HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN MENHADEN. 137 



drawback on salt used in pickling, nets, and fisL. This discussion brings 

 on the question whether menhaden are or are not " food-fishes." The 

 decision has usually been made that they are food-fishes. 



3G.— I'OOD PREPARATIONS DERIVED FROM MENHADEN. 



The manufacture of sardines. 



189. On the coast of New Jersey, near Port Monmouth, are several 

 factories, which carry on an extensive business in canning menhaden 

 in oil and spices. One of the largest of these is that of the American 

 Sardine Company, a representation of which is given in Plate XXIV. 

 Mr. F. F. Beals, of New York, gives the following description of the 

 methods in use in this establishment : 



" We aim to have our catch of moss-bunkers in by 6 or 7 o'clock a. m., 

 as the fish seem to be strongly impregnated with phosphorus and soon 

 spoil in warm weather. As soon as the fish are landed, we put our entire 

 force of men to cleaning, cutting, and scaling, for which we have 

 machines adapted. When the fish are cleaned, they are at once put in hogs- 

 heads, and salted just sufficiently to keep and to remove their extreme 

 freshness. They are then packed in cooking cans, which are a little 

 larger than the packing cans, and put into the tanks, where they are 

 steamed for the space of about two hours. After the fish are taken out, 

 they are placed in the regular market cans, which are then laid upon zinc- 

 covered tables, where they are filled with salad oil. They then go to the 

 tinners, who solder on the lids, after which the can is again steamed and 

 vented, and passed up into the cleaning and labeling room. Each day's 

 work is piled up separately, each can being thoroughly tested to see that 

 it is perfectly air-tight. For this we have an experienced hand. Not a 

 can is packed until it has stood for at least a month. At the expiration 

 of this time, after being again tested, the cans are packed in wooden cases 

 containing two dozen each, and are then ready for the market. As we 

 make all our tin cases, we are able to secure good results, and it is a 

 rare occurrence to have a swollen can. If there is one, it is at once 

 thrown aside. 



"Our company was incorporated April 21, 1871, under the laws of the 

 State of New York. Seeing the magnitude of the sardine business on the 

 other side of the Atlantic, we were impressed with the idea that there 

 was a large field for operations in this country alone. We at once set 

 about tofind a fish which wonld supply the place of the European sardine. 

 Afcer many esperimeuts, we at last found one to suit the purpose, viz, the 

 moss bunker, and commenced a series of experiments to find a means of 

 extracting or softening the bones without the use of acids of any kind. 

 After over a year of experiment, we at last found the desired process, 

 which we secured under United States letters patent, dated j\[ay 21, 1872. 

 This process consists of varous modes of steaming until the bones become 

 so soft that they can be eaten, like the flesh of the fish, without the 

 slightest inconvenience. The two first years most of onr time was con- 



