PRESERVATION OF FISHERY PRODUCTS FOR FOOD. 
485 
In preparing red or hard herring at Yarmouth, England, for the Mediterranean 
markets, the flsli on arrival at the cnring- house are, if previously salted on board of the 
vessels, rinsed to remove the incrusted salt, and then, Avithout other imeparatiou, 
are again put in salt, that from Liverpool being prefeiTed. After remaining in salt 
for 10 to 14 days the herring are washed, strung on smoke-sticks, 25 fish to each 
stick, which is generally about 56 inches long, and placed in the smoke-room, which 
may be 16 or 18 feet square. A dozen or more tires are made on the floor, the fuel 
generally being small sticks of oak or ash. The fires are kept burning for two days, 
when they are permitted to go out and the fish ullowed to drip for a day. Then the 
fires are again lighted for 2 or 3 days, and this process of alternate smoking and 
draining continued for 2 weeks or even longer, when, after cooling, the fish are ready 
for packing. For the home market Yarmouth hard herring are packed in fiat boxes or 
in kegs 10 inches high, holding from 80 to 100 fish, and for the Mediterranean markets 
in barrels and half-barrels. In the latter case, when tlie barrel is filled to the top, by 
means of a screw press the fish are i>ressed down and an additional number placed in, 
600 or 700 full-sized fish being the usual number to each barrel. 
BLOATER HERRING. 
Scotland has always led in the preparation of bloater herring, as in most of the 
smoked fishery products. It is not known when this article originated, but doubtless 
as early as the sixteenth century. For two centuries or more it has been an important 
product in Europe, but it has been prepared in the United States during the last 40 
years only. The business is said to have begun at Boston in 1859, as an outgrowth 
of the importation of large salted herring from Bay of Islands, Yewfouudlaud. The 
l)rocess was similar to that employed in Scotland, and the trade increased until in 
1808 10,000 barrels of large herring Avere smoked and sold as ‘‘^ Yarmouth bloaters.” 
During that year the business was started at Eastport, Me., and on account of the 
eonvenience of carrying it on in connection with the extensive smoking of hard 
herring in the vicinity the trade has largely centered at that port. The preparation 
of bloaters was begun at Gloucester in 1883, the fish being received salted from 
NeAATouudlaud, and at present the business at that port is quite large and is carried 
on lu'incipally in connection with the smoking of halibut. Several ports in Maine 
also prepare quantities of this product, among which are Portland and Lubec. Some 
are also prepared in New York City. 
The Washington treaty in effect from July 1, 1873, to June 30, 1885, had a very 
disastrous effect on the bloater-herring industry, large quantities being prepared at 
Grand Manau, Oaniijobello, and other islands in the British North American Provinces, 
and shipped to Boston and New York. Since the abrogation of that treaty, hoAvever, 
the duty of 4 cent per iiouud has restricted the preparation of the supply for United 
States markets almost exclusively to this country. The present annual product 
approximates 5,500,000 pounds, valued at $170,000 wholesale. 
Two general grades of bloater herring are prepared in this country, those from 
the large Newfoundland salted herring and those from herring caught along the coast 
of Maine. The business at Gloucester and Boston depends almost exclusively on the 
salted herring from Newfoundland, Avhile Eastport, Lubec, and Portland use mainly the 
herring caught on the Maine coast, most of which are received in a fresh state. The 
Newfoundland herring are obtained from Bay of Islands, Boon Bay, Fortune Bay, 
Placentia Bay, St. Morris Bay, etc., being purchased of the fishermen at about 60 cents 
to $1 per barrel, and from 12,000 to 20,000 liarrels being imported each year. The 
