St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-03-12
NORWEGIAN COD LIVER OIL.
1t II Rarely Adulterated with Infe-
riOr Artfcles-Output Last
Year Was Small.

Writing from Christiania, Norway, an
American consul sends to Washington
an account of what is one of the great
industries of that country. The best cod
liver oil is that obtained from the fish
caught in the winter time. Liyers Sc
cured in January and February are light
colored and plump. The oil is extracted
by steam, and is clear, odorless and al
most without taste. Norwegian fisher
men go for cod to the Lofoten islands,
which present many advantages over
other places for the production of strict
ly pure oil.
The shoals of fish seek the shore for
spawning purposes, and the banks are
so near land that the boats sometimes
land two catches in one day; consequent
ly, the livers are. except when stormy
weather interferes, received fresh at
the factories daily. The average annual
catch of cod in the islands is 3,OOO,OOO.
Unlike other districts in the country, the
cod at this time of the year is about the
only kind Of fish caught, SO there is less
opportunity for mixing the livers from
cod with those from inferior fish, such
as coalfish or pollock, ling, haddock,
tusk, and others. Oil from these con-
tain less fat, the color of the oil is dark
er, and its medicinal properties are OF
less value. Oil from these and other
inferior fish may be bleached by expos
ure to the sun in glass coverings and Dy
various chemical processes
Experiments have been made in Nor
way for manufacturing cod liver Oil on
board ships located among the fishing
feet in the open sea, but it has been
found that the ships motion had detr1-
mental effect on the oil thus produced.
Establishments on shore, in places where
unmixed cod livers can be obtained fresh
every day. are found to bethe best. The
livers have to be carefully cleaned, and
only those of the right color selected for
medicinal oil.
The year 1908 was an exceptional one
as regards the Norwegian winter cod
fisheries. In ordinary years the shoals
of fish arrive in the beginning OF jan
uary. but this year no fish whatever ap-
peared before the middle or first part OF
March. and they were then found to be
| in such poor condition that only very
insignificant quantity of oil was pro-
duced-only 5000 barrels, against 10000
barrels in ordinary years. The quality
of the 1903 output was also, as a rule,
poor. 1t is estimated that in ordinary
wears the livers of $500 cod are required
to produce a barrel of 80 gallons, or 100
| Kilograms, of medicinal oil, while 10000
livers were required in 1903 to produce
the same quantity.
! Cod liver oil can be properly tested as
to purity by chemical analysis only
Where large quantities of oil of inferior
grade are added it can be detected by
experienced people without any scien-
tifc test simply by the difference in taste
and color. If the admixture consists OF
an oil of fish nearly related to the genu-
inc article, it will, of course, make the
ascertainment of it's presence more diff
cult than if oil of an altogether differ
ent kind is added. Coalfish oil is the
nearest thing to pure cod liver Oil, and is
therefore, the one mostly used in an ad-
mixture. If chemicals are used. its pres
ence is easily detected by scientific
test ...
Considerable apprehension is felt that
the conditions ruling the Lofoten fisher:
| les in 1903 will also make themselves felt
in 1904. According to recent newspaper
reports, the Greenland seal has again ap
peared in great numbers in the bays O.
Finmarken. Before 1908 these animal:
were never found near the Norwegian
| coasts in numbers, but that year they
came in large shoals as early as January
and the fishermen believe, contrary tt
the views of scientific people, that they
were the cause of keeping the cod 81
long away from its customary spawning
places.
1t is generally believed that the Nor
wegian winter cod is the very same spe'
cies of fish as appears and is caught OF
the Banks of Newfoundland. but it i:
different from the common cod caugh
at other seasons of the year.