The Sardine Fishery. 



79 



filled up with the finest olive oil, soldered down, and placed 

 in boiling water for some time to test the boxes, and those 

 which leak are put aside. Women burnish the tins, the 

 labels are put on or sometimes enamelled on the tins, 

 which are then packed in wooden cases, generally con- 

 taining lOO tins, and are then ready for export. It does 

 not always seem to be remembered that the longer the tin 

 is kept unopened the more mellow do the fish become ; and, 

 if properly prepared, age improves them as it does good 

 wine ; but if they are too salt at first, age does not benefit 

 them — they always remain tough. The sizes of the tins are 

 known as half and quarter tins. There are two kinds of 

 half tins, one weighing i8 ounces, and the other i6 ounces 

 gross. The quarter tin usually weighs about seven ounces ; 

 but there are larger quarter tins sometimes imported, 

 which tins are still used in France, but seldom seen in 

 England. 



Sardines in oil form the most important branch of the 

 trade. It has become immense, and employs large numbers 

 of people. A quarter of a century ago the shipment of 

 sardines in oil from France was not above ;^24,ooo in value ; 

 but in the last lO years it has ranged from ^500,000 to 

 j^"/ 50,000, according to the abundance of the fish. About 

 4500 boats, registering some 10,000 tons, are engaged in 

 the sardine fishery. 



In 1866 the value of the French sardine fishery was a 

 little over 7,000,000 francs. In 1873 it reached 13,757,534 

 francs, and, owing to the abundant catch, the price fell to 

 15 francs the 1000, against 75 francs the 1000 in 1872. 



In some years the sardines are most plentiful ; in others 

 they are scarce. At Douarnenez and Concarneau, the 

 principal centres, 884 boats were employed in 1866; and 

 in the month of July these boats caught more than 



