98 BULLETIN 908, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
ceal damaged and inferior (belly-broken) fish, and in many canneries 
it is still done for this purpose. Many cases of sardines which could 
have been packed brights up were found, however, packed backs up. 
Undoubtedly a number of fish which are not too badly damaged 
could be packed backs up to make a wholesome product, thus elimi- 
nating some waste. Such a product should be sold for just what it is 
and not in competition with better grades. In any system of grading 
that may be adopted all sardines that are packed backs up should be 
classed as seconds. A premium would then be established for pack- 
ing brights up and a better appearing pack assured. 
_ A standard for the three-quarter mustard sardines, based on the 
size of the fish, should be adopted. Under present conditions rela- 
tively large fish are called herring when packed in round No. 1 cans 
and sardines when packed in mustard sauce in the square sardine can. 
The sardine is generally regarded as a small fish, and it is important 
that the canner do nothing to prejudice the consumer against his 
goods by abusing this justly prevalent idea, such as packing as sar- 
dines three or four tailpieces cut from large fish. 
Poor quality and overproduction, two prominent factors in the 
fluctuation of the prices of sardines, may be overcome to a great 
extent by the adoption of standards of quality. A big season’s catch 
may thus be utilized in several different classes of goods instead of 
in one grade, making the pack more elastic and at the same time 
establishing a better quality in the poorer grades. 
It is believed that the production of a pack of sardines of specified 
standards of quality will in time create a demand for them which 
will always exceed the supply. At the same time it will bring about 
a better condition in the marketing of sardines by placing them in 
the class of staples which can be sold on merit and which the trade 
will buy because there is a demand for them. It will also tend to 
eliminate the speculative feature now unfortunately present when the 
jobber waits till the price suits him before buying. 
SANITARY PRECAUTIONS IN PACKING SARDINES. 
THE WATER SUPPLY. 
The water supply of the canneries is obtained from the beach 
through a pipe, the opening of which usually is a few feet below the 
level of the water at low tide. The depth to which this pipe extends 
varies from being completely out of the water to several feet below, 
depending upon the location of the cannery and the slope of the 
beach. At some canneries the intake pipe was found to be in too 
close proximity to the sewer outlets or to the drainage from the out-_ 
door privies attached to the cannery. Table 41 shows the results of 
a bacteriological examination of PUES cannery water sup- 
plies. 
