PRESERVATION OF FISHERY PRODUCTS FOR FOOD. 
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side by side, and 6 feet wide, 14 feet long, and about 20 feet high. The flooring is of 
lattice-work, under which is a vault about 0 feet deej) for generating the smoke. 
Within each compartmeut is a lane or passageway extending the length of the room, 
on each side of which are arranged 3 sets of parallel bars, one end of each set resting 
on upright poles forming the side of the lane and the other resting against the wall of 
the comijartment. The first set of parallel bars is about 4 feet from the lattice floor, 
the second 3 feet above the first, and the third 3 feet above the second and an equal 
distance below the roof. Upon these bars are placed the ends of the sticks which hold 
the halibut. Each stick will carry from 5 to 7 fletches and about 20 sticks will rest on 
each j)air of ijarallel bars. The capacity of each of the 10 compartments is about 120 
sticks, or 000 to 800 fletches, equivalent to about 3,000 pounds of smoked halibut. 
The fuel for smoking consists principally of shii) carpenters’ chips of oak, though 
recently oak edgings have been used, with sawdust to smother the flames. Some houses 
use sawdust exclusively. This fuel is arranged along the sides of the vault, the entire 
middle space being left vacant, and the fires are built and continued until the smoking 
is completed, usually in from 2 to 5 days. In damj) weather moisture collects on the 
fish and the process may then require a week. During the winter it is possible to 
keep the fires hotter, and the smoking may be comi^leted in 2 days. Care must be 
taken not to let the fires get too hot, for then the fletches may become too soft to hang 
on the sticks, dropping to the floor. At all times the doors are kept slightly open to 
permit a circulation of air to keep the halibut cool, and they will also “take the smoke” 
better. The entire decrease in weight by dressing and smoking is about 70 per cent, 
a live halibut weighing 100 pounds producing about 30 pounds of smoked fish; but 
as received from the keuches in the vessels 100 pounds yield about 82 pounds. 
There are three princiiial grades of smoked halibut, namely, “ heavy chunks,” 
“medium chunks,” and “strqjs,” classification being made according to the thickness 
of the flesh. The napes and the thin parts of the tail do not go to the regular grocery 
or fish trade, being used mostly for “ free lunch” at restaurants. While connoisseurs 
prefer the meat somewhat dark in color, yet the bulk of the trade requires it of a light 
straw-color. It is packed iu boxes ranging in size from 1 pound to 500 pounds, the 
30-pound boxes being the most popular. About 4 years ago quite a business was 
started in i^acking it in 1-pound and 2-pound “bricks,” similar to boneless cod, but the 
trade was destroyed by persons placing smoked pollock on the market as halibut. 
During hot weather a small quantity of salt is sprinkled over the halibut as it is 
being packed in the boxes, and under ordinary conditions the product will keep for 6 
or 8 months, or even longer. When intended for warm climates, smoked halibut is 
sometimes placed in hermetically sealed zinc boxes incased in wooden boxes, the 
zinc boxes having capacity for 50 i^ounds each. There is a little trade in smoked 
halibut placed iu small glass bottles, with wide tops covered with cork stoppers. 
The market is confined to the northern jjarts of the United States, none being sent 
south of Washington except in small quantities to Louisville and Memphis. The inin- 
cipal demand is from New England, New York, Chicago, and the West, the value 
approximating 9 cents per pound wholesale. In 1876 an eftort was made to introduce 
smoked halibut into the European markets, and samples were sent from Gloucester to 
London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Cadiz, and St. Petersburg. No returns were received 
except from Loudon, and English dealers expressed the opinion that it was too salt for 
their trade. At the Berlin Fishery Exposition in 1880, smoked halibut was exhibited 
by Messrs. Wm. H. Wonson & Sons, and a medal was awarded for its suj)erior quality. 
