528 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



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 48. These cases are 

 usually made of wood and cost from 9 to 11 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 the 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 are 

 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- 

 ing 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 flattened body into a round shape once more, when the end 

 can be put on with the regular double seainer. 



CANNING SMOKED SALMON 



A number of ventures in the line of canning smoked salmon have 

 been made on this coast, but most of the pioneers were not content 

 or able to invest the amount of capital needed and wait the time 

 required to create a demand for such products, and soon quit. 



One of the leading British Columbia packers, H. Bell-Irving & Co., 

 some years ago put up in cans some pink salmon which had been 

 treated to an artificial smoke in a vat, and these are said to have 

 made a favorable impression in Australia. Another canner operat- 

 ing on the Fraser River smoked pink salmon, and then, cutting them 

 to the proper length, packed them dry in half-pound cans. 



In 1908 the Columbia Canning Co. put up at its cannery on Chilkoot 

 Inlet, Alaska, some smoked salmon which had been shaved into thin 

 strips like dried beef. Those, called "Flaxamo," were packed in oil 

 and were very good, especially in making sandwiches. 



In 1915 two companies began in Seattle the smoking, slicing, and 

 canning of coho and king salmon. These were put up in oblong flat 

 cans of various sizes, similar to sardine cans, 2}^, 4K, and 7)2 ounces, 

 respectively, while for a special trade a 7K-pound can was also packed. 

 These fish were cut quite thin, about 40 to 50 slices to the pound, and 

 were packed in hermetically sealed cans with cottonseed oil. The 

 fish were all hard smoked before slicing and canning. The business 

 was abandoned the next year but w^as resumed bv another company 

 in 1928. 



The same companies are also putting up kippered salmon in cans. 



Salmon loaf, made by mixing salmon with flour and various other 

 ingredients, thus producing a paste, is also being canned by several 

 packers. 



A straight salmon paste, made solely from the flesh of the salmon, 

 and mixed with oil and spices, is being manufactured by one of the, 

 leading packers. 



