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BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION 1883.
A new process of drying fish.
On Tuesday we visited the establishment of Mr. R.S. Jennings, at Vincent's Point, in the building formerly occupied by the Cape Ann Anchor Works, where this gentleman has put into practical operation his process for the artificial drying of fish. He has two apartments fitted up with flakes, the floors of which are partially open to allow the air to circulate. By means of fans which are operated by steam power, the moisture is removed from the air and applied to the fish to be dried, drying them in a few hours in a perfectly satisfactory manner. By the use of the process, fish-making may be as rapidly and cheaply effected in wet as in dry weather, and in dog-days as in October, and the work may be continued night and day. Fish may be taken from the pickle in the morning of the worst drying day in the year, and dried and shipped before noon, if desired. The fish are perfectly faced, and are whiter and brighter than can be produced on outdoor flakes. They are necessarily cleaner, being entirely free from dust, sand, and dirt, and no practical fish maker need be told that the weight of the fish when dried is in favor of the process, as it is a well known fact that the quicker a fish is dried, the less it shrinks in weight. We feel assured that this process will soon come into general use, thereby making available for other purposes the land now used for fish flakes, and preventing the annoyance and losses now experienced in curing fish during certain seasons of the year. The most searching investigation of the practicability of this process is invited. The expense is warranted to be less per quintal than it costs to dry them out of doors in the best drying weather. * A copy of Mr. Jennings claim filed in the patent office will be found of page 336 of this volume. --C.W.S. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |