The herring is so favourite a fish with the majority of society, that
any improvement in the modes of curing them is a valuable acquisition.
The getting rid of the gut and other objectionable parts recommends
itself, and claims a decided preference over the old practice of
sending the fish to table _whole_, and, in fact, carrying to the
parlour what ought to have been left in the scullery. The salting
process should be conducted in a similar manner to that for bloaters,
and when taken out of pickle, should be wiped dry, and then split open
at the backs, leaving the bone bare as possible; yet, an inch from the
tail, the thin side should remain attached to the thick side, this adds
much to the appearance of the fish when at table, and saves the curer
some trouble in the succeeding stages of process. Clean out all the
offal and gills, and wipe with cloths dipped in salt and water, and
suspend them by the shoulders upon the tenter hooks of your rods, thus
avoiding the trouble caused by the old plan of keeping the fish open
by splints of wood. Hang them in a free current of air, and when dried
enough――one night is generally sufficient for that purpose――hang them
in the chimney, and smoke them of a nice chesnut brown colour, and keep
them on the rods, but _not_ in a current, though in a dry room and cold
air; when packed it should be insides faces together, with strips of
dry oiled paper between each two fish.