MAINE SARDINE INDUSTRY. 



11 



shoveling sawdust over them. They are then sent to the storage 

 room below and allowed to cool (PI. VIII, fig. 2), after which each can 

 is tested and then packed in a shipping case, or, as it is termed by 

 the trade, "shook." 



THE CANS. 



as already stated, the cans used for packing sardines in oil are 

 designated, according to their size, as quarter oil, high-quarter oil, 

 and half oil, while those used for packing sardines in mustard sauce 

 are called quarter mustard and three-quarter mustard. The quarter 

 oil and the quarter mustard cans are the same size. The greater 

 part of the sardine pack is put up in oil, in the quarter size cans, 

 and about 25 per cent of the normal output in mustard sauce, mostly 

 in the three-quarter size cans. Lacquered cans, made from tin coated 

 with a preparation which prevents the action of the acid in the sauce 

 upon the metal, are employed only for mustard sardines. A case of 

 quarter oil or mustard sardines contains 100 cans, while a case of 

 three-quarter size mustards contains 48 cans. 



The cans used for both oils and mustards are divided into two 

 classes, the key-opening and the keyless. Projecting from the corner 

 of the key-opening or three-piece can, the bottom of which is soldered 

 on, is a small lip to which the key for opening the can is attached. 

 One objection to this type of can is that, in order to open it with 

 the "brights" up, the fish must be packed with the belly portions 

 against the bottom of the can. It is practically impossible to inspect 

 properly the quality of the fish placed in such cans or the manner in 

 which they have been packed. These cans also are more subject to 

 small leaks than are some of the other types. The key-opening two- 

 piece can, provided with a scored top, lacks some of the objectionable 

 features of the three-piece can, but is less successfully opened. The 

 keyless cans, also called drawn cans, or two-piece cans, are stamped 

 directly from sheets of tin by means of a power press and die. Key 

 openers for these cans are made by scoring the covers around the 

 edges and providing a projecting lip at one corner or at the end for 



the key. 



Table 2. — Size of sardine cans. 1 



Type of can. 



Three-quarter mustard (keyless) 



Half oil (key) 



One-quarter oil and mustard, drawn 



can (keyless) 



Do 



One-quarter oil and mustard , 3-pieee 



can (key) 



Do 



High-quarter 



Length. 



Inches. 



m 



4aV 



*3T 



Centi- 

 meters. 



11.9 

 11.6 



10.7 

 10.55 



10.7 

 10.6 

 10.6 



Width. 



Inches. 



2 J? 

 2fi 



OS 1 



•'ST 



OS 1 



Centi- 

 meters. 



7.5 

 7.5 



7.6 

 7.6 

 7.6 



Height. 



Inches. 



llTT 



Centi- 

 meters. 



3.8 

 2.7 



2.0 

 2.0 



1.9 

 1.8 

 2.9 



Lid set in. 



Inches. 



Centi- 

 meters. 



0.35 

 .3 



.3 

 .35 



.3 



.35 

 .35 



1 Since these measurements were taken, the height of the one-quarter cans has been reduced T 'i inch. 

 In view of other possible changes, these dimensions may not be exactly correct to the fractions of inches 

 or centimeters. 



