METHODS OF INSHORE FISHERIES 251 



cars containing the flakes of fish are rolled direct from 

 the steam-chamber into a chamber heated for drying, thus 

 avoiding the extra work that comes from unloading the 

 flakes to the heater and again loading them on the car to 

 be taken to the packing tables. 



Sardines are packed in one-quarter and three-quarter 

 pound cans. These are for the most part manufactured 

 in Boston, but one factory in North Lubec is entirely de- 

 voted to the manufacturing of cans. The oil used for 

 sardines is the better quality of cotton seed oil, usually 

 purchased in hogsheads. Formerly the oil was placed in 

 the cans individually. Now a tray containing twenty-five 

 cans is placed under the filler, a valve is turned, and the 

 regulation amount of oil flows into each can at one time. 

 This process of machine-oiling requires about one-fourth 

 the time required under the old method. The packers 

 work with a dexterity acquired through long practice, sort- 

 ing the fish into lots as they are picked from the flakes, 

 packing them away in the cans so closely and neatly as 

 to give rise to the expression in common use, 'like sar- 

 dines in a box. ' The size of the herring used for sardines 

 varies from three to eight inches in length. The smaller 

 fish are packed in oil in the one-quarter pound cans, and 

 are known as "oils"; the larger fish are packed in mustard 

 in the three-quarter size cans and are known as 'mus- 

 tards.' Packers receive ten cents a case, the average 

 woman worker being able to pack two cases an hour. Each 

 case contains 100 of the small cans or 48 or 50 of the 

 larger ones. 



The last process in the canning of sardines is that of 

 sealing the covers on the cans. In this process probably 

 the greatest improvement has been made. Formerly covers 

 were sealed by means of solder, each can being subjected 

 to a separate handling by the operator. Soldering has 

 been done away with. The cans are sealed by machinery, 



