520 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
fills, scales, and viscei-a are removed, the lisli cleansed, and soaked for a short time 
in strong brine to acquire a salty or “ corned” flavor. They are next iilaced and sealed 
in tin cans which are at once immersed in boiling water until their contents are 
thoroughly cooked. The cans are then “vented,” rescaled, cooled, and prepared for 
the market. The cans are usually TJ inches in height and 3 indies in' diameter, and 
hold about 1 pound of fish; 2-pound and 3 pound cans are also used to some extent. 
The price runs from $1 to $1.30 per dozen 1-pound cans, and the iiroduct from 
5,000 to 3,000,000 cans annually. In 1879 tlie output in New England was about 
900,000 1-pound cans ; in 1880, 1,.342,(;G8 pounds, worth $150,449, and in 1881, 2,864,000 
pounds. 
The decreasing abundance of mackerel has resulted in considerable falling off in 
the output since 1885. The iiroduct in 1892 was about 1,000 cases, and in 1898 very 
few were put up, pndiably not over 200 cases, prepared at Pro^ incetown and Boston. 
BROILED MACKEREL. 
Canning “broiled ” mackerel was begun in the spring of 1880 by Bastport sardine 
canuers. Two methods are pi'acticed. Tlie first, which originated with Mr, Julius 
Wolff, of the Eagle Preserved Fish Company, is almost identical with that used for 
sardines. The fish are dressed, washed, assorted according to size, dried, fried in oil, 
and sealed in tins with vinegar and siiices. 
The second method, which is in more general use, originated vidth Mr. Henry 
Sellman, of the American Sardine Company. The small mackerel are split down the 
belly, the heads and tails being removed, and then cleansed and put in strong brine 
for half an hour or so. When sufficient salt has been absorbed they are rinsed, spread 
on wire trays, and placed in a steam box, where they are steamed for a few minutes. 
The fish, yet on the trays, are bahed in the rotary oven de.scribed on page 527, and are 
then packed with mustard, tomato sauce, or spiced vinegar, in oval-shaped tin boxes 
holding from 1 to 3 pounds each. The cans are sealed and subjected to a hot water 
bath, after which they are vented, cooled, and labeled. These mackerel are far supe- 
rior to any of the brands of herring, and the demand has always been greater than 
the supiily. From 10,000 to 15,000 cases were prepared in 1898, about equally divided 
into mustards, tomatoes, and spiced vinegars. They are sometimes placed in fancy 
glass receptacles and are sold at high prices. 
CANNINCi SALT MACKEREL. 
The demand for small packages of salt mackerel led, about 1875, to the prepara- 
tion of them in tin cans. In 1879 the eipiivalent of about 280,000 5-pouud cans was 
prepared in Gloucester and Boston, about equally divided between the two places. In 
other parts of the country about 80,000 cans were prepared during the same year. 
These sold wholesale at about $5 per dozen 5-pound cans. 
In preparing this article, the commercial, brine-salted mackerel, usually of the 
better grades, are used. No. 2 being the most popular size. The.se are washed and 
scraped, to give them a neat appearance, and the heads and tails are cut off,' and if 
large the fish are .sometimes cut transversely in two pieces. In packing, a small quan- 
titj" of fine salt is sprinkled in the bottom of the cnn and the fish are carefully arranged 
flesh side np, except the top layer, which is placed flesh side down. A small quantity 
