540 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
CODFISH BALLS, ETC. 
In 1S78 the preparation of codfish balls was begun by a Boston canner. This 
product consists of codfish and potatoes cooked with beef tallow, with the addition 
of a small (piantity of saltpeter, the whole being hermetically sealed in tin cans. The 
usnal method of preparation is as follows : For 100 pounds of salt codfish, 125 pounds of 
potatoes, 10 iiounds of raw onions, and 13 pounds of i)ure beef tallow are required The 
tish are soaked in tepid water to remove the salt and then reduced to a pulp ; the pota- 
toes are boiled, skinned, and mashed; and these ingredients are warmed and mixed 
thoroughly with the chopped raw onions and beef tallow, adding G j)ounds of saltpeter 
and G ounces of pepper or other suitable flavoring condiments. While the ingredients 
are being mixed they are chopped as fine as j)racticable by machinery. The warm 
mixture is then placed in 1, 2, or 3 pound tin cans and sealed. The cans and contents 
are boiled at a very high temperature for 2 or 3 hours. On cooling and labeling the 
produet is ready for market. In 1879, 11,000 cases, equivalent to 2G4,000 two-pound 
cans, were prepared by Boston canners, the value of which was $38,500. The present 
annual output is somewhat less, owing to the increased popularity of boneless codfish. 
Among numerous other fishery produets preserved in cans are clam chowder, fish 
chowder, Finnan haddie, smoked lake trout, smoked pike, smoked carp, caviar, etc. 
The following summary shows some of the varieties of canned fishery products 
on the Flew York market and the average wholesale price in 1898: 
Designation. 
Price 
per 
dozen. 
Designation. 
Price 
per 
dozen. 
Carp, silver, smoked, one-iiound cans 
$2. 5(1 
Lobsters : 
Caviar: 
One pound cans, tall 
.1)2. 70 
Q uarter poand cans 
Hall'-ponud cans 
1.85 
Half-pounil cans, Hat 
1.70 
3.15 
One-pouud c.ans, Hat 
3.15 
One |iound cans 
5.10 
Pickled, one-pound cans 
2. 20 
Two-ponud cans 
9. 20 
Pickled, two-pound cans 
3.45 
Oue-eighth-kilo. cans 
2. 10 
Mackerel : 
Qnarter-kilo. cans 
Half-kilo, cans 
3. 90 
Genuine, one-pound cans 
1. 15 
7. 00 
"Herring mackerel,” one-];ound c.aus 
.70 
Clams : 
Soused, three-quarter-pound cans 
1.10 
Eastern, soft-shell, one-pound cans 
.90 
Mustard, three-quarter pound cans 
1.05 
Eastern, soft-shell, two-pound cans 
1.45 
Oysters, standard, one-pound cans 
.70 
Little-neck, hard-shell, one-]iound cans 
1.00 
Oysters, standard, two-pound cans 
1.30 
Little-neck, luard-shell, two-pound cans ... 
1.90 
Pickerel, smoked, one-pound cans 
2.50 
Clam chowder, two-pound cans 
1.50 
Salmon : 
Clam chowder, three-jiound cans 
Clara juice, two-pound cans 
2. 00 
Columbia River, h.alf-pound cans, flat 
.80 
1.35 
Columbia River, one-pound cans, Hat 
1.45 
Codtish halls, two-pound cans 
1.30 
Columbia River, one-pouud cans, tall 
1,40 
Cr.ah meat, one-pound cans 
1.75 
Alaska, red, one-pound cans 
1.15 
Crab me.at, two-pound cans 
2. 75 
Alaska, medium, one-pouud cans 
1.10 
Crabs, deviled, one-]iound cans 
2. 25 
Alaska, pink, one-pouud cans 
.90 
Crab soup, imported. oue-])ound cans 
3. 50 
Alaska, sockeye, one-pouud cans, tall 
1.15 
Crab soup, imported, two iiound cans 
C, 50 
Alaska, sockeye, one-pound cans, Hat 
1.20 
Eels, in jelly, one-pound cans 
l.CO 
Sardels : 
Eels, in jelly, two-pound cans 
2. 62 
Half-pound cans 
2. 00 
Eels, in jelly, five-pound cans 
6. 25 
One-pound cans 
3. 75 
Eels, Hamburg, one-pound cans 
2.25 
Shrimp, oue-pouud cans 
1.75 
Eeis, Hamburg, two-pound cans 
3. 20 
sturgeon : 
Pickled, one-pound cans 
Eels, Hamburg, five-pound cans 
7. 50 
1.90 
Eel soup, imported, one-pound c.ans 
3.25 
Smoked, one-pouud c.ans 
2. 20 
Eel soup, imported, two-pound cans 
6. 00 
Terrapin meat, one-pound cans 
8. 00 
Finnan baddie, one-pound cans 
Finnan baddie, Scotch, one-pound cans 
1. 05 
1.75 
Price per 
Green-turtle meat, one-pound cans 
10. 00 
Sardines ; 
100 tins. 
Green-turtle soup one-pound cans 
8. 00 
Oils, domestic standard, quarters 
$2. 85 
Herring; 
Oils, domestic extra, quarters 
3. 25 
Doiiit^stic frcsli ons-pouml ofiiis 
. 95 
Oils, imported, quarters 
6. 25 
1. 10 
Oils choice quarters - 
9. 00 
Scotcli fresh one-p(»und c<ins 
1.40 
Oils, domestic standard, halves 
4. 70 
1. 50 
Musttirds, quarters small .... .... 
2. 75 
Scotch, in tomato sauce, one-pouud cans. . . 
1.40 
Mustards, quarters, extra large 
3. 00 
Yarmouth bloiitcrs. 
2. 25 
Mustards, three-quarters 
5. 25 
3.35 
Spiced, quarters 
e. 00 
Spiced, three-quarters 
5. 20 
Kieler sprotten, three-pound cans 
10. 00 
Ill tomato .sauce, qu.arters 
3. 25 
Lake trout, smoked, one-pound cans 
2. 50 
Norway smoked, iju.arters 
8. 50 
