The sun., 1918-08-11
CONSERVE FISH, is
UNCLE SANS PLEA
How Fresh and Ocean Species
Can Be Sailed for Flu
ture Use.
ACCOMPLISHMENT EASY
EASY
By w. &. KENDALL.

This Ia the season when the call OF the
lakes and streams irresistibly draws
many from their vocetions. Every ang-
Ter should waste no FISH. whetaer salmon
or carp. trout or club. base or bullhead,
perch. sunfish, sucker, bownn or any
other. Such waste can be obvlated by
salting. drying or smoking fsh.
While this article Is Intended .primar-
ly FOR the fre.h water angler. and par
ticularly those whose resorts are more or
less remote from bases Of s,.1plies and
who are compelled to have recourse to
eStemporizod devices, the principles and
practices will apply as welt to those who
resort to salt water foS thei~ sport or to
any one who has the opportunity to pre-
serve FISH for later use. These who
have permanent summer cottages. or
who nsh near some community, will be
able to modify or elaborate their opera
lions sccord!ng to the facilities afforded
II an angler adopts the suggestions
offered by this article, although they
may not ct first appeal to him. he will
later experience the qualification Of hav-
Ing n snt.,ly Of fish. Of a kifd And de-
lectabillty which, perhaps he would
otherwise be unable to obtain, and he
will have the pleasure and pride OF
boasting 20 his family or quests that
he not only caught but cured the fish
himself.
Whichever OF the following methods
Of curing Is employed, there are two
essentia's 10 be provided; ca Salt with
which to. salt the fsh, and CD a recep-
'tacle In which to salt them.
Those who go to the more distant
and Isolated permanent camps. while
they may have to take their salt with
them. will probably have little or no
d,fi,cuty In. obtaining there some sort OF
a container that will answer the temper
AIRY purpose: but for those who 80 far
afield. conveying their supplies by pack
Animal or packing them on their own or
their guides backs. the matter Is not so
simple, as everything must be adjusted
to carrying capacity. Yet in all cases
the object. means and processes are the
sene, differing only in degree
Salt.--Medium coarse salt IL the best
Common barrel salt is recommended bit
any salt even table salt, will do. The
amount required may be estimated from
the capacity OF the containers intended
to be filled. One pound of salt to one
gallon Of capacity is good rule to
follow
Receptacle--Where conveniently OBJ
tainable or transrortable. almost any
tight receptacle will do---a barrel. key
flrk!n. kit or earthern crock. Owing 10
desirable, although galvanized ironware
or agateware would answer for a short
period.
Preparing the Fish.
Where transportation is not a serious
consideration. earthenware crooks
make excellent containers. but for all
around convenience, everything con-
sldered wooden containers. II not made
Of resinous wood, are preferable.
Nothing eNce,s a common irkin. which
may be had in various sizes. II af-
fords the advantage OF n handle by
which it may be carried or fastened to
the carrier. Some boxes are sufficiently
tight, or can be made so. to serve as
temporary containers. or an empty lard
kit, tub or other similar receptacle may
be used. There should be a tight fitting
top or cover with any form Of container.
The salt and other supplies may be
packed in the container.
The usual procedure is to split the
fish down the belly to the vent. re-
move the viscera. and cut Off the
head and tail: make a cut on each
side OF the backbone inside of the
body cavity cut the bone In two as far
back as can be reached and remove the
cutoff portion = then make a deep cut
uIonB one sue OF t0e remainder OF It's
length and lay the Ash open. The fish
should be washed in sailed water and
the blood removed from the backbone
or that portion OF 1t which remains. II
the Ash Is too large to go into the con-
tainer. cut II into proper lengths.
While the general treatment OF all
fishes Is the same the various charac-
teristics OF fishes may indicate in certain
cases some divergence from the general
rule. 1t may be desirable to skin some
large scaled. thick. firm meated fishes
and cut them into strips of convenient
dimensions.
1t would also save space to remove
the dorsal and anal fms OF fishes which
have stout spiny rays, even n they are
mot skinned or scaled. the head severed
and the backbone removed each side and
close to the I'm, having pierced the skin
and the meat to some distance in order
to remove the bones that extend into the
fish from the spines and rays. Then
grasp the posterior end OF the I'm and
strip it out toward the head.
Sailing Down Fish.
Large. stocky fishes. like the carp, buff
falo. drum, &C, may be skinned or
scaled, the head severed and the back
bone removed. Then cut lengthwise
into halves and crosswise into sections
to At the container. The heads of small
fishes and the scales Of fine scaled fishes
need not be removed. although II the
heads are left on they should be split
and the glls removed. Small fishes.
such as the brook trout, cisco and small
sizes or similarly shaped fishes. may be
split along the back on one side OF and
close to the backbone. The backbone
need not be removed
Small slender fish, like the smelt and
some lake herring. which need not DO
split. should be cleaned by drawing the
viscera out OF the body cavity as the
head Is severed or along the gills II the
head Is allowed to remain.
The degree of nicely observed in
dressing the FISH. such as removal OF
fins, bones. scales, &C, depends wholly
upon the Judgment and inclination of the
operator For instance. II Is possible to
trim the meat from close TO the bones of
some fishes so that scarcely bone Is
left. This Is recommended for such Ash
as p!ckerel and suckers. With a little
practice II can be done with facility by
srhtting'Th fish along the back TO the
backbone. thence trimming bellyward
close to the outer surface Of the ribs
Sever the head and remove the viscera.
Having prepared the Ash IN some such
way as indicated. place a layer OF salt
on the bottom OF the container, and on
this spread a layer OF fish. one deep, skin
side down, tail or narrow end toward
the centre OF the container. previously
having rubbed onto the meat side some
salt then cover these with a layer OF
salt and add another layer of dsh, re-
peating the process until the container
! is full or the supply OF Ash Is exhausted.