l68 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



position of the factories, but from what we were able to ob- 

 serve it is our belief that the average corn packer of the State 

 of Maine has been trying not only to comply with the pure iood 

 laws, but has been attempting to place on the market a product 

 that would measure up to the standard of excellence of which 

 the Maine grown product is capable. 



Sardine factories. — It is with extreme reluctance that we 

 make the admission that we cannot point with a great feeling of 

 pride to our sardine industry and, to say the least, it is indeed 

 humiliating to read from no less authority than an encyclo- 

 paedia account on sardines, the following statement deprecating 

 the quality of the Maine product: "The product is distinctly 

 inferior to the best or even middle grade of French sardines." 



In fact, for some time doubt has been expressed bv con- 

 sumers and, unfortunately, by packers themselves as to whether 

 or not the fish which are used for sardines on the coast of 

 Maine are capable of being so prepared as to equal the sar- 

 dines of France or Norway. Basing our assertions on good 

 authority we find that Clupea pilchardus of France, Clupea 

 coeruleus of California and Clupea harengus of the Maine 

 coast may all properly come under the name of "sardine," and 

 we feel safe in asserting that the character of the species of 

 fish taken on the Maine coast does not offer any obstacle that 

 cannot be overcome, and it is very probable — as proven by the 

 investigation of the best authority — that the superiority main- 

 tained by the French product depends more upon the selection 

 and method of treatment than upon the natural character of 

 the species, and any endorsement or assistance that can be 

 given to the packers to dispel the idea that Maine sardines 

 cannot be made a product which from their excellence will 

 be desired as a food, should be as large a part of our duty as 

 to enforce the laws. 



We have thus paid particular attention to the inspection of 

 sardine factories during the summer of 191 5. We were par- 

 ticularly fortunate in securing the cooperation of the United 

 States Department for our investigation and through their 

 good offices an inspector of the federal department accom- 

 panied our inspector throughout the tour of inspection. I also 

 wish to mention that the state inspector delegated to make the 

 investigations exhibited unusual interest in his work, excellent 



