134 PACIFIC SALMON FISHERIES. 
of affairs, but it was not until the 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 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 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. 
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. These, called “Flaxamo,” were packed in oil 
and were very good, especially in making gontiwacnes’ 
In 1915 two Ponepamies 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, 24, 43, and 74 ounces, 
respectively, while for a special trade a 74-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 same companies are also pubime' up kippered salmon in cans. 
