48 THE OYSTER AND THE OYSTER INDUSTRY. 



seen in the figure, and fills them up until the correct weight is reached. 

 So far in the process there is practically no liquor in the can. Cans 

 varying in capacity from 3 to 10 ounces are usually packed. The 

 cans are then placed on another belt, which carries them along the 

 trough to the left under a length of perforated pipe from which hot 

 brine drops into the cans. 



The belt then takes them to the capj^ing machine (PI. XXVI, 

 fig. 2), where the cover is put on. This is commonly done by the 

 crimping process, although some firms still use the method of scaling 

 the cover on with solder. The machine shown in the figure crimps 

 the covers on 58 cans per minute. 



After leaving the capping machine the cans are placed in large 

 circular iron baskets, about 4 feet across, and lowered into a cylin- 

 drical metal processing tank (PI. XXVII, fig. 1). In these tanks 

 the cans are heated by steam to a high temperature for a short time, 

 after which they are removed and lowered into a circular wooden 

 tank or cooler (PI. XXVII, fig. 2), and cooled with running water. 

 The baskets of cans are then wheeled on tracks to the labeling and 

 packing room (PI. XXVIII, fig. 1), where the labels are pasted on 

 by girls or women. The finished product is then packed in boxes, 

 this work being done by men (PI. XXVIII, fig. 1). 



DISPOSITION OF OYSTER SHELLS. 



In the larger oyster houses the shells are usually dropped by the 

 shucker through a chute leading from the table down to a wide endless 

 belt or a trough through which passes an endless scrape carrier. 

 These devices carry the shells outside and up an elevator (PI. XXIX, 

 fig. 1) or an inclined plane (PI. XXVIII, fig. 2) . The carrier continues 

 over the shell heap, sometimes being inclosed, and drops the shells 

 at certain points, which may be varied as the pile grows ^Pl. XXVIII, 

 fig. 2). In other oyster houses, especially the smaller ones, the shells 

 are removed in wheelbarrows, which are rolled on planks up the side 

 or across the top of the pile (PL XXIX, fig. 2). 



The shells are used for cultch, as previously described ; for making 

 lime, which is placed on soil as a fertilizer; for poultry grit; for making 

 shell roads; and for ballast for railroad track beds. In Plate 

 XXIX, figure 1, is shown a kiln ui which the shells are being burned 

 to make lime, a pile of the burned shells appearing in the foreground. 

 The interior of the kiln is cone-shaped at the bottom. The shells 

 are deposited in the kiln by the elevator, a certain amount of fine coal 

 being mixed in as fuel. The fire in the lower part of the kiln is kept 

 burning constantly, and the burned shells are shaken out through 

 the grate at the bottom. The shells are then allowed to air-slake, 

 and the lime is sold for fertilizer. The burned shells bring about 

 $8 per ton. About a ton is put on an acre. A ton of burned shells 

 increases in bulk to about a ton and a half during the slaking process. 

 A ton of the slaked lime sells for $6.50. 



Crushed shells are used for poultry grit. The shells are first dried 

 in a direct-heat rotary drier similar to that used in factories where 

 fertilizer is made from menhaden. The degree of heat applied de- 

 pends entirely on the percentage of moisture in the shells ; the greater 

 the moisture the higher the temperature required. It is essential 

 that a close observance be kept during the drying process, in order 

 to regulate the temperature, as shells may be damaged by too much 



