490 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
through the eye sockets of the flsh, drained for an hour or so, and hung in the hogshead smokehouses, 
in the bottom of whicii a fire has been fuade of equal quantities of oak and hickory wood. The fish 
are dried for a few minutes and then the tops of the hogsheads are covered with old salt sacks or other 
suitable material. From time to time the fire is sprinkled with water to produce a vapor and the fish 
thus exposed to heat, smoke, and steam for about 3 hours, when they are removed and cooled and are then 
in condition to be eaten. Only oak and hickory should be used as fuel, as other materials do not produce 
the proper flavor. If the fire becomes too warm it should be smothered with oak or hickory sawdust. 
Herring tlms ijreiiared sell for about 40 cents per dozen wholesale, and the trade 
is at times quite extensive. During the season 1,000 dozen are usually shipped each 
week from Washington to New York City. 
The process of smoking alewives commonly employed in the New England States 
differs from the Chesapeake process in a few minor particulars. The smokers are 
usually not so careful about removing the scales with a knife, depending generally on 
the frequent handling of the fish to scale them if cured soon after removal from the 
water. It is also customary in salting the fish to permit them to make their own 
pickle, the fish remaining in the pickle for 3 to 5 days. On removal they are soaked in 
fresh water for 5 to 0 hours and strung on hard- wood sticks, the stick entering through 
the left gill-opening and out at the mouth. They are next rinsed, drained, and dried 
for a short while and suspended in the smokehouse, where they are exi)osed to a smol- 
dering fire of hard wood and sawdust for 3 or 4 days, when, after cooling, they are 
ready for sale. 
The wholesale price in New England is usually from $1.50 to $2 j)er 100. 
In Massachusetts so few smoked alewives are prepared that little attention is paid 
to the following law respecting the methods of inspecting and packing: 
Sec. 48. Alewives or berriugs iuteuded to bo packed for sale or exportation shall be sufficiently 
salted and smoked to cure and preserve the same, and afterwards shall be closely jiacked in boxes in 
clear and dry weather. 
Sec. 49. Smoked alewives or herrings shall be divided and sorted by the inspector or his deputy, 
and denominated, according to their quality, “mimber one” and “number two.” Number one shall 
consist of all the largest and best-cured fish; number two, of the smaller but well-cured fish; and in 
all cases those which are belly-broken, tainted, scorched or burnt, slack-salted, or not sufficiently 
smoked shall be taken out as refuse. 
Sec. 50. Boxes made for the purpose of packing smoked alewives or herrings, and containing the 
same, shall be made of good sound boards sawed and well seasoned, the sides, top, and bottom of not 
less than f-inch boards, securely nailed, and shall be 17 inches in length, 11 inches in breadth, and 
6 inches in depth, in the clear, inside. 
Sec. 51. Each box of alewives or herrings inspected shall l)e branded on the top by the inspecting 
officer with the first letter of his Christian name, the whole of his surname, the name of the town 
where it was inspected, with the addition of “Mass.,” and also the quality of “number one” or 
“ number two.” Herrings taken on the coast of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Labrador, or Magdalen 
Islands, and brought into this State, shall also be branded with the name of the place or coast 
where taken. 
Sec. 52. The fees for inspecting, packing, and branding shall be 5 cents for each box, which shall 
be paid by the purchaser, and the inspector-general may require from his deputies 1 cent for each box 
inspected, i^acked, and branded by them. 
Sec. 54. No smoked alewives or herring shall be exported from this State unle.ss inspected and 
branded as aforesaid, under a penalty of $2 for each box exported, nor shall alev^ives or herrings be 
taken from a l)ox, insiiected and branded as aforesaid, and replaced bj" others of an inferior quality, 
with intent to defraud any person in the sale of the same, under a penalty of $5 for each box so 
changed : Provided, That all smoked herrings and alewives arriving from any other State in the United 
States, and having been there inspected, may be exported in a vessel from this State without being 
reinspected. (General Statutes of Massachusetts, 1859, ch. 49.) 
