66 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



" scrap " is a much better fertilizer than the whole fish ; for the 

 undesirable element the oil, which " clogged the earth and made 

 it unfit for tillage " has been removed, and the " scrap " is left, 

 containing plant food in proportions far exceeding those of any 

 known natural fertilizer. 



The process of extracting the oil from the menhaden is very 

 simple. When the fish is delivered at the factory it is imme- 

 diately'placed in large iron tanks, containing about a foot deep of 

 water. Heat is then applied until the mass begins to simmer, 

 when the heat is turned off. In this way the fish is thoroughly 

 steamed, and the oil cells are more or less separated from the 

 flesh, so that the oil can be readily and thoroughly released in the 

 presses. Often, when the fish is rich in oil, a considerable quan- 

 tity exudes during the steaming process. This is drawn off from 

 the top of the simmering mass and runs in troughs to the oil tank. 



After the steaming, the fish is placed in " curbs " (circular ves- 

 sels having perforated bottoms) and rolled to the oil presses. 

 Here the oil is released by hydraulic pressure, and the remainder 

 is simply the nitrogenous part of the fish, which is called "scrap."" 



FIG. 3. STEAMING THE FISH. 



In the factories of the United States Menhaden Oil and Guano- 

 Association the oil is not rectified ;~it is expressed in the simple 

 manner that I have explained, and then shipped to the different 

 oil merchants and refineries of the United States and Europe. 



The preparation of the scrap, or fish guano, is also very simple. 

 After the oil is released, the solid matter is taken to the drying 

 boards a large field covered with closely fitting grooved and 

 tongued flooring upon which it is spread to dry. At Tiverton 



