124 BULLETIN 908, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
of the fish at various times of the year; using inferior oil er oil in 
insufhicient quantities; and permitting the packed goods to become 
frozen. Careless packing and rough handling at various stages of the 
process are responsible for poor appearance. 
The following suggestions for the improvement of the pack are 
offered: 
1. Accept feedy fish for packing only when they have been 
impounded for a period of from 12 to 24 hours. When this practice 
has been widely adopted, it will be wise to keep all fish in pounds or 
pockets, thus distributing the supply over a longer period and thereby 
aiding in placing the canneries on a capacity basis. 
2. Sort the fish according to size as they reach the cannery. 
3. Cut and eviscerate all fish. 
4. Establish a proper period for the salting and pickling of fish, 
both eviscerated and uneviscerated. The salting and pickling treat- 
ment of the fish at the cannery as well as the distance they can be 
carried in salt will then be determined. . 
5. To insure the highest quality discontinue the steaming process, 
which causes the loss of a large amount of salt and flavor. 
6. Flake the fish by hand or thinly with the flaking machine. 
7. Dry the fish to the proper degree before packing them. 
8. Pack the fish neatly and attractively in the cans, eliminating all 
slack packing. A well-packed can of sardines should be full of fish 
and oil. 
9. Handle the packed cans carefully. 
10. Establish standard grades for the sardine pack. 
11. Maintain a rigid sanitary control of canneries. The law of 
Maine, which adequately covers this question, should be strictly 
enforced. The beach surrounding the canneries should be kept free 
from decomposing fish waste. Under no consideration should 
swelled cans of sardines be disposed of by being thrown out on the 
beach. They should be burned. The water supply of ali the can- 
neries should be investigated. Whenever a water supply giving 
evidence of contamination is found, requisite changes should be made. 
