516 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 
this matter-and put up a superior quality of goods which shall be sold upon their merits. The use 
of poor oils is perhaps the greatest drawback to the extension of the sardine business in the 
United States; but we are treated little better by the French canners, who have for a number of 
years been using the cheaper grades of oil in the preparation of those goods that are intended for 
exportation. Nearly all of the larger French establishments have certain brands which are put 
up in the very best quality of olive oil, but most of them also put up inferior and cheaper brands 
in which they use only the poorer grades of olive oil, and others pack in oil from the seeds of 
plants of that and other countries. Very few of the best brands of French sardines are imported 
into the United States, so that the fish obtained from abroad are little, if any, superior to the 
average grades packed in this country. 
SARDINES IN VINEGAR AND SPICES.—Besides oil sardines a large quantity of herring are put 
ap in vinegar and spices under the name of sardines royales and sardines marinés. Before the 
vinegar is poured on the fish it is boiled with spices of various kinds. In addition to the liquid, 
mustard seed, cloves, peppers, bay leaves, and frequently a small piece of lemon, are placed in the 
san. A good many fish are also put up in mustard, which is mixed with the best quality of vine- 
gar that has been spiced to suit the taste. The spiced sardines and those put up in mustard are 
received with great favor by the trade and are coming into general use in certain portions of the 
country. By many they are preferred to the ordinary oil sardines. They are usually sold at a 
much lower figure for boxes of the same size. <A few herring are also packed in tomato sauce, 
but thus far the demand for them has been very limited, and as there has been some difficulty 
about their keeping qualities the dealers and even the manufacturers are a little shy of them. 
BONELESS SARDINES.—Thus far no one in this country has attempted to put up boneless sar- 
dines after the French method, though the imported goods are said to find ready sale in the 
American markets. We see no reason why some enterprising firm should not begin experiments 
in this line, as there would probably be no more, if indeed as much, difficulty in removing the bones 
from the herring than from the smaller fish used by the French. The method of preparation after 
the bones have been removed is exactly similar to that to which the ordinary sardine is subjected, 
and it will only be necessary to describe the boning process. Mr. Wallem gives the following 
account of the method employed by the French in this work: 
“The so-called boning process, which by many people is considered very difficult, is, in reality, 
very easy. When the sardines are about half dried in the sun (if dried in an oven they can only be 
boned with great difficulty and loss), they are subjected to the following treatment. With one 
crack the backbone is broken close to the root of the tail. Then, by evenly and tightly squeezing 
it with the fingers it is loosened along its entire length. During this manipulation the whole bone 
system is loosened, and, commencing at the neck, the backbone and all the bones with it can be 
pulled out with two fingers or with a pair of small pincers. For breaking the backbone near the 
tail a pair of pincers is also sometimes used. When the bone has been taken out the sardines are 
set in the sun to dry in the usual manner.” 
THE SOLDERING PROCESS.—After the cans have been filled with fish and the proper condi- 
ments, and the cover has been inserted, they are sent to the soldering-room, where they are her- 
metically sealed by men who make a specialty of this work. In the Eastport canneries each man 
has a small revolving stand, which is turned by means of a treadle and leather belt. The top or 
surface of the stand has a small groove for holding the box, and as the soldering proceeds the 
whole is gradually turned so that the work may be more conveniently done. Soldering-wire is 
used for this purpose. In other places the revolving stand is entirely done away with, and a large 
board with longitudinal strips for holding the cans is substituted. This, when filled, holds 100 
