PRESERVATION OF FISHERY PRODUCTS FOR FOOD. 
533 
tlie prospects of x>rofital)le business appear to lie in direct relation to the latitude; the more southern 
the location of the cannery the more constant and abundant the supply of fish. 
In 1889, a canning factory was established in San Francisco which continued in operation until 
August, 1893. During the live years in which the cannery was run the yearly pack was from .5,000 to 
15,000 cases. The canned lish consisted chielly of anchovies in oil in i-pound cans and large sardines 
in 1-pound and 2-pouud round cans. The fish consumed at the factory were caught in San Francisco 
Ray with haul seines. In the earlier years sardines small enough for use in (piarter-pound cans were 
obtained, but during the last two years of the cannery’s existence no sardines of size suitalile for 
“([uarter oils” could be had. This was the chief reason for closing the works. 
In this region sardines are found throughout the year. They “show” at the surface at times, 
and thus permit the use of the purse seines. They sometimes go in immense schools. Single hauls of 
several tons are often made, and 10 tons have on several occasions been taken at a single set of the 
seine, such a catch being obtained about May 1, 1891. In December, 1893, several very large bodies 
of sardines were observed, and a haul of 10 tons of small-sized fisli was taken. From January to June 
the lish appear to gradually increase in numbers. Some schools are made up of fish of uniform size, 
while in others they are mixed. The smallest lish caught are 4 inches long, the largest 12 inches, the 
average 7 inches. 
The condition of the lish in regard to fatness varies considerably with the season. Mr. J. H. 
Lapham, the president of the lish company operating the cannery, states that iii December, 1893, 
when the canning began, the smaller lish were poor, while the larger ones were fat. In January and 
February conditions were about the same. In March the smaller lish began to im[)rove, continued to 
grow fatter through April and May, and in June sardines in excellent condition, suitable for “ (luarter 
oils,” were taken. In May 4 or 5 tons of large lish that were poor were seined ou one occasion. The 
factory is under the superintendence of an experienced tish-canuer from Maine. It is a large two- 
story structure, with a salting-house attached. The idant is worth about $10,000. 
Tlie principal jirocesses to which sardines are subjected before emerging as the canned product 
are as follows: When the lish are unloaded from the vessel they are received into a large, airy room, 
where the cutting and washing are done, and then transferred to the second lloor by means of an ele- 
vator. There they are next arranged on latticed trays (32 inches sfiuare) and dried. If the weather 
is fair and the atmosphere dry, the drying is done in the open air, occupying, as a rule, about 2^ hours. 
On rainy days, or when the air is especially humid, drying is accomplished inside the building by 
means of steam, which requires about 10 hours. 
After drying, the lish are placed in wire baskets (22 inches long, 18 inches wide, 3 inches deep) 
and immersed in boiling oil for 2 to 6 minutes, depending on their size. The oil is contained in a 
shallow sink, into which the wire baskets lit and are lowered and raised by means of long wire handles. 
The boiling of the oil is done by means of a steam pipe entering at the side and running under the 
sink. After draining and thoroughly cooling, the fish go to the packers, thence to the sealers, thence 
to the bathmen, and, after cooling and testing for leaks, to the boxing room. 
'fhe cutting of the lish is done by men and girls, the average number of whom employed i.s 25. 
I'hey are paid by the basket or the bucket of cut lish, and by working steadily earn about 25 cents an 
hour. The llakers number 12 to 14, and are the same girls who pack the fish in the cans. Ten men 
act as sealers and can-makers, and 10 others are employed in the remainiug branches of the work. 
The sizes and grades of canned sardines placed on the market from this cannery, and the whole- 
sale prices received, are as follows: Quarter oils, 100 cans to a case, $6.50 to .$8.50 per case, according 
to the quality of the oil; half oils, 50 cans to a case, $5.60 per case; 2-pound oval cans, with mustard 
spices, and tomato sauce, $2.25 per dozen cans. 
MENHADEN AS SARDINES. 
Some years prior to the establisliment of the Maine sardine industry the extensive 
market in the United States for sardines led to numerous attempts to obtain an article 
that would compete with the foreign iiroduct. Among other species the immature 
menhaden was tried with considerable success. The American Sardine Company pre- 
pared this species quite extensively from 1872 until the development of the sardine 
industry at Eastport. In 1871 the company located a factory near Port Monmouth, 
N. J., and for nearly a year experimented with various processes Avith a view to remov- 
