132 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
cold air is also shown. In this apparatus 8 flakes of fish could be 
cooked and 12 cooled at one time. 
In the experiments with the small equipment only enough fish to 
fill a pound-oval can could be prepared at one time. In the experi- 
ments with the larger equipment one flake (30 by 30 inches), holding 
about 10 pounds of ‘‘cut”’ fish, usually was used, although frequently 
3 to 6 such flakes were cooked. The fish were weighed before and 
after drying, precautions being taken to see that similar samples were 
used wherever comparisons were being made.* ‘The fish used were 
cut and brined at one of the canneries, and the packs were exhausted 
and processed in the same place. Usually cans of the fried-in-oil 
pack prepared in the canneries from the same lot of fish were 

Fic. 23.—Air-mixing chamber, fans, and housing, California experimental cooker and cooler 
obtained for comparison purposes. Unless a statement to the con- 
trary is made, the discussion here refers to the preparation of large fish 
for the pound-oval pack. 
DETERMINATION OF THE BEST CONDITIONS FOR PREPARING THE FISH 
The first experiments were made with the idea of learning the prac- 
ticability of preparing the fish in the manner proposed and of 
determining how much water should be removed from them. In 
preparing the raw packs a moisture loss of 8 to 10 per cent gave good 
results when fat fish and thick sauce were used. In those experi- 
ments it would have been better, however, to have removed more 
water from the fish. In the experiments with the new process it 
was soon learned that a loss in weight of 13 to 16 per cent (exclusive 

48 In Bate: the same pcatiane were taken as in the drying experiments. See pp. 191-192. 
