The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-02-06
TRY GRAYFISH TO
CUT COST OF FOOD
Federal Bureau Calls Attention to a
Toothsome Sea Diet That Has
Been Neglected.


NEW YORK, Feb. 6.-America is
doing its best to combat the high cost
of living in a number of different
ways, of which the latest is the recon-
mendation try a new kind of food fish,
the quality and toothsomeness of which
the bureau of fisheries of the depart
mcnt of commerce praises highly. This
is the grayfsh, and the bureau be-
comes almost fippant in its enthusiasm
for the species. 1t has just issued a
bulletin headed 1.-The Grayfish. Try
1t. 1t Knocks II. out of the H. G. l.. =
In spite of this title in the vernacular,
however, there is a deal of solid infor-
nation in the bureaus pamphlet.
As an example of the blindness of
the public to rich additions to its lard
er that require only the ordering, the
tileish is cited. This species in great
abundance lay off the coast unsought
and unconsidered until by q little Ju-
dicious publicity its name was made a
household word. Then it bounded into
popularity, and within year was pro-
viding the people with more square
meals than had been provided by the
the lax trout, and at a lower cost.
Quality and price fix the economic
character of fish, but not until it has
name can it have a reputation, and
without a good reputation the public
will not eat it, however excellent 1t
may b..
Fortunately for the fish but unfortu-
natelv for the public, the early reputa-
ton Of the eragfish was based not on
its high quality as food but on It's
destructive habits. II is a pirate and
a marauder. like the bluefsh, but its
weapons are more efficient, and it not
only eats and drives away other food
fishes. but it cuts to pieces with the
teeth the fisherman s gear and leave:
him helpless and exasperated
Naturally under such conditions n'
name was too bad TO apply to 1t, an,
the mildest one in common use is dog
fish. = Adult grayfish weigh from t
| Is pounds. pounds being a common
weight. They feed on fish, crabs
! shrimps. and even Holsters. In thi
exclusive animal diet they are like tn,
hluofish. cod haddock. and most Of tn,
other important food fishes, but the.
are so ravenous in atting their foot
/ that they frequently make themselve
nuisances by robbing the fisherman
nets and trawl lines. OF the fish tn
bureau says:
1.-The grayfsh is trim, chpper-buiI
fish, swift in the water, as is require
by its piratical habits. Its skin look
scaleless. but when touched is foun
TO be as rough as emery cloth, OWN
to closest sharp little particles ii
crusting it. The hide is sometime
used for polishing fine metal, ivory an
wooden articles. and as a more impol
tant possibility, gives promises Of nr-
duction of small novelties The live
is valuable for its oil, which is in d,
mand in the arts, particularly fe
dressing leather. and is said to hay
medicinal qualities not inferior t
those obtained from the cod. The egg
which are Matched within the BODY {
the mother. are as large as the yolk {
an egg. and q market has bean foun
. for them, also, in the leather trad
All OF these uses are important /
themselves, but particularly hccau:
the utilization of these bvproduct
. IilthtA II HoSSihIC W N"A tHt 4Ni
: food at an attractively low price.
'Gravtish is excellent eaten frs
and market for it in that state h;
been developed by the bureau in Ne
: York city. in connection with the til
fish fishery; but it is as preserve
| product that il will find its largest US
: 1t can be prepared in number
, WAYS: Sailed and dried like the co
: cmokad and canned in a variety
f styles The smoked fish is excelled |
few, if any, products of similar natuI
( and it is probable that IT viii be ava
Il able to the consumer during 1917.
Il present the fish is obtainable cam,
II plain. like salmon. and a can contai
ing fourteen ounces of cold meat
II purchasable for about 10 cents. makil
it one Of tht lowest-7rieed fishery pro
II uctS on the market.
H The officials of the bureau of fisht
les have been testing this fish in the
II own households, and suggest a numb
II of WAYS in which it can be prepar
II attractively for the table. These
Il clude gravfsh hash, sealloped gravfi
II in 9 number of forms, grayfish cho
II der. grayfsh chop suay, grayfsh omel
Il and, last. but not least grayfish sea p
: III which many hunger-provolling
gradients are combined with the n,
food fish as a base