Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-10-05
NO. 40.
How Pi-h nre Frozen aud stored for
Winter Use.

Large quantities Of the fish that are now
being caught in this vicinity, says the New
/ York Mail and Express, are being frozen
and placed in cold storage houses, where
they remain until mid winter. The severe
weather then stops salt water fishing, and
the frozen fish are almost the only source
| Of supply. The method of freezing and
keeping the fish is interesting One Of the
largest cold storage houses in the CITY
makes a speciality of keeping fish II has
facilities for preserving 1000 tons of mate.
rial, and about one-thrd of its space is
used for fish. The other compartments are
utilized for keeping fresh meat, eggs, poul-
try and vegetables. There are large vaults
below the level of the streets, and numbers
of tightly cemented rooms above. Attach
ed to the walls of the rooms are row upon
row Of snow covered iron pipes, through
which current of strong brine at a frigid
temperature circulates A number of large
pumps keep the liquid moving, and freez-
ing machine employing the ammonia pro-
cess reduces the temperature. The freez-
ing rooms are kept at a temperature of
about 10 degrees above zero. The fish are
placed singly on shelves, which extend
from ceiling TO floor, and are ten inches
apart. After ten hours exposure to the low
temperature fish like salmon and bluefisb
are frozen halfway through, and are curry.
ed toward the side on which they lie. They
are then turned over and remain six hours
longer. The other side is then frozen, and
the natural shape is restored They are
then taken from the freezing room and
placed in bunkers in the storage rooms.
These rooms are usually kept at the same
low temperature, but no change in the con.
dition Of the fish can occur unless the tenn
perature rises above 30 degrees The froz-
en- fish are like so many sticks of wood
They have no smell, and are packed away
IN separate lots designated by numbered
tags. Corresponding numbers entered in
III the books show to whom each lot belongs
Nearly all Of the wholesale fish dealers
make use of the refrigerators. The charges
for freezing and storing fish are one cent a
pound per month for the first month. and
one-half cent per pound a month thereafter.
As the advance in the price of fish usually
exceeds one cent a pound per month from
August to December, there is a good profit
in the business 1t is also of great benefit to
the public, as it enables them to obtain exc
cellent fish during the winter months, when
none could be had except at high prices.
At any time of particular scarcity, when
the price in market makes a sudden ad-
vance, the dealers Withdraw quantity of
fish from storage to supply the demand,
thus keeping the prices uniform Frogs
legs, soft crabs and mackerel are tied to-
gether and hung up in lunches for freez-
ing and when thawed out preserve their
natural shape. The principal varieties of
fish that are frozen are bluefish, halibut,
cod, flukes or large founders smelts, sea
bass and porgies. The fish are Just as
wholesome eating after being frozen as be-
fore, and the difference in flavor is scarcely
perceptible. As decomposition cannot take
place at the low temperature that is main
tanned, there is no limit to the length of
time that fish may be kept frozen.