146 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
the reasons stated in the discussion on drying (p. 127). The wide 
experience that such men have had in handling similar problems 
undoubtedly will lead to improvements in the equipment described 
here. 
General scheme of operation.—The raw fish are conveyed from brine 
tanks to a series of moving flakes, one following another, so as to form 
an almost continuous sur face upon which the fish are spread mechan- 
ically; then they are more carefully arranged by hand. The flakes 
next pass into the cooker and are conveyed back and forth, as illus- 
trated, the flakes, of course, always remaining in virtually a horizontal 
position to prevent the fish from being thrown from them. From the 
cooker the flakes go to the cooler, where they are conveyed in a like 

Fic. 26.—Maine flaking machine 
manner. The fish are now ready to be packed and next pass between 
two rows of packers, who obtain their fish from the moving flakes. 
The empty flakes then pass through a mechanical scrubber and an 
automatic oiler, after which they are ready to receive another supply 
of ne The various steps involved in preparing the fish are discussed 
below. 
Spreading the fish.—The fish can be scattered over the flakes quite 
evenly, either by the means now used in California® or by a Maine 
flaking machine (fig. 26). The flaking machine will serve the purpose 
better, as it places no fish on the open spaces between the flakes. 
Since the fish are already quite evenly spread, one or two girls can 
quickly arrange them to prevent touching as the flakes pass in front 
of them. 
Cooking and cooling.—Air for cooking can be heated in a number of 
ways. Electrical heating, except for its prohibitive high cost, would 

62 Figure 7, p. 79, fflakatss this ers 
