PACIFIC SALMON FISHERIES. 123 



ground, at first perfectly plain, commenced to show patterns more or 

 less complicated, and at times quite pretentious, so as to take away 

 from the design proper. 



Gradually the panel design disappeared. In place of it some showed 

 one continuous picture on the label, which was very unsatisfactory 

 and soon disappeared, as only a fraction of the picture could be seen 

 at one time. Others had two subdivisions, one showing the name of 

 the brand with its illustrations, occasionally used as a trade-mark, 

 the other showing the article packed in the can, both named and 

 illustrated. Unfortunately, these subdivisions were so large that 

 the roundness of the can prevented one from seeing the picture as a 

 whole, but this was soon remedied by making the subdivisions nar- 

 rower and filling in between with directions, weight of contents, etc. 



From this point on the general plan of labels underwent few changes 

 except that the work, both of the artist and pressman, improved 

 wonderfully, some of the labels now designed and printed being 

 real works of art. 



Up to a few years ago one of the most serious evils in the trade 

 was the use of misleading and lyino; brands. The high-grade product 

 would almost invariably be correctly and fully branded, l)ut "chums" 

 and "pinks" were usually branded as "Fresh salmon," "Ch ice 

 salmon," etc., which would deceive all persons but those well ac- 

 quainted with the industry. "Do-overs," and very poor fish, were 

 usually marketed under a brand which bore the name of a fictitious 

 comj)any or of no company at all. 



The passage of State laws of varying degrees of efficiency govern- 

 ing the branding of salmon helped slightly to remedy this condition 

 of affairs, but it was not until tne pure food and drugs act, approved 

 June 30, 1906, was put into force by the Government that any radical 

 improvement was noticeable. At the present time but few mislead- 

 ing brands are in use. 



BOXING OR CASING. 



A case of salmon generally contains 48 one-pound cans or their 

 equivalent, i. e., 24 two-pound cans or 96 half-pound cans. Some 

 canneries pack their half-pound cans in cases of 4S. These cases are 

 usually made of wood and cost from 9 to 1 1 cents each knocked down. 



CAN MAKING. 



Some of the canneries in the coast States and Alaska purchase their 

 cans ready-made, but the usual method is to purchase the sheet tin 

 and make up the cans in the canneries. This is especially necessary 

 in Alaska, as it would be impossible to find room on tne cannery 

 ships for such a bulk as they would make in addition to the other 

 supplies necessary. Furthermore, the making of cans provides work 

 for a large part of the crew, otherwise unemployed while the rest arc 

 getting ready the other necessary paraphernalia. The work is done 

 by machinery and occupies several weeKs' time. 



Of recent years the objection to the great amount of space occu- 

 pied by the cans when shipped by freight has been overcome by mak- 

 mg the body of the can, pressing it flat, and shipping it in this com- 

 pact shape along with the ends. At the cannery is a machine for rim- 

 ming the flatt(>rie(l body into a rf)iind shape once more, when the end 

 can be put on with the regular double seamer. 



