THE SARDINE INDUSTUV. 



521 



Mr. Wolff, who, from his intimate knowledge of the business from its beginning to tin- present 

 time, is peculiarly fitted to do so, lias kindly furnished an estimate of the quantity of sardines 

 put up in the United States from 1875 to 1878 inclusive, which, though only as an estimate, is 

 sufficiently accurate for all practical purposes. Adding to this the amount packed during the two 

 subsequent years we have the following table showing the extent of the business from its origin 

 to the year 1881 : 



Messrs. Wolff & Reessing, Eosenstein Brothers, and Hansen & Deickman have thus far, with 

 a single exception, handled the products of all the canneries in the country, and have also sup- 

 plied a greater part of the capital. These parties have kindly furnished full and accurate infor- 

 mation of the business from their books. Many of their statements have been given in detail ; 

 but, as there are good reasons why the business of individual firms should not be made public, it 

 has been thought best to include all of the facts in one general table, which shall represent the 

 entire sardine industry of the United States as it was in 1SSO. This table, though it exposes no 

 private interests, will be found to answer all purposes for which it is intended. 



THE DANGER THAT THE SUPPLY MAY EXCEED THE DEMAND. Some of the manufacturers are 

 already becoming alarmed at the future prospects of the industry on account of the large number 

 of new canneries that are being erected and the enormous extent of coastline along which it has 

 recently been found that small herring may be taken. Mr. Sellmann writes: "There is much 

 danger that the business may be greatly overdone. A considerable portion of the goods put tip 

 in 1880 remained unsold on January 1, 1881, and the combined capacity of the various canneries 

 is already much greater than the present demand. Under the strong competition that must neces- 



