
March, and April, and usually all are sold before the 1st of June. The great bulk of 
the receipts, probably four fifths, are in small kegs, containing from 45 to 55 herring, 
about 15.J pounds of fish. These kegs are made of hard wood and raeasui'e 9^ inches 
in height ou the outside, 7| inches at the bilge inside, and 7 inches at the ends inside, 
with staves and bottoms 4 inch in thickness. At the top of the keg the staves are 
slanted off at the ends, but at the bottom they are of the same thitikness out to the 
ends. They are bound with G, 8, 14, or 16 hoops, but more frequently with 6 or 8. 
When only 6 hoops are used the two end ones are usually of galvanized iron and the 
others of willow or similar material. On the head of the keg is branded the description 
of the contents, with some distinctive trade-mark. 
In addition to the kegs, many Holland herring are received in barrels, containing 
from 242 to 254 pounds of fish, exclusive of the pickle. A few half-barrels and quarter- 
barrels are also received, but they do not take so well as the barrels and the sixteenths. 
The price ranges from 45 to 75 cents per keg and $7 to $11 per barrel. Packages 
containing “milkers,” or milt herring only, usually sell for 10 to 15 cents more per keg 
and from $1 to $2 more per barrel than those containing mixed herring. 
