448 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



Other similar products, from which all or practically all the bones have been 

 removed, are sold under such labelings as " absolutely boneless," " strictly 

 boneless," and " no bones." Investigation by the bureau has shown that a 

 very small part, if any, of the retail trade and consuming public is familiar 

 with the distinction, and that a practically boneless fish is expected by them 

 whenever the word " boneless " appears on the label. 



The word " boneless " should be limited to the labeling of those products 

 from which all or practically all the bones have been removed. 



In making " bricks " or blocks the fish are cut to the desired 

 size on a table made of blocks with openings between them at regu- 

 lar intervals. The fish, sometimes as many as eight or nine, are laid 

 one on top of the other on the cutting table so that the best parts 

 come between the openings. Then a long-bladed knife is driven 

 through them and they are ready to be packed into bricks, etc. A 

 trough, or miter box, also is used for securing the same result. 



The pieces of fish are passed to girls, who sort them and weigh out 

 exactly a pound or 2 pounds, whichever the weight of the brick is to 

 be. Two good slices are selected to make the outside of the package 

 and short or narrow strips to make up the middle part. The weighed 

 fish is passed to the brickmaker, who selects first the piece that will 

 make a whole side and an edge, and places it in the galvanized-iron 

 mold; the smaller pieces are then put in, and lastly the remaining 

 large piece to make a side. The selecting and placing of the pieces in 

 such a way as to make the best appearing cake is quite a knack. The 

 mold, wdiich is 6 inches long by 3 inches wide and Sy 2 inches deep, is 

 pressed tightly by foot or hand pow r er, held for a few seconds, and 

 then strings, which had previously been placed across the bottom of 

 the mold in grooves left for the purpose, are tied around each end. 

 The package is then completed by wrapping in paraffined or parch- 

 ment paper with receipts and other matter printed on it. Some 

 packers wrap in the parchment or paraffined paper and then inclose 

 in a lithographed wrapper. There are several grades of bricks, de- 

 pending upon the appearance and color of the fish, the choiceness of 

 the pieces used, and the special curing to which the fish was origi- 

 nally subjected. Tw r enty-four 1-pound, twelve 2-pound, or twelve 

 3-pound bricks make a crate or case. The " boneless " fish put up in 

 5-pound boxes, but not pressed, run 12 to a crate. 



Several forms of presses are used in this work, the most common 

 consisting of a sliding box having two or three compartments, each 

 of the size desired, and so arranged that a hand or foot lever forces 

 a block down in one compartment at a time. The pressure remains 

 while the fish are being placed in the second compartment, and when 

 it is released the box is slid along until the second compartment 

 comes under the press, when the brick in the first compartment is 

 removed. 



Shredded codfish, known as " desiccated codfish," " fibered codfish," 

 " flaked codfish," and " skriggled codfish," is made up from the trim- 

 mings not otherwise used in packing the regular tablets, and is pre- 

 pared on this coast by only one company. The material used is as 

 good as any employed, but the pieces are too small to be used in the 

 regular brick. They are run through a machine that tears the 

 muscle into small fibrous bundles. In order to get this very fine and 

 fluffy it may be necessary to press out part of the water after the 

 first treatment and run it through the machine again, and then sift 



