58 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XIII, 



CHAPTER IV. 



Canning. 



45. The plant and methods in can-making have been described 

 above ; the following paragraphs relate to the canning of various 

 products. The plant and processes to be discussed below will deal 

 mainly with fish-canning, but other items will be mentioned as 

 opportunity offers. 



46. Plant.— Th\s varies immensely according to the character 

 of the factory, whether domestic or commercial, whether simple or 

 up to date, whether for one or two products or for many, whether 

 cooking is under pressure at high temperatures (up to 250' F.) or 

 only in open pans at 212° F., whether for fish and meat or for 

 fruits, vegetables, or preserves of the same. The highest class of 

 goods can be made on the smallest scale and with very ordinary 

 plant ; indeed small scale domestic products when made by 

 experts and with high class material, are usually superior to com- 

 mercial products which are made in bulk sometimes with more 

 attention to quantity than quality and with various sophistications, 

 diluents, preservatives, etc., which though innocuous and even 

 wholesome are not always strictly according either to the labels 

 or to the requirements of the 'pure food laws.' Hence an honest 

 and instructed man with small capital and plant and buying ready 

 made tins or other containers, can make excellent goods and a 

 decent livelihood in his own house ; if such house is at the sea side 

 he can arrange for the freshest fish at cheap rates ; if in a country 

 village he can grow and buy his fruit and preserve it for use or sale 

 in the most perfect way. It is possible (and plant can be obtained 

 as per advice of the Board of Agriculture in London or of the 

 writer), to buy for a few pounds a small plant including soldering 

 apparatus which will make quite a quantity of preserved food. 

 These small plants will be the subject of a special paper; the 

 present bulletin deals mainly with factory work large or small. 



Buildings. 



47. The first essential is good, airy, clean accommodation in 

 buildings which admit plenty of air and light, well provided with 

 clean water laid on, and with floors and walls and drains which 

 can be freely sluiced and flushed with water and antiseptics. It is 



