.40^ .<^ V'*-^'/ \*^-*\/ %''^^'/ \.*^'^\/ V^^'*o Ife- \./ :M^: %<** :jSII&'. X/" .'^£\ V** .*lfe-. %..<** .• • .♦^"♦. • "at £? • i .♦^"V V ^ ^\'Jiii:. ',•%. V ^^^'^.o^-' V '.-.**'% *w ■:> - • tV ^ " • • • A' Sr o°^•iJ^•**'o /V^j;i-,\ co*.c^-% /.^^>^ ^^•n^i.. ^%<^^ 5<2ft ^'o iP"*. K*""- At v"^:*^>* •** . •"Vft^r* . cH-^ A°*. v'»:i^%% "tPi' ••/ V'^-'\/ %'^^*/ v*^-V %'^^*/ % '• ao' S'i*. c5°.*. »*% • i* 4? 'i^, «" (Or 'rv '*^ A* •• ♦*% -• ^ oo^:i^^% ,/,.^i.v c°^:^^'> ,^^ '^^ ^^^ •-0 V ^^0^^^' y^v. '. S°^ «5°^ H Z Z z o s J < a: <; < J < Z THE CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS Showing the History of the Art of Canning; the Methods Followed With Each Species, and Suggestions for Canning Unutilized Species; Where, When and How They Are Obtained; Together With Other Information of Much Value to Canners BY / JOHN N. COBB DIRECTOR, COLLEGE OF FISHERIES, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON. Author of "Fisheries of Alaska," "Fisheries of Hawaii," "Pacific Salmon Fisheries,' "Pacific Cod Fisheries," "Lobster Fishery of Maine," "Tlie Shad Fisheries of North Carolina," Etc., Etc. SEATTLE, WASH. Miller Freejian, Publlsiier 1919 Copyright, 1919, by Miller Freeman MAk ^5 13^0 g)CI,A566208 -\ PREFACE WHEN I began my active fishery career tlaere were but few persons who knew much about the art of canning fishery products, and these Avere chary about imparting what they knew to otliers, who might, in time, develop into competitors. On many occasions I was approaclied by seekers after information along these lines, and in endeav- oring to help them I soon discovered that there was not tlien, and the same holds true today, available any work which treated at length and fully upon the canning of fishery l)roducts. and that what little had been published was in very fragmentary shape and in- accurate in many ways. Appreciating the great need of such a work, I began some years ago to collect data for sanu^ and an intimate connection with the fishing industry of the United States for twenty-four years — part of that time as editor of the Pacific Fisherman of Seattle, Wash., the organ of the great fisheries of the Pacific, and as a practical canner, but mainly as Field Agent of the United States Bureau of Fisheries, in the course of which I have visited, some of them many times, practically every fishing camp and packing plant in the United States proper, Alaska and HaAvaii, also various plants in Canada and Mexico — greatly aided the work. Most of tlie processes described have been developed in the canneries, where they have stood the test of many years' actiml work. The book is written for the cannery operator, and not for chemists or bacteriologists, and as a result has been made as non-technical as possible so as to be easily understood by those for whom it is Avritten, but fcAV of whom are versed in the sciences of chemistry and bacteriology. I am indebted to so many sources, both official and private, for information used in this work, that it is impossible to name them all, but the following were especially help- ful : Dr. Hugh M. Smith, U. S. Commissioner of Fisheries ; Dr. E. D. Clark, A. W. Han- sen and H. D. Davi. of the U. S. Bureau of Chemistry; Frank L. Gorrell, Secretary of the National Canners' Association; Capt. E. E. Hahn. of the l^ S. Bureau of Fisheries: John G. Ruge, of Apalachicola. Florida; N. B. Scofield and his assistants of tlie Cali- fornia Fish and Game Commission ; and the various Superintendents of the Ahiska Packers Association. I am especially indebted to my wife and daughter for the practical testing and work- ing out of certain processes given in the work, more especially those relating to second- ary products, and also for much valuable assistance in other lines. Many of the illustrations are from the exceedingly valuable collection of the Pacific Fisherman of Seattle, Wash., while others were made from photographs taken by the author. The U. S. Bureau of Fisheries kindly permitted the reprodm-tion of drawings of certain fishes from its large and valuable collection. JOHN N. COBB. University of Washington, Seattle March 1, 1919. INTRODUCTION THE canning- of food products in the United States is noAV one of tlie great industries of the country and many of tlie producto so prepared are shipped to all parts of the known world. But ' few of the present day cauners appreciate the tremendous handicaps wliich the early operators labored under. At that time the science of bacteri- ology, now of such great importance in the industry, was practically unkiiowu, while the mechanical appliances for the making of cans and the packing and processing of same, now so universally used, were practically unknown, and wei'e developed only after long and costly experimenting. For many years the consumption of these products was seriously hampered by a strong prejudice on the part of many people against canned foods. This was due partly to the veil of secrecy which was, up to within a few years ago, usitally thrown around the operations of canneries. Most packers were groping largely in the dai-k and feared that their competitors might discover and appropriate their discoveries, or that the public might learn of their failures, hence high board fences, locked doors, and "Positively No Admission" signs were common around and on canneries, and naturally the public jumped to the conclusion that they were engaged in some nefarious i)ractices which necessitated such precautions. As time went on, and the why and wherefore of many problems which had hitherto barred the way to success became clearer, canners began to see things with a more enlightened vision, and, feeling the need of a freer interchange of views on matters connected with the industry, and especiall.y to combat and overcome the prejudice then existing to a considerable extent on tlie part of the great consuming public, began organizing associations covering certain branches of the industry, or certain limited terri- tory, and these efforts finally culminated a few years ago in the formation of a nation- wide organization known as the National Canners Association, which has been a wonder- ful power for good since its inception. At the meetings of these organizations a free interchange of views and experiences became common, and as the packer found that his competitor was a being like himself, and had been beset with much the same problems, the old exelusiveness gradually wore away, and welcome signs began to supersede the old padlocks and "No Admission" signs so common before. The consuming public was also invited into the plants so tliat it might see for itself the efforts which were be- ing put forth to pack only clean, wholesome goods. This publicity also sounded the death-knell of the unsanitary and rascally plants which had thrived under the old con- ditions. The earliest expei-imenters in the art of canning worked quite largely with fishery products, and the history of the rise of this great industry shows these products as in the foreground for a considerable part of the time. During the last twenty years the canning of fruit ai.d vegetables has, however, overshadowed the canning of fishery products. Several excellent works have been published on the art of canning the former, but, strange to relate, no work devoted exclusively to the practical canning of fishery products, a work whicli would shoAv the canner how to actually jiack his product, has ever been published. The almost world-wide war. which raged from 1914 to late in 1918, created a tre- mendous demand for all sorts of fishery and other food products to make up the shortage caused by the laying waste of great sections b.v the warring armies, and the withdrawal vi INTRODUCTION from productive operations of mauy who had hitherto labored in the fisheries, etc. While the demand for fishery products will not be so insistent now that peace lias come, yet a large part of it will persist, as the consuming public has become thoroughly familiar with the wholesomeness and cheapness of these as compared with meat products. In addition to describing the methods followed in canning the fishery products now before the public, an eifort has been made to describe certain species Avhich are suitable for canning, but which have hitherto been neglected for various causes, and to show the processes which would be most likely to succeed in their handling and packing. The available supplies of these species, when and where they are to be obtained, and the best methods for catching them, are also described. In this the author has not confined himself to the United States, but has included, so far as possible, species which are found also in Canada, Mexico and Central America. The practice of the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries in including under the head of fishery products all animal and plant life taken from the water b\' means of apparatus operated from a boat, has been followed in this work. HISTORICAL CANNING, as here exemplified, is the art of preserving a food product in lu-rnieti- cally sealed container, the preservation being accomplished through sterilization by means of heat. The object is to retain the food in as nearly a fresh condition, or in the condition in which it is usually consumed, as possible. In this way it is pos- sible to have wholesome vegetable, meat and fish products at all times, and in places far distant from the source of supply, or where otlierwise the cost or the labor of prepara- tion would be pi'ohibitive. The art of preserving food by pickling, drying and smoking, is as old almost as the earliest pages of recorded history, but it is only a little over a hundred years ago that the art of canning had its beginning. The credit for the discovery of this method is almost universally assigned to Nicholas Appert. a Frenchman. Near the end of the eigliteenth century the French government offered a bounty of 12,000 francs for an improved method of preserving foods, the object being to secure better quality and to reduce the loss in wastage and spoilage in foods used in military and naval stores. Appert worked fi'om 179.5 until 1804 ))efore he attained any considerable measure of success, which consisted in heating the product and then hermetically sealing the container. Encouraged by this lie continued his efforts, using many different sidjstances. and succeeded so admiral)ly that in 1810 he published the results and ■was rewarded with the prize: The method of Appert was essentially as follows : The products, which in some cases were partly cooked, were packed almost to the top in glass bottles, sufficient water added to cover, the bottles corked loosely and placed to their necks in tepid water, the heat being raised gradually to a temperature between 190 to 200° F. (88 to 94° C.) in the center of his bottles, the maximum Iteing 212- F. The length of the cook- ing depended upon the character of the food, and varied generally from 30 to GO minutes. The bottles were then corked securely and allowed to cool slowly in the bath. In 1807 a Mr. Soddington presented a description of a method of preserving to the English Society of Arts. "A method of preserving fruits without sugar, for house or sea stores,"* the essential features of which were that the fruits be placed in glass liottles, loosely corked, put in a water bath at 165° F. for one hour, then boiling water added to cover the fruit, the corks driven in, and the bottles laid on tlieir sides so that the hot liquid might swell the corks. He did not claim to be the originator of the method, and it is believed that the general principles were obtained by him while traveling in Fi-anee. Appert tliought tliat tlie exclusion of outside air after applying sufficient heat to the food was tile reason it kept when treated according to his method, and for some years those who followed him also fell into the same error. It was not until the advent of the new science of bacteriology that the true explanation was found. It is now known that all foods, water, air and the containers, are bearers of bacteria and other micro-organisms ; that the effect of the heat is to destroy them, and that tlie hermetic container merely excludes those from without. Tliis science has also shown that all organisms are not killed at the same temperature; that some spores possess great resistance, and that some products bear types of orgajiisms which are more resistant than others. The spores of some bacteria are able to sustain life after continuous boiling for from 6 to 10 hours, })ut •Ilassell : I'\iod and Its -Adulterations. London. 1S4.'), p. 43L'. vii viii HISTORICAL all spores as yet examined are destroyed at a temperature of 250' F. it" this temperature be applied to them for 20 minutes. This heat must come directly upon the spores, and to this fact is due the difference in tiiue and temperature required to process different foods. Appert's discoveries were soon applied commercially on a small scale in Europe, but it was not until the substitution of tin cans in place of glass bottles was successfully accomplished that the general process of canning was extensively applied. These seem to have been first used in 1820, and in 1823 a patent for them was issued to Pierre Antoine Angilbert. Preserved fish liad l.iecn placed in tin cans for many years ijrevious, but not in the maimer known at jjresent as canning. Angilbert 's method was very similar to the process in vogue up to the introduction of the sanitary can. A definite amount of the article to be preserved, with some liquid, is placed in a tin can, over which the cover, containing a minute hole, is soldered, and the can and contents are placed in a bath of boiling water. Through the small hole the air and steam escape from the can in boiling, and the heat also kills the bacteria. The hole is closed Avitli a drop of solder, and the process of cooking is completed. Ezra Daggett and Thomas Kensett are credited with having introduced the art of canning into this couutr.y. In 1819 they packed some salmon, lobsters and oysters in New Yoi'k. The next year William Underwood and Charles Mitchell packed fruit in Bos- ton. These pioneers had learned the methods before emigrating to this country. Edward Wright packed oysters at Baltimore between 1838 and 1840. The late Thomas Kensett, who is supposed to have started the industry there, is said not to have begun canning o.ASters lentil about 1844. In 1841, Charles Mitchell is said to have opened a cannery at Halifax, Nova Scotia. It is particularly notewoi'thy that nearly all of the pioneer fac- tories started on fishery products as the primary pack, and fi'uits and vegetables as inci- dental. In 1839 Upham S. Treat, of Eastport, i\Iaine, engaged in ]iacking salmon at St. Johns, N. B., and he claimed that he sold the first canned salmon that was ever sold in this countiy. In 1841 he removed to Eastport, Maine, Avhere the firm of Treat, Noble & Com- pany was formed, composed of Treat, Isaac Noble and Tristram Halliday, and engaged in packing lobsters and salmon. In 1843 the firm secured the services of Charles Mitchell, who had established the cannery at Halifax in 1841 ; the same year Treat Avithdrew from the firm and the business was carried on by Nol;)le and Mitchell, Halliday apparently having dropped out at some luiknown period. In 1843 the Eastport plant made the first pack of canned mackerel ever prepared. About 1845 Noble & i\Iitchell sold out to William Underwood & Company. In 1843 the firm of W. K. Lewis & Brothers put up some goods in Boston, and in 1845 started a factory in Portland, Maine, on Custom House Wharf, preserving mostly fish and meats. In 1849 Henry Evans, who had been a pupil of U. S. Treat at Eastport, had a pack- ing shop on Custom House Wharf, Portland, but lie continued in business here only about a year. The same year Aaron Ring opened a cannery in Portland, packing lobsters, meats, 'etc., on Burnham's Whaif, and was packing as late as 1854. In 1852 the firm of Rumery & Buriiham, composed of Samiii-l Rumery — who had learned the trade at Eastport with Treat, Noble & Co.. and had been connected with various packing companies subsequently — and George Burnham. Jr. — who had learned the trade with Lewis & Co. — established a cannery at Portland. Their principal business was at first the packing of fish, clams, lobsters, meats and poultry. In 1867 the firm was HISTORICAL ix dissolved and was succeeded by tlie firm of Bnrnliam & Morrill, which continued until the early 90 's, wlien the business was incorporated as Burnham & Morrill Co. The first salmon was canned at Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1824. Later on a lew were canned in Maine and New Brunswick, but the industry did not become of consequence until canning was begun on the Sacramento River by Messrs. Hapgood, Hume & Co. in 1864. Finding the run of fish here somewhat disappointing the company, in the spring of 1866, sent William Hume to prospect the Columbia River, and shortly after he start- ed a cannery at Eagle Cliff, Wash., about 40 miles above Astoria. Tlie first salmon cannery in British Columbia was establislied by Ewen & Wise at New Westminster, on the Eraser River, in 1867, Avhile Jackson, Myers & Co. erected the first salmon cannery on Paget Sound, W^ash., at Mukilteo in 1877. Alaska is now the greatest producer of canned salmon, but it was not until 1878 that tlie first cannery was established by the North Pacific Trading & Packing Co., at Klawak, on Prince of Wales Island. , Today salmon canning is the most important fish canning industry of the Pacific coast or of the country. The sardine industry was established at Nantes, France, about 1834. Efforts were early made in this country to find a substitute for the popular French sardines. In 1871 a plant was located near Port Monmouth, N. J., by the American Sardine Co., and the immature menhaden were packed as sardines. In 1875 the canning of young herring as sardines began in Maine, and rapidly supplanted that of the menhaden. Early in this century the industry was established on the Pacific Coast, where it now is of much importance. The first clam cannery in this country was established at Pine Point, Maine, near Portland, hy Burnham & Morrill, about 1870. The first shrimps were canned by S. W. Dunbar & Sons at New Orleans, La., in 1875. The first crabs were canned by James McMenamin, at Norfolk, Va., about 1878. Tuna were first canned in Southern California in 1907, by A. P. Half hill. LOCATION AND EQUIPMENT OF PLANT T LOCATION OF PLANT HIS is one of tin- most imijortaiit matters to be considered by anyone contemijlat- ing going into the canning business. The first, and most essential point, is to secure a location on tlie sliore in as close proximity to the fishing grounds as is possible, regard being had also to its proximity to sliipping facilities either by rail or water. If on tidal \vater care should be exercised to see that there is water enough to permit of vessels lying alongside tlie dock during some or all stages of the tides. A big saving in money and time will result if vessels can lie alongside the dock and load or luiload at all liours of tlie day or night. The plant should be, if possible, located over the water. This will prevent the possi- bility of the space under the buildings becoming contaminated with refuse and waste thus forming a breeding place for various bacteria which might do incalculable injury to the pack. If this is not possible, the plant should be on high ground, having good natural drainage. In this event, in order to prevent water and waste lodging under the fac- tory, the cannery and fish house at least should be provided with water-tight floors, sloped to gutters, emptying into drains which convey it away from the building. WATER SUPPLY The next important point is an adequate supplj^ of pure, cold water. This should be introduced into the cannery through large mains, tapped at places convenient to the work. It is false economy to economize in the use of Avater, and the mains should be large enough and the pressure great enough to permit the water to be drawn simultan- eously at several different points without materially lessening the flow at any one. A generous water supply will also be invaluable in case of fire. It is well to have several elevated water tanks in which a reserve supply may be stored, so that in case anything happens to cut off, temporarily, the regular supply line, it will not be necessary to shut down the plant, which may entail a heavy money loss should it occur in the height of the packing season. Many canneries located on the shores of streams and bays have a short line to the deeper water, and by connecting this up with the pump are enabled in case of breakdown of the regular water line, or a scarcity of water, to secure ample water to use in wash- ing down and for otlier rough work in the eannei'v and fish house. LABOR The one advantage of locating in the neighborhood of a town or city is that all the resident labor necessary to conduct the more important and responsible operations of the cannery will be available, while sufficient floating labor can be obtained for the rougher work and during times of extraordinary rush. In fish canning labor saving devices have been brought to a high state of efficiency, so that it is not necessary to liave more than a few skilled workers on hand. The bulk of the help is unskilled, but it should be such as tlie canner can depend upon. Nearly all canneries have to import help during the rush season, but for this very reason it is difficult to secure good help when wanted. 1 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS The fishing- business is one of gluts and famines, the fish being eitlier abundant or almost, or entirely, wanting at times, and should the labor not be available to handle it in times of glut the raw material spoiled may in a few days eat up the profits of the entire pack. If an attempt is made to "work up" the surplus it will be necessary to do night work, and while this can always be counted ou as a certainty during the busy season, it becomes a source of much trouble to the management if it is too frequent. In times of glut the work is strenuous and the help, after putting in a full day, are not eager to work in the evening. Extra wages for "overtime'' several evenings in the week are sufficient to induce most of them to work, but if more is attempted they are apt either to slight the work of the next day or remain away altogether. SANITATION The rough-boarded, unpainted cluster of buildings which once masqueraded as a canning plant is but rarely ever seen in these modern days. The modern cannery is built either of corrugated iron or wood, with iron or shingle roof. On account of the fire hazard the former type is rapidly predomiiuiting. Designed with an eye to beauty, as well as convenience in operating, most owners take a pride in beautifying the surround- ings, and in the case of fish canneries, which are usually located on the shores of rivers or bays, this is not difficult. In the modern plant the ceilings of all rooms should be high, with ample provision for light and ventilation. Owing to the steam from the exhaust boxes there shoiild be ample ventilators in the roof for getting rid of this as speedily as possible. Light has a beneficial et¥eet upon employees, contributes to cleanliness, and is an active, constant disinfectant. An abundance of light and air is a combination Avhich will contribute to the maximum of labor efficiency. The best floor for the cannery proper is of Portland cement. When properly fin- ished as to surface it is practically impervious and may be easily cleaned with a hose. It will l)e hard enough to enable the setting of ordinary machines directly upon it, and it will indefinitely resist wear due to walking upon it. Much water is used in fish- canning plants, and as a result careful attention should be given to the grading of the surface of the finished floor. The grade should be not less than one-eighth of an inch to the foot, and the length in any direction should not be more tlian 16 feet. Where it is necessary that some water should run over the floor where persons are working, a good plan is to form lialf-round grooves, one inch wide, -i inches center to center, in the surface of the floor, and these will carry off the greater part of the water, thus giving a reasonably dry working surface. If the floor is of wood it should be watertight, sloped to gutters emptying into drains, for cai-rying off the water and waste. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to keep tliem water-tight, especially in canneries Avhich are idle part of the year, as the wood shrinks, swells and cracks with changes of moisture, the cracks are hard to clean, while leakage is almost certain to occur. Upper floors shcnild not be chosen for food pre- paration if plenty of ground space is available, for the reason it is difficult to keep them tight. Slat gratings are frequently used to cover the floor in places where there is a splash- ing or overflow of water. These may be made in sections about 2 by 4 feet, and can be taken up for cleaning. There is no excuse for floors being so wet or sloppy that the workers must wear rubbers, which is sometimes the case. No crew Avhich has to slop around in water Avhile working is ever contented. CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS All side-walls, partitions, ceilings and supports should Ije smooth, to admit of easy cleaning. Preferably they should he light-colored and, so far as possible, of such material as can be washed with a hose, as this is the easiest method of cleaning or of applying whitewash. That part of the factory in which prepared material is in any way exposed should be screened to keep out flies and dust. The tables used in the various stages of canning should be plain and of a material that is easily cleaned. Hardwood is the best material for tin- majority of plants, as they will absorb little water or slime, and clean easily with soap, water and scrubbing brush. The machinery used should be of the most sanitary type and set in such a manner as to be accessible from all sides for cleaning. Water and steam pipes, with hose attachment, should be conveniently placed about tlie plant for cleaning tables, machines, floors, walls and ceilings. In the modern cannery especial provision is made for the cleanliness and comfort of the employees. Sinks, with running water, should b& placed at convenient spots that the workers ma.v wash their hands often, and sanitary drinking fountains installed to take the place of the common cup. Proper toilet and clothes rooms (where employees may change from street to working clothes and vice versa) should be provided, and the latter .should have lockers in which the clothes can be stored, as wearing apparel should not be hung about the plant. Some plants provide special suits for its employees, and manicurists to keej) their hands in order. Stools should be provided such emplo.yees as do work which can be performed as well sitting down as standing up. Wooden spring- boards should be provided those emplo.yees who have to stand in one place upon a cement floor. The various states now fix the general conditions under which labor may be performed, as age limit, number of working hours in the day or week, and physical con- dition. No person affected with a skin disease should be employed in a food factoiw. The following requirements adopted b.v the National Canners Association for the operation of sardine canneries, will give an idea of the stress now laid upon sanitary con- ditions in such plants and might be profitably emplo.ved by other canning plants : PRELIMINARY REQUIREMENTS FOR OPENING OF SARDINE CANNING SEASON 1. The walls should be thoroughly cleaned aTd painted or whitewashed. 2. The floors should be thoroughly scraped and scrubbed until clean. They should be made tight to prevent accumulation of dirt in cracks and to make it possible to keep them clean. Packing tables, machinery and all utensils should be thoroughly washed or cleaned. 3. Separate toilets should be provided for each sex. The floors should be tight so that they can be readily cleaned. Unless provided with a flushing system they should be separate from the cannery. They should be screened, well lighted and ventilated. Sanitary toilet paper should be provided. 4. Adequate lavatories adjacent to the toilets should be provided, with soap and clean towels. 5. Suitable provisions should be made for the removal of refuse daily and to secure proper drainage in connection with the cannery. REQUIREMENTS DURING CANNING SEASON 1. Canners should see that the requirements contained in the circular letter of April Sth, ad- dressed to the fishermen and boatmen, are lived up to, covering the quality of the fish. 2. Canners should see that the fish boats bringing the fish to the canneries are kept clean and sanitary and provided with tight tanks. 3. When fish are brought from a considerable distance, the last fish out of the boat, being In poorer condition, should be packed first, assuming of course that they are suitable for packing. 4. The pickling brine should be changed daily or after each operation. 5. The flakes should be clean. A pair of revolving brushes and cleansing powder, consisting of a mixture of carbonate of soda with a little caustic soda, are suggested for this purpose. 6. The racks should be scrubbed often enough to be kept clean. 7. Steam boxes and dryers should be kept clean. 8. Flaking machinery and other machinery sliould be cleaned daily or after each operation. CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 9. Tables should be washed clean dally or after each operation. In case of wooden tables, the tops should be free from cracks and preferably of hard wood. 10. The pans should be kept clean. They should not be stacked on top of each other in such a way that the bottom of the pan can come in contact with the fish in the cans below. 11. Fry baskets should be kept as clean as possible. 12. "Mush" pans should be emptied and cleaned daily or after each operation. 13. The water in bath tanks should be changed daily or after each operation. 14. The floors should be cleaned dally or after each operation. 15. The toilets should be provided with sanitary toilet paper and should be kept clean. 16. The lavatories should be kept clean and provided with soap, clean towels and running water. They should be separate from, but near, the toilets. 17. The hands and nails of employees handling fish should be kept clean. Employees should wash their hands before beginning work and after leaving the toilet. IS. The employees should wear washable clothing or aprons and change them frequently. Women should wear caps over their hair. 19. Spitting on the walls or floors of canneries should be prohibited. Cuspidors should be provided, if necessary, and should be kept clean. The use of tobacco by employees should be dis- couraged In the canneries. 20. The cans in which the fish are packed should be clean and should be stored in such a man- ner as to avoid contamination. The filled cans should be cleaned before packing for shipment. EQUIPMENT OF A CANNING PLANT Tile proper et(uipnK'iit of the plant is a most iiuportant consideration. A poor equipment, or one that is out of date, not only increases the cost of packing, but also is a hindrance in the production of best quality. As the raw material for fish canneries would come over the fish dock it is essential for economical operation that it be so liaiidled that there will be no costly back steps. When the fish reach the cannery dock they should be raised from the boat to the dock in an elevator, or in baskets or boxes. In handling large species the pewing of the fish, which causes unsightly holes in which the blood congeals, should be prevented by employing unloading scows. In these the fish are allowed to slide from the scow through a gate in the side into the hopper of an elevator, which carries them up to the fish dock. A few cannerymen run the elevator to a point some distance above the floor of the dock, and by construcfing in the fish house a false floor so arranged that the sides all slope toward the center and the fish cleaning machines, the whole being raised sufficiently that the fisli will naturally slide to and down this chute onto a table where they may be dressed, or fed to a machine to be used for this purpose, or to an endless belt that will carry them to dressing tables or washing tanks, save much pewing and handling on the fish-house floor. Should the fish become dry on the outside and stick during this operation it is oidy necessary to turn a hose on them for a few minutes when the moist slime will cause them to slide freely. The improvement of conveying machinery in recent years has been marvelous, and the canner will find it economical to introduce .such wherever possible, as the saving in labor alone will be considerable, while it will also cut down to a minimum the direct handling of the raw product by the workers, a thing much to be desired. With a proper arrangement of the plant the material ought to move steadily for- ward, in as straight a line as possible, from the point where it is first received until it comes from the retort ready to be trucked into the warehouse. The various products which are to be canned generally require machinery specially constructed to do the work, and when it is known jusl what kind of goods are to be prepared, it is a matter of judgment to determine what machines are best for the pur- pose. There are machinery manufacturers who have special lines for the canning of all regular products, and any of these would gladly submit detailed estimates of what is CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS needed, including also, if desired, the pulleys, belting, piping, etc. Should the product be a special one, machinery may have to be built according to the packer's idea for this particular Avork. In buying machinery the canner sliould make absolutely sure that it will be ample to take care of all the raw material received as rapidly as possible. It is not wise, nor economical, to run full with no reserve machines to take up the work in case of break- downs. BOILER CAPACITY A good boiler of ample size should be installed as a plentiful supply of dry steam is a very necessary requirement. Aside from the initial cost, it is much cheaper to instal a boiler of nearly, or quite, double the capacity that you anticipate using. A small boiler, taxed beyond its capacity, is more likely to break down at critical moments, while it wiir consume more fuel in propoi'tion, and much of the time will deliver wet steam. A plan followed by many plants is to have a battery of two boilers, each of suiificient size to run the factory to its full capacity. The extra cost of two is more than offset by the fact that the disabling of one will not cause a shut-down of the plant, which, if occur- ring in the height of the run, would prove financially disastrous. They should, of course, be run as a battery, not singly, thereby obtaining virtually the same advantage as from one large boiler. When possible the steam plant should be in a separate building, as this Mould materially reduce the fire hazard. CONTAINERS The tin can is preeminently the containei' >ised in commercial canning, and has l)een so almost from the inception of the industry. The tin can has undergone a number of changes. The first cans had flush sides and fuds, or plumb joints; these gave way to the stamped-overlapped ends, and all inside soldei" has been superseded by lock seams and outside soldering. Most solder caps are hemmed, so that only the amount necessary to seal is \ised. The solder can lias been siiperseded in most fish canneries by the open-top, or so-called sanitary can. and in this ease the sealing is done by double seaming on the top, no solder being used on the can except in making the side seam. The former objec- tions to acid and solder, on the ground that they contaminated tlie foodstuffs, have thus been largely overcome. Tin cans are classed as open-top and hole-and-cap. Cans are known as key-opening if some part of the can has been sufficient!}' cut to permit opening 1)y strip]iing a part out of the side or top by means of a key ; these are generally packed with sardines. With certain products, such as lobsters, shrimps, crabs, etc., it is necessary to keep the product from coming in direct contact with the tin, and this is accomplished by either lining the inside of the can with wood, parchment paper or cloth, or by coating or lacquering the inside. The latter type of can is known as the "enamel-lined" can. Vari- ous coatings have been tried at different times without entire success, and while the present lining is not perfect, it does effect a marked improvement in many lines of pack- ing. This enameling is accomplished in two ways — by baking the lacquer on the sheet and by spraying it on the inside of the finished can. In the salmon industry many of the companies, and especially those operating in the more remote sections of Alaska, manufacture their own cans. This is due largely to the fact that less freight space is occupied by the tin plate in sheets than by the manufac- tured cans. The companies also have to take up large crews to pack the fish, and these CANNING OP FISHERY PRODUCTS can be employed iu making the cans during the interval between arrival at the plant and the appearance of the fish. However, the question of freight space saved is over- come by a recent improvement in can-making, by which the can bodies are made, then flattened out, and upon arrival at the cannery are run through a machine which sliapes them once more so that the ends can be put on. A number of can-making factories are now located witliin reasonable shipping dis- tance of many of the canneries and furnish tlie packer with his cans, these usually be- ing shipped in regular shipping boxes. Tops are made separately and most of the cainieries which make their own cans usually purchase the tops from the regular can factories. There are a great variety of shapes and sizes of cans, and one can get a product in almost any weight from Vgth ounce to about one gallon. This anomalous condition has developed in three ways. First, the cans were made to utilize a standard sheet of metal with the minimum of waste by the method of can-making in vogue at the time. This resulted in cans of arbitrary volume, bearing no definite relation to standards of volume, like tlie pint, quart or gallon, and these arbitrary sizes have persisted because of becom- ing a fixture in trade, and the expense iu changing machinery, cans, shipping eases, etc. Second, was the introduction of sizes to fit a given weight of a certain product : this is particularly true of meat products. The shapes have also been changed to enable per- fect packing of a certain product. Thirdly, is the attempt to make cans that will hold a quantity of a given article to retail at a popular price. like 10 cents. This applies par- ticularly to soups, etc. Canners of fishery products have been as great olfenders along these lines as any of the others, particularly those packing oysters and clams. In 1913, in an efl:ort to standardize can sizes, the National Canners Association agreed upon the following sizes, and these are in use for many products : Diam. Height. Diam. Height. Hole and Cap Cans — Ins. Ins. Sanitar.v Cans — Ins. Ins. No. 1 size 2\i i No. 1 size 2ti 4 No. 2 3% 4^ No. 2 3-^ 4ft No. 2'^. 4 4% No. 2V. 4^ 4% No. 3, 4% inclies 4^ 4Vs No. 3, 4% inches 414 4% No. 3. 5 inches 4% 5 No. 3, 5 inches 4% 5 No. 3. 51-. inches 4% 5^! No. 3, .'ji;. inches :.. 4% 5% No. 10 6% 6% No. 10 6ft 7 Glass jars are coming into use for certain fishery products, and all that prevents their more general use is that they bi'eak easily, cannot be handled by automatic machin- ery, will not stand hard processing without special precautions, and cost more in freight rates. Against these objections may be set forth the fact that tliey make a much cleaner and neater package, and also display certain products to much greater advantage than any other type of container. Of recent years great improvements have been made in glass jars and the methods of sealing, which may cause a wide expansion of their sphere of usefulness in canning. STOREHOrSE FOR EMPTY CANS The empty cans should be stored in a building protected from dampness and steam, and preferably on the second floor, as they Avill then be at sucli an elevation above the filling machines and packing tables that they can be delivered in properly constructed chutes, by gravity, to points where they are to be filled. When storing cans in bulk in bins, la.v on side in even and regular tiers, keeping cap end to cap end, or start with the fir.st tier cap end out. the balance with bottom out. "When stored in shipping ease, place the bottom layer cap end up. and the top layer cap end down. METHODS AND PROCESSES THE steps in canning will vary with the product, but, in general, there are certain features which are common to all, and may be descriljed in this outline, as receiv- ing- the product, washing and dressing, preparing for the can. tilling, exhausting, capping, processing and cooling. The more intimate details will be found in full luider the various products enumerated. RAW MATERIAL It is essential that the raw product be delivered fresh and in first-class condition at tlie plant. When possible it should be packed in ice, and in compartments or boxes to avoid bruising and excessive pressure. The nearer the cannery is to the point of pro- duction the better will be the finished product. Fishery products si^oil easily and ([uickly if not properly handled, so great care should be exercised at all stages. It should never be forgotten that if the raw material is not fresh and wholesome, canning will not improve it in the slightest ; it can only suspend the deterioration of the product while the latter is in the hermetically sealed package. GRADING At most plants the products are graded according to size, species, and sometimes as to color of flesh. This should be done in the iish house by men who are trained to this work. A mixing of the different grades in the same case ma.v cause rejection of a large shipment by the buyer's agent, this sometimes entailing a heavy money loss, and fre- quently creating a pre,iudice in the bu.yer'smind against all of the seller's products. WASHING AND DRESSING This operation is one of the most important in the factory. Fish are ustuilly given a washing with the hose before being dressed. This is especially true with salmon, which are protected by a heavy coat of slime. Salmon are split, the entrails removed, and the lui-ad. tail and fins cut otif in a machine known as the "Iron C'liink." An improved type of this machine, and another special machine, is used to "slinu'" the fish and more thoroughly clean out the abdominal cavity. Many fishery products are. however, dressed and cleaned by hand. Great care must be exercised to make sure of all blood being re- moved from around the backbone, and to insure this and for general cleaning each opera- tor has an individual faucet pla.ving constantly upon his dressing board or bin. Many of them have a short piece of hose attached with which to give the fish an even more thorough cleaning. They are then washed in tanks filled with either cold fresh or salt water, or brine, varying with the different products to be handled. The larger dressed fish are then cut into can lengths hy hand or machine, while the smaller fish are usually handled without cutting. In filling the product into the can the cut pieces are put in by either hand or machine, while the small ones, such as sardines, are u.sually put in by hand. In most canneries the cans come down from the second floor in a chute and just before reach- ing the filling machine the quantity of salt needed for taste is put in by an automatic device. The methods of filling are described in detail under the different products. Filling machines have been vastly improved of recent years, and most of the work is now done with nicety and precision. All filling machines operate upon the principle of deliv- CANNING OF P^ISHERV I'KODI ( TS ering a certain volmnc ratlier than a given weight, and for tlie fishery products liaiidled in this way tliis method is very satisfactory In all cases, wliether the can be tilled by weight or volume, the amount of material u .cd should be all that can be put in the can in first-class condition. Some packers insist, and justly, that the best results are obtained by hand packing, but in regions where labor is scarce the filling machine is a necessity. In filling the cans head space equivalent to one-eighth to one-fourth of an iu'ih should be left. The amount of head space needed depends in a measure upon the nature of the product, but without some space the production of a small amount of gas will de- stroy the vacuum. In the hole-and-cap cans this space is available, because the sealing can- not be done without .some room, and as a result springers are rare. The tendency is to ovei'-flU the open-top cans. The later types of sanitary capping machines are provided with plungers to squeeze down solidly the contents of the cans, but care must be used in packing a solid product like fish not to overfill. EXHAUSTING After the cans are filled they should be exhausted, that is, heated until the con- tents are hot and as much as possible of the air driven out. This process is not consid- ered necessary for articles that are subjected to previous cooking, or for those that are filled hot, or which receive a hot brine or other dressing, although it is advantageous even under these conditions and is quite generally done. Despite the belief of mp.ny canuers, exhausting has little to do with sterilization, liut it does aid in relieving the intense strain upon the cans in the final process ; also if the air be not driven out there is not the proper collapse of the can, and it may be difficult to tell when spoilage occurs. Another important reason is that it lessens the attack of the contents upon the container. The exhausting of cans previously capped may be accomplished by piling the mi'tal coolers, or trays, containing the cans on a truck and placing it in a steam box. where they are subjected to the action of steam at a very low pressure for a specified time, or by placing them one tier deep in a shallow crate and submerging in a tank of boiling water, or running them through a tank of boiling water on an endless belt, removing after the directed time has elapsed and tipping as quickly as possible thereafter. In this connection it must be noted that from the time the cans are exhausted by any method they must be kept in speedy and constant motion until in the process retort. This is the danger period when germ.s — bacteria Avliich are not destroyed by the fin:'.! process — are developed in the goods or absorbed from the air. To overcome this danger most fish packers now use a long, tight box Avith open ends, into which live steam is vigorously injected, and through which the cans travel back and forth on endless belts a number of times before finally being ejected at the opposite end. A long exhaust is given as fish conducts heat quite slowly and there is usually but little free liquid in the cans. Some salmon caiuiers exhaust as long as 20 miiuites. but 15 minutes is the aver- age time. Exhaust boxes employing revolving spirals, designed mainly to conserve space, and various other types, have been invented and used more or less. The tempera- ture required to properly exhaust is usually from 210 to 212" Fahrenheit. Fishery products are usually capped loosely before exhausting, as it was found when the cans passed through the exhaust box with the tops open that the steam con- densed upon the fish, making the product unattractive, while the exhaust box was littered with pieces of fish lost from the cans during their passage. In recent years mechanical methods of vacnumizing have been coming to the fore. One machine which has been tried in salmon and tuna canneries has given excellent resiilts. At present the vacuum on this machine is made suddenly and is acting for CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS only about two seconds. This is possible on certain fishes because being without a free liquid tliere is nothing to obstruct the passage of the air from the can to the chamber. Where brine, water or oil is concerned the machine is apt to cause some of the liquid to be expelled. It is probable that the machine will ultimately be so improved that products with much free liquid can be exhausted properly in it. Ordinary cans have a partial vacuum of from 6 to 8 inches, those well exhausted 10 to 13 inches, and those very well exhausted up to 22 inches. TOPPING Open-top cans, which are the kind in geieral use by fish canners, are sealed by a special machine known as a double seamer. The lid is pressed into place and steel rollers crimp it on without acid or solder. This action is automatic, a single can at a time, but at the rate of 30 to 120 per minute, depending upon the type of machine. Cans with solder tops are sealed by automatic machinery, 12 at a time, 85 per minute, or 5,000 per hour. The top is wiped, the cap placed on, acid applied, the hot soldering irons drop into place, and the vent is afterwards closed, all in one series of operations, without touching by hand. But few fish canneries now use solder-top cans. When they do the cans generally go from the capper to the hot water tank, where they are tested for leaks. Any imperfection in the can or defect in sealing will be shown by a series of air bubbles issuing from the opening, and the can is taken out for repairs. TIPPING Tipping is not much practised by fish canners nowadays, the sanitary can having quite generally eliminated the necessity for it. With a few products, however, the cans are tipped after they come from the soldering machine. In the case of certain fishery products packed in the old style way the cans are vented after coming from the steam exhaust box and tipped again immediately. TIPPING A TIN CAN When tipping cans have the flux jar and brush conveniently at hand, dip the lu'ush in the flux and strike the venthole a side stroke lightly with the In'usli saturated with flux. Place the point of the wire solder ovei' the venthole. Place upon this the point of the hot, bright, tipping copper. Press down with a i-otary motion and remove quickly. PROCESSING Processing is the sterilizing or cooking of the foods contained in hermetically sealed packages. This work may be performed in any vessel of suitable dimensions that can be provided with a constant and easily regulated supply of either boiling water or steam under pressure during tlie period necessary to cook or sterilize the product. For products which do not require a temperature exceeding 212° F., wooden or iron tanks, round, square or rectangular, with perforated coils or crosses in the bottom for the introduction of jets of live steam to boil the water, are in use and this is known as the "open-bath process." For substances requiring a tempei'ature of more than 212° F. (most fishery products do), and when it is desired to hasten the operation with those requiring less, iron tanks, or retorts, of various shapes, round, half round, square or rectangular, placed either horizontally or perpendicularly, and fitted with doors which can be clamped and made steam tight, are used, and this is known as the "closed process." Horizontal retorts. 10 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS wliic'li arc used quite generally for fisliei'y products, are worked with dry steam as a cooking medium. Upright retorts, which are employed for a few products, may be used witii dry steam or with water and steam, as preferred. In addition to the steam inlet, retorts should be provided with a top steam exhaust, bottom waste and safety valves ; also bath thermometers and steam gauge. The pressure in these retorts will vary from 5 to 15 pounds, thus giving temperatures from 220° F. (105- C.) to 255° F, (124° C). In the open-bath process the kettles shoidd lie fitted with a compartment for hold- ing a thermometer, and this compartment should lie titled with a pet cock at the top or bottom so as to insure a perfect circulation around the thermometer end. Unless this is done there is a possibility of the compartment being "dead" and so show a false register on the thermometer. The pet cock should be kept at a .slight crack, so that a thin emission of steam will always be apparent. It has been Avell established that the thermal death point of all spore-bearing bac- teria is 250 F. if this temperature be applied directly to them for 20 minutes. This means that when the entire contents of the sealed packages are heated to this degree the sterilization is complete and the goods will be preserved indefinitely. From the above it would seem that the processing is merely a question of getting the temperature noted above and holding it for the time stated in order to avoid any chances of future spoilage. Unfortunately this temperature is entirely too high to give all foods, in fact the higher the temperature in general the poorer the appearance of the finished goods. (The principal reason temperatures approaching 250° are used in processing fishes is for the purpose of softening the bones.) For this reason it becomes extremely desirable for every canner to know exactly whether the particular pack has been properly put up, and what is the lowest possible temperature and the shortest possible time that he may safely use in his process. There is absolutely no way to answer this problem except by experiment — every day's run ought to be tested; in fact, every coolerful should be tested, if possible, and the process determined by this method only. As long as spore- bearing bacteria are present and likely to contaminate canned foods in the water or in the factory, it will be impossible for any one to recommend a satisfactory and infallible processing time ami temperature that will not only be safe for a certain canned food, but commercially profitable as well. When processing in an open bath fill the kettle about half full of water, or suffi- cient to cover the cans, and bring to a boil, sluit oft' steam, lower the filled crate in kettle by any mechanical means, throwing tlu' 1)ails of loM'er crate on side ; turn on full head of steam and when the water boils, the thermometer marking 212°, make note of the time : cut the .steam down, leaving valve open just enough to keep up a lively l)oil ; when time directed has expired shut off' steam and remove crates from kettle. Should a higher temperature than 212° in an open bath be desired, or where the altitude is such that water boils at less than 212\ the result may be obtained by using a solution of chloride of calcium instead of water and heating with a closed coil instead of the usual perforated coil or cross. The rest of the process is the same as above after desired temperature has been attained. "When processing in a retort with steam provide an overflow pipe in connection with the bottom outlet of such a height that the steam inlet will be covered with 1 inch to 2 inches of water, thus supplying wet steam, which will not scorch or discolor the product as will dry steam under any considerable pressure. Close the bottom exhaust, run the cars in on the track, close the door.and fasten the clamp or clamps opposite the hinge, then back in order, securing the clamp next the liinge last; open the top exhaust CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 11 valve and turn on steam; when the steam issues freely, nearly, but never entirely, elose the top exhaust. This allows the escape of gases formed and creates a certain amount of eircidation of steam in the retort. It is claimed hy some packers that if the retort is closed absolutely tight a gas is formed Avhich envelops each can and, acting as a non- conductor of heat, prevents the full action of the steam on the contents. The bottom valve is then opened just sufficient to allow the condensed steam to escape. When the tiierniometer marks the temperature desired, take the time, then regulate the steam with valve so that this temperature is maintained. When the process time is ended shut ot¥ steam, open both upper and lower exhaust valves, and when gauge shows no pressure loosen clamps, reversing the action observed in closing, the clamps next the hinge being loosened first and those opposite last ; throw back door and run cars out. Some canner.i insert in the door a pop valve, sensitive to a half pound and set to blow oft' at a ((uarter pound more pressure than the process temperature demands. Wlien processing in a retort with water and steam, elose bottom outlet and fill retort half full of water; bring to a boil: shut off steam and place crates; then handle same as with steam, of course keeping liottom outlet closed. PROCESSING GLASS In processing glass jars either in water or direct steam, sudden variation increase or decrease of pressure or temperature must be avoided. They are best processed in water at 212° or in steam at a temperature not much in excess of this. The jars should be sterilized before filling. This may be done by placing in vessel of cool water on a stove to heat and kept hot in water until needed. If possible, fill with hot liquid instead of exhausting. After filling cans and closing same place in water of about same temperature as contents of package, and raise the temperature progressively, taking about 15 minutes to reach boiling; or 212° F. If the jars are to be processed at this temperature, then start counting the time from the moment the water starts boil- ing. JIaintain a slow boiling for the length of time required, then turn off steam and allow the water in kettles to cool to about 189° before removing jars. Should they lie taken out of the hot boiling water the glass is liable to crack should there be a cold draft in the room. When processing with steam great care should be taken to heat slowly, especially at the stai't. Glass jars may be processed in an ordinary steam exhaust box, or in an extra long continuous steam exhaust box run at the proper speed. The heating and cooling should both be done very slowly. The percentage of loss in sealing and processing should not exceed 2 per cent., and under best conditions should be reduced to one per cent. WARNING Under the different products given the processing times are stated. It should be thoroughly understood, however, that these periods are the actual cooking times, and should be computed from the moment the inside of the retort reaches the temperature prescribed until the steam is shut off. About 5 minutes is required to bring the tem- perature of the retort to the required point, and about 5 minutes more is required at the end of the cook to bring the gauge to a no-pressure basis. While the processing times can be considered approximately correct, the canner should not tnist to them alone — as the state of the weather and the condition of the rz CANNhNG OF FISHERY PRODUCTS product sometimes necessitates a change in the process — and should test the packed goods several times a day in order to check up results. Frequent tests should be made, especially of the temperature attained during the processing, for which purpose a self- registering sterilizing thermometer may bs used. Cut cans frequently, noting cook, weight, color and general appearance of the goods. Both thermometers and gauges should be frequently compared with standard in- struments known to be correct. Thermometers particularly should be tested before packing is begun each year. GAUGE PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE Aec'ording to Kent, under ordinary conditions at the sea level the air pressure is 14.7 pounds per square ineh, and steam is formed at a temperature of 212° F. ; jxauge pressure will give temperature as follows: Gauge Pressure. Degrees. Gauge Pressure. Degrees. Pounds per sq ineh. Temperature F. Pounds per sq ineh. Temperature F. .304 213.0 8.3 - 235.4 1.3 -216.3 9.3 ._ 237.8 2.3 219.4 10.3 240.0 3.3 222.4 11.3 242.2 4.3 225.2 12.3 244.3 5.3 227.9 13.3 246.3 6.3... 230.5 14.3 24S.3 7.3 233.0 15.3 250.2 Should yom- thermometers and gauges not agree with this table, have them tested. ALTITUDE STERILIZATION TABLE* Most fish eaiuierifs are located at sea level, in which event the question of altitude does not botlier. but if the factoi-y is located above sea level to such an extent as to cause trouble in the process room, first determine just bow high it is. then consult tlie following- table, and it will help to solve some of your ti'oid)les. Add time in third column to the process time : Altitude. Water Hoils at — Additional Time. J?eet. Degrees. Minutes. 512 - 211 2 1,025 ..- 210 4 1.539 209 6 2.063 --- 20S .---- 8 2.589 - - 207 10 3.115 . 206 12 3,642 . : - 205 14 4,169 - 204 16 4,697 203 18 5.225 .- 202 20 5^674 201 -.. 22 6,304 . -- 200 24 •Bashed on 2 9 incli harometer, with temperature at TOO p. at sea level. CANNING OF FISHERY PKODICTS 1:3 Al'TOMATIC CONTROLLERS It is obvious tliat the control of time and temperature in processing is exeeeding-ly important, so mucli so tliat most progressive canners have installed temperature con- trollers and timing devices, as well as recording thermometers, as part of the equi'p- ment, in order to guard against mistakes by the processor. These have been perfected to such a degree that in processing a retort the processor, or bathman, can turn on the steam, turn the key on the controllers, and know that the temperature will be main- tained, that the steam will be cut off at the right time, and that the air and water will be admitted to properly cool the cans. COOLING As soon as the processing is completed the cans should be cooled with water. Unless this is done the heat will be held so long that the contents become overcooked.- The cooling may be done by turning cold water into the retort, by removing the basket or erate of cans to a cooling tank, or by spraying with water in the air. There is less difference in the results obtained by ditt'erent methods of applying either heat or cold than some claim: the important point is to accomplish these steps quickly. WASHING THE CANS While apparently a simple matter, the washing of cans is really a very important part of the process. From the moment the sheet has been coated with tin it begins accumulating foreign substances with most discouraging regularity. It does not follow that, simply because the can appears bright, it is strictly clean, as may be demonstrated by er.amining the water after rinsing a hundred or more. A large perceytajie of the packers are now using can-washing devices, but they should all use them. In most fish canneries the cans are washed before being filled, and then the outside is wasted twice before the can reaches the retort, and once after coming out of the retort. The devices used in washing are many and the packer has a wide range to select from. Some are patented (li»vices while otliers are home-made affairs. STAMPING CANS E\er3 can should be stanijifd or an identifying mark placed on it as soon as topped, or earlier, in order to avoid mixing in the wareliouse. There are a number of little machines now on the market by which each can may be indelibly marked with any legend desired. The name of the goods, the quality and date, if desired (the code being secret, of course) may be placed on each can. When so marked the eanner is sure of what is in the can. and is thus able to guard against imposition through the rejec tion of other goods as his, and in any action by the pure food authorities is enabled to identify his goods. A typical instance which came under the writer's observation exemplifies the value of this marking. A salmon eanner had some 40,000 eases of salmon of about five grades, each piled ])y itself, in a warehouse, waiting for an opportunity to ship, when the pilirg underneath the floor gave way and all were precipitated into the water in one mass. As none of the cans had been marked the packer, after salvaging about two-thirds of them, had to sell most of them as of the lowest grade, thus losing the difference between the selling prices of the lowest and the higher grades, a very large sum in this instance. 14 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS INSPECTION At all stages the j^aeker should be on the lookout for unsound cans, or what are known to the trade as "swells." Before the cans are put on the market each one should be thoroughly examined and tested to detect any which have developed as "swells." The best time for doing this is after they have cooled on the cannery tloor and are still in the coolers or crates, and thus easily accessible. The tester, armed with a thin piece of iron about 6 inches long, or a 12-penny nail, should pass over the cans and tap each one with the nail. Sound cans should show a vacuum, as indicated by the concavity of the ends, and should emit a peculiar note when struck. On the other hand, unsound cans which have not yet swelled give a characteristic dull tone when struck. By the difference in the quality of the tones a skilled inspector can instantly distinguish between sound and unsound cans. Any cans not showing a vacuum should be rejected. After inspection the cans are generally put in stacks, and before shipping are again examined. SPOILAGE Tnsufficient processing, defective containers or the use of unfit material may cause spoilage. These losses are generally classed under the heads of swells, flat sours and leaks. Some few years ago losses were heavy at many factories, but owing to a better kno^^■ledge of what is necessary in material, handling and improved appliances, these have been growing less each year. Forraerly the processor used his own judgment exclusively, but now the up-to-date canner has accurate thermometers and gauges, auto- matic tempera ture-regidating devices, and time recorders, so that now the processor has merely to keep these multifariotis agencies in working order and they will do the work. More attention is also now paid to the bacteriological side of the business, with the result that the product is handled in such away that the bacteria are killed in processing. Spoilage due to insufficient processing is generally divided into two classes — swells and flat sours. In the former there is a generation of gas, causing the ends of the cans to become distended ; in the latter the contents of the can is sour, but there is noth- ing in the appearance of the can to enable the customer to determine the condition until the can is opened. Swells are generally due to under-processing good material, while flat sours most often result from giving the regular process to material which has been allowed to stand for some time. Swelling is more likely to occur and be detected early, while souring is apt to be delayed, though it may occur early. In the latter case the material is more or less sour to the smell and taste, but is sterile, the heat of process- ing having killed the bacteria. There are two conditions known to the trade as "springers" and "flippers." The former is a can the end of which will bulge slightly after a time, but on opening there is found neither gas nor spoilage, though the cans have the appearance of being swells. It has been found that this condition is due to overfilling or to packing eold.j When placed in a warm place, such as a well-heated grocery store, the can will bulge, owing to the temperature. A flipper is a springer of such mild character that the head may be drawn in by striking the can on a hard object, as a wooden block. The use of a micro- scope will quickly show the difference between a swell and a springer, as in the former there Avill be large numbers of organisms Avhile in the latter there will be very few. In these modern days can-making has reached such a point of perfection that manu- facturers guarantee all above two to the thousand, and these imperfect cans are usually due to Ihe solder not making a perfect union or to defects in crimping or double seam- ing. With tlu' use of the automatic capping anil tijiiiing luachiiit's there arc fewer leaks CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 15 tliau i'oi'iiu'i-ly oci-nrred Avlieu the work was done by hand; leaks in sanitary cans are g:enerally due to poor adjustment of the rollers. In tlie can-making plants leakers are recognized, as a rule, by testing in the hot bath. Leaks may be very small, even micro- scopic in size, and, therefore, difficult to detect, or pieces of the can content may be driven into the opening and seal it for the time. Leaks invarialdy cause swells. TESTING ROOM "While the chief problem of the processor is to know Mhen his goods are sterile, it is of equal importance for him to accomplish complete sterilization in the shortest possible time. Tliis not only saves time and fuel, but also impi'oves the appearance of the fin- ished goods. In order to do this the canner ought to have means right at the factory of incubating samples of every lot of canned foods as they come from the retorts. A room having a constant temperature of approximately 9S° F. may easily be built and maintained, and such a room will pay for itself in a very short time, and by means of it without further examination a packer can separate all swells and accurately deter- mine whenever his process is insufficient in such a manner that swells are going to result. The "hot room" will even show, by the sense of taste alone in the canned foods stored therein for the proper time to allow of the development of bacteria, whetlier spoilage is going to occur or not. Were the packer to supply himself with a good microscope, with one-twelfth oil immersion objective, and an incubator, it would be a very easy matter to know posi- tively if a given process was sufficient. Several cans from each day's work could be placed in the incubator, and if the sterilization was not complete the bacteria would develop at a blood temperature (98° F.) within 24 to 48 hours; juice from these cans could be made into a hanging drop, and if any bacteria happened to be present, the microscope would reveal them. Most of the spore-bearing bacteria are motile, and there would be some present, even in small quantities of the juice, long before the forma- tion of sufficient gas to swell the cans. By testing in this way the packer could also keep close watch on the sterilizing process, and in some cases could reduce the time, which would insure a better flavor at less expense. "DO-OVERS" For many years it was the custom, and is yet in some lines and plants, to take the defective cans found in inspecting the pack during the various stages after processing, and reprocess them by venting, repairing the can, exhaust, tip and process the regular time. As our knowledge of bacteria increased it was seen by tlie more intelligent packers that tliere was serious danger of ptomaines forming in the food in these leaky cans while the air had access to them, and also that the second cooking had a decidedly injurious effect upon the flavor and appearance of the food. As a result a number of the packers now discard entirely defective cans found after several days have elapsed after processing. Those defective cans found while they are passing through the various processes, and wliile the cans are still wai'm, are repaired and placed in a lower grade. SALT AND BRINE Salt which is intended for use by canners should be as pure as possible. This fact is beginning to be thoroughly understood by the canner, who finds little economy in using an impure cheap salt, and, besides, may encounter certain difficulties if he uses 16 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODri'TS such. If salt contains an excess of magnesium sulphate or of lime, the latter in the form of calcium sulphate, it is liable, in the case of the latter, to TJroduce a bitterness in the canned foods. Practically all commercial salt does contain a small (joantity of lime, and it •would be entirely impracticable to free the salt from the last trace of lime, on account of the enormous expense involved, but where the amount of calcium sulphate in a salt runs from 2', to 4% it shows that the salt has not been properly purified, and conse- quently it is not fit for use in delicate food products. Impure salt contains a higher moisture content than pure salt, so that when the packer buys the former with an idea of economy he is likely to lose two ways : first, by getting too much lime, and, secondly, by getting too much water — both of which he pays for at the price of salt. Some fishery products are covered with a weak brine when canned, and this brine generally contains about 2Jo of salt. Much care should be used in seeing to it that both the salt and water used in making the brine are suitable. The water used for making brine should always be free from iron, and from excessive suspended matter, and should be comparatively soft. A total hardness of 150 parts per million is about the limit permissible for canners' use. Most of the impurities Avhieh are likely to be present in a water of the hardness mentioned are harmless to canned foods, but if the water contains much iron there is danger of discoloring the flesh of fish processed in cans. This is the reason for the parchment paper lining, to keep the fish away from the can, because a. very small trace of iron in fish will cause discoloration through the formation of iron sulphide from the sulphur which is liberated from the proteids of the fish by the high process. The impurities which deleteriously aff'ect the quality of canned foods are the same found in both hard water and commercial salt. It is, therefore, plain that both must be watched, because if both of them are veiy impure the sum of the impurities may readily become too great for canned foods. When the hardness of water is excessive, and no soft water is available, the packer may often remove the hardness by a simple treatment of the water with soda ash. The latter precipitates the calcium and inagnesium carbonates, which settle to the bottom as a white sludge, leaving the water in the upper portion of the tank comparatively soft and usually entirely suitable for canners. Water-softening in some such manner as above is practised by some canners through necessity, not only for obtaining a pure water for brine, but for obtaining a soft water for use in their boilers. A distilling apparatus especially designed for this purpose may also be used in obtaining the small amount needed for making brine. ' Every canner should submit to a reputable chemist a sample of the salt he intends using in his season's pack, absolutely rejecting any brand that falls below 98% pure salt, and it would make assurance doubly sure to get a salt which tests not less than 99%. MAKING BRINES Various receptacles are employed in making brines. The favorite is a wooden tank in which is carried a copper pipe with an L on end to the bottom of the tank, and direct to the opposite side, la making the brine the water should be first brought to a violent boil, then add the salt, etc., and stir imtil dissolved. The steam jet used in this method obviates the necessity for much stirring of the mixture. The bottom outlet of the tank should be guarded with a strainer to retain chips and particles of other foreign substances which may be in the salt. If the material used contains much dirt or specks it should be placed in a closely woven bag and suspended just below the surface of the boiling water. CANNINC4 OF FISHERY PRODl'CTS 17 Brines of various streugths are used in cainiiiig some fishery pi'oducts. The table following shows the proportions of salt and water required to make brines of given percentage strengths : Strength Salt Water of Brine. Necessary. Necessary. Per cent. Pounds. Gals. Qts. Pts. 1 1 12 1 1 2 . 2 12 1 3- 3 12 .. 1 6 6 11 3 8 8 11 2 10 10 11 1 12 12 11 15 15 10 2 1 18 18 10 1 24 24 9 2.. SOLDER Solder is composed of lead and tin combined in various proportion.s — half and half for hard solder, 9 parts tin and 10 parts lead for medium, and 8 parts tin to 10 parts lead for soft. Many cauners prepare their own solder, usually in bars. The finished article ma.v be purchased in the form of triangular or rectangiUar bars, triangular drops, wire or wire segments. In the form of wire, wound on spool, it is used for power cap- ping machines and is a convenient shape to use in tipping. FLUX It is so easy to purchase fluxes and soldering fluids, and the purchased articles give generally so much better satisfaction than those of home manufacture, that the canner will probably find it cheaper and better to buy the prepared article than to try to make one of his own. TINNING THE CAPPING STEEL The capping steel should be first cleaned with a file, brick or knife. Then take a section of a 3-pound tin can or an iron jar of about the same diameter and about 3 inches deep. Put into this about 2 inches of granulated sal-ammoniac and some scrap solder. Then clean the steels in diluted muriatic acid or in soldering flux and insert in the sal-ammoniac and solder, revolving it in the mixture until tinned. Then clean again in diluted muriatic acid or soldering flux. TINNING THE TIPPING COPPER The tipping copper is tinned in much the same way as the capping iron. Sometimes it is desirable, however, to file the tipping copper sufficiently to make it smooth and to correct the point. The copper should be filed to nearly a sharp point. All particles of smudge, burned materials, etb., should be removed from the iron before tinning. Heat the copper and rotate the tip of it in the mixture of sal-ammoniac and solder until it has been covered with the melted solder and is as bright as silver. 18 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS LACQUERING Formerly it 'was the custom to lacquer nearly all can? contaiuiug fishery products. This custom origiiuitcd in the early days of salmon cauuinn- and was due to the follow- ing reasons : The English market, which at that time absorbed the greater part of the goods, insisted on their shipments being finished in this way ; and the cauners thought that if they did not protect their cans in some way enormous losses through rust, caused supposedly by the long sea voyage, would ensue. Several machines are in use for doing this work and perform it excellently. Several of the largest salmon packers, however, now use enameled ends and depend upon the label to protect the sides, for both domestic and foreign shipments, while a few flat and oval cans are not lacquered at all. but are protected from rust by wrapping in tissue paper, over which the label is placed. It is the custom with sardine canners to print a number of copies of the label on a sheet of tin, and then lacqvier it, after which the cans are cut out, shaped and the ends put on. Some packers, however, do not lacquer the cans at all and protect them either by putting in a printed carton or wrapping in tissue paper and pasting the label over this. Many fishery products are wholly packed in unlacfiuered cans, and this custom is steadily growing in favor, especially for goods sold in the country of origin. Tile quick-drying brown lacquer used quite generally at the present time carries asphaltum in the form of an asphalt varnish as its base, this being supplanted in some cases by gilsonite. This lacquer can be procured in eitlier a heavy or light body, is generally reduced with benzine or gasoline, and is applied according to the require- ments of the market, which in some localities demands a heavy coating and in others a much lighter finish, the latter giving a rich golden brown color. Some experiments have also been made in using brighter colored lacquers for this work. Several of these, made to give a briglit golden copper, or other color, are extremely attractive in appearance, while at the same time protecting the tin against rust quite as well as the bi-own. The lacquering period is one of considerable danger in canneries, especially in damp or rainy weather, when it is not possible to open warehouse doors and windows, the gas arising from the vats being highly inflammable. The striking of a match by a care- less workman under these conditions is apt to cause an explosion, with a resulting fire which may occasion either partial or total loss of the plant, and also cause injury or deatli to some of the woi'kers. LABELS A very important feature of the canning industry is the selection of appropriate brands or labels for the various kinds of fishery products. A well-known brand has a value in itself and sometimes is a very important asset. A packer will sometimes market a considerable part of his product in one section, and here, where the consumer has become familiar with the label and pleased with the contents of the can, he will ask for and accept no other, despite the fact that the latter might be, and probably is, the equal of the product he has been using. Elsewhere in this work will be found a copy of the Ti'ade Mark law of the United States and other information relating to the protec- tion of trade marks not only in the United States but in foreign countries as well. In designing a label there are several things which should be borne in mind. It should be an easily remembered name and design ; a name difficult of pronunciation should be avoided at all cost. The design should be as simple as possible, as experience has demonstrated that a simple form — so simple that it can be fully understood by a mere glance — will gain by regular repetition, while a more complicated design Avill lose in this process. CANNING OF FISHERY -PRODUCTS 1!) A special room sjliould be provided in the eauiiery for labels, and this should be, as far as possible, dust and steam-proof. Each size and variety of label should have a compartment by itself. It is best to wrap each bundle of labels in paper, Avith one placed on top outside. The cans should be labeled with the cap end down. Expensive labels, such as gilt and embossed, should be protected with an outside wrapper of tissue paper. There are on the market several makes of machines suitable for putting the labels on the cans. CARE OF CANNED GOODS Much waste of food in wholesale and retail stores results from carelessness in pro- viding dry storage space for canned goods. Moisture will I'ust tin goods, producing holes in the cans and resulting in spoilage. Even in the cases where cans are not perfor- ated and the contents spoiled, they will be discolored and the labels rusted when stored in places which are liable to become either too Avarm or too moist. The bright, attrac- tive appearance of canned goods is an important factor in their sale, and all labor and care given this merchandise is repaid many fold in the maintenance of attractiveness which makes for sales. It should be the duty of everyone, from the manager down, to see that canned goods are given safe storage. FROZEN CANS Frozen canned goods should be stored in a dr.y, cool place until they thaw out. Freezing sometimes causes them to put? out like swells, from the expansion of the con- tents from freezing. The puffing will subside in a few days after the goods are put in a warehouse, and the quality of tlie goods is seldom injured by freezing. If stored in a warm place such goods will "sweat" and rust. FISHES ALEWIVES ALEWIPE, OR BRANCH HERRING (Pomolohns psrudohan-ngus). Till'] alewife or bruucli heiTiug (Fomolohtia pseudoharcnyiis) and the glut herring fP. aestivalis) are marketed under the name of alewife or river herring. The two species are found, either singly or together, in waters adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean from Florida northward to Labrador. The former is also found in certain small lakes in New York tributary to the St. Lawrence River and in Lake Ontario. Like the shad, they are anadromus species, living normally in salt water and only entering fresh water streams for the purpose of spawning. They are generally caught at the same time with, and in the same apparatus as, the shad. P. pseudoJiarengus appears in the rivers three or four weeks earlier than the glut herring and the shad. Both species average about a half ]iound in weight and from 8 to 10 inches in length. The alewife fishery is one of the most important carried on by our fishermen. In 1908, the last year for which we have complete data, the fishermen marketed 89,078,000 pounds, valued at |.589,000. Alewives were taken in every state on the Atlantic seaboard, but three states — Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina — produced over SO per cent, of the total. In Canada during the year 191(5-17 there were marketed by the Canadian fisheiineu r),871,fl00 pounds of alewives. Pound nets, trap nets, weirs, seines and gill nets were the principal apparatus used; the fixed gear caught over 73 per cent, of the total. The hickory shad {P. mediocris), which is also known as fall herring, is fairly com- mon from Cape Cod to Alabama. It is most abundant in the vicinity of Chesapeake Bay. In the southern portion of its range it enters the streams, in Chesapeake Bay usually appearing in the rivers in the spring, before the shad. It reaches a maximum length of 24 inches, though examples of more than 3 pounds weight are not often seen. They are fre- quently sold to the unwary as shad. It does not rank high as a food fish. In 1908 876,000 pounds, \alued at |3S,000, were marketed by our fishermen. The bulk of the catch comes from North Carolina, Virginia, Florida and Alabama. The opportunities for the building up of an important canning industry based upon alewives are exceptionally good. The raw material is abundant and cheajt, while 21 22 t;ANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS by the use uf iiuthuI nets luul weivs the tisli can he hehl alive in the apjiai-atus for a day or two in times of glut, an important advantage. The region iu which the alewife is most abundant — Virginia, Maryland and Xorth Carolina waters — is the habitat or resort of several other abundant species, noted elsewhere in this work, which can also be canned with profit. As soon as landed the fish are scaled, eviscerated, the fins cut off and the heads removed, after which they are washed in clean Avater. On Chesapeake Day the fish are then placed in the salting vats, the bottoms of which are first covered with 4 or 5 inches of very strong brine. As the fish are put in they are stirred about, after which more salt is put on top, and so on fish and salt alternately, until the total quantity of fish is in the vats or the latter are full ; 6 barrels of salt are generally used for 32 barrels of fish. After 12 to 14 hours the mass is broken up with a spudger, after which they are removed and washed in an abundance of lukewarm fresh water, thoroughly drained, and packed in the cans. The cans are then exhausted for about 10 to 15 minutes at 212° F., after which they are processed at 244° F., No. 1 cans for 55 minutes, No. 2 cans for 60 minutes. The fish shrink considerably in i>rocessing ; this may be overcome largely by first drying the fish for a while in an artificial dryer, which will remove part of the moisture. They can also be kippered the same as recommended for sea herring and then canned, using the same pj-ocess as for the latter. TJie fish can also be packed in tomato or mustard sauce, either of which would im- prove its flavor. By following closely the methods used by the packers of sea herring alewife canners will be most successful in producing a choice canned article. ANCHOVIES On the Pacific coast from southern Alaska to Lower California is found the Northern anchovy t I-Jiifinnili.s iitnrd(i.r\. South of Santa Parbara are also found two other ancho\ies, the Southern anchovy (Aiidioviulla delirutissiiiiKsJ and the deep-bodied an- chovy or sprat (A. compressus) . The Northern anchovy is the largest and most valuable of our anchovies, growing to a length of 7 inches. It is found in great abundance and is canned to some extent in California. It is, at present, considered inferior, when canned, to the sardine, but this, it is believed, is mainly because the proper methods of canning are not practised. The Southern anchovy is very abundant on the southei-n California coast. It does not much exceed .3 inches in length. It is most delicate when crisply fried in oil. The deei>-bodied anchovy grows to a length of 5 inches and is abundant on the southern California coast. Its flesh is thin and dry and cannot be compared with the other two anchovies. In canning the same methods are followed as in canning sardines in southern Cali- fornia, but under a ruling of the federal government the name "sardines" must not be applied to them. In Sweden a considerable industry has been created in the canning of anchovies, which are, however, really sprats, the real anchovy occurring liut rarely in Swedish waters. They are also prepared in Finland and Germany, and in the latter country are known as "delikatessen.'' Each manufacturer has his own special recipe, which is kept secret. A consular representative furnishes the following account of the process: ''The preparation of sprats and small Baltic herring (stroniiuiiKj) as delikatesser has been carried on in Finland for manv generations as a household industry, the fishermen CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 23 of some districts having a great reputatiou for the excellent wares produced. There are now several preserving factories for making anchovies and spiced herring at Helsing- fors and at Reval. on the Russian coast, and jiractically all the sprats taken — often over 2,(i0(» cwt. — are made iulo 'anclioxies.' Thanks to the fact that a fishery expert carried on experiments on the jirocesses for three years and has published the details in a Finnish technical journal, we are enabled to give below exact recipes for the preparation of the anchovies or spiced herrings, the recipes for each being the same. The sprats are first thoroughly washed but are used whole and ungutted, and, following the Finnish practice, the small herrings are treated in the same way. <»nly the very best and fattest herrings are used; spawning or meagre fish are rigorously rejected. The most suitable are the small fat stroiuiuiiu/ caught in autumn by drift nets, and they must be perfectly fresh. In Sweden the small herrings are gutted, beheaded and cleansed, but it is objected that by gutting and cleaning the valuable rich intra-abdominal fat is removed, and the native practice of using the herring whole is recommended. The process is usually carried on in the small keg known as a sprat keg iJiva.sshiil-slaufidr) . but tins are recommended instead for domestic or local use, usually of one litre capacity, while goods for export must be put up in air-tight tins in the usual way. "The'preservative and spicing mixture consists of (1) ingredients lor the preserva- tion of the fish, and these consist first of all of common salt, and secondly of sugar. The proportion of salt varies according to the season, the degree of duraliility retjuired, etc.; (2 ) ingredients for flavoring consisting of saltpetre, Jamaica jiepper, black pepper, white pepper, Cayenne pepper, cloves, mace, ginger, cinnamon, red sandalwood (for coloring). Spanish hops and bay-leaves. No recipe includes all these substances, and the pro](Oi- tious vary considerably in dittereut recipes. As for salt, finely crushed Lunelnirg salt is said to be the best, though a recent Finnish recipe (No. ^'III.) provides for Liverpool salt ('pure dried vacuum salt' I. The salt]ietre and the sugar should I)e finely pow- dered; the different varieties of pepper should not be too fine, but not coarse; the cloves, mace, cinnamon, sandalwood, and ginger should not be too finely powdered, while the Spanish hops and bay-leaves are used whole, the hops being mixed with the other spices while the bay-leaves are u.sed whole and placed between the layers of fish. It is said the weighings must be accurate. The salt, sugar and saltpetre are first weighed out and thor(»ughly mixed together; then the other ingredients are weighed and llioroughly mixed wilh the salt and sugar. "In dealing with sprats llie tish are well 'roused' with llu mixture. A preliminary 'ronsing' is not mentioned in connection with the herrings, the process being as follows : Some of the spice mixture is strewn on the bottom of the one-litre tin, then a layer of herrings, in rows, is placed ujion it, with the backs of the fish downwards and the mix- ture strewn over it; another layer of herrings is laid down in the .same way, the rows being i)laced obliquely across the rows in the layec below, and so on, not more than four layers being laid down in the one-litre tin. One whole bay-leaf is placed at the bottom, one between each layer, and one on the top. The lid is then put on, and for local use made airtight with paraffin wax. The tins, after being closed, are placed in a cool place, preferalily in an ice-house ; it is said there is no comparison between the product left to rijien in a warm room and that ripened in a cool place. No temperature is given, and probably the best course for any one trying the process is to follow the practice in Ger- many, keeping the temperature at about 30° F. "With regard to the recijies given and rejtrodnced here, it is said that No. VI. is a Danish recipe and No. YU. an old Norwegian recipe for spiced herrings (l-ri/ddcrsaltet- sild), a little modified, and furnishing, it is .said, a very fine product. The others are the 2-t CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS result of the Finnisli experiments; No. VIII. is the most recent, and is described as in very general u.se. In the table the original weights for a one-litre tin are given in the Luneburg salt . . . Sugar Saltpetre Jamaica pepper , Black pepper. . . Cloves Mace Cinnamon Ginger Sandalwood. . . . Spanish hops. . . . Bay leaves Lvineburg salt . . . Sugar Saltpetre Jamaica pepper. Black ijcpper. . . Cloves Ginger Sandalwood. . . . Spanish hops. . . Bay leaves Luneburg salt. . , Sugar Saltpetre Jamaica pepper. Black pepper. . . White pepper. . . Cloves Mace Ginger Cimiamon Spanish hops. . . Bay leaves Luneburg salt. . . Liverpool salt.. . Sugar Saltpetre Jamaica pepper. Black pepper Cayenne pepper Cloves Sandalwood . . . . Cinnamon Ginger Mace S]3anish hops.. . Bay leaves Grammes per litre Ounces per 10 gallons No. I. 125-1.50 50 \Vi 1 1^ 1 Wi 198. 4-238.1 150 238.1 79.4 100 153.8 2.38 2 3.2 5.5 — — 1.6 2 3.2 2.38 IJ'2 2.38 1.6 — 0.8 — — 0.8 1 1.6 — 1 1.6 — 1 1.6 2.38 2 3.2 No. III. 125-150 60 1 2 198 4-238.1 95.2 1.6 3.2 100 50 1 3 1 1 1 1.6 1.6 1.6 W2 1 1 9 U n 8 No. V. 25 50 6 3 W2 2 1 1 98.4 79.4 2.38 9.5 4.76 2.38 3.2 1.6 1.6 No. VII. 150 80 1 2 1 Wi 2H 238.1 127.0 1.6 3 2 2 38 38 38 38 6 2.38 4.0 Grammes per litre Ounces per 10 gallons No. II. No., IV. 158.8 79.4 1.6 4.76 3.2 2.38 1.6 1.6 3.2 No. VI. 125-150 198.4-238.1 60 95.2 2 1 V/2 No VIII. 3.2 0.8 0.8 0.8 1.6 2.38 2.38 150 100 4 3 0.04 2 1 1 2 1 2 2 238.1 158.8 6.4 4.76 0.06 3.2 1.6 1.6 3.2 1.6 3.2 3.2 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS first column, and this has been calciUated, for ten gaUons, in Enj;lisli ounces in the second column; one litre is equal to 0.2201 imperial gallon, and, approximately, ii/o litres are equal to one gallon ; one ounce is equal to 28.35 grammes. It will be noticed that the com- position of the mixture, and especially the proportion of the various spices, varies con- siderably; apart from the salt and sugar the weight of the spices for a one-litre tin ranges from 6I/0 grammes (No. III.) to 18 grammes (No- VIII.). It would almost seem as if every manufacturer had his own recipe. There is at all events in the above table sufficient information for trials to be made in the preparation of this delikatessen in this country, and it is to be hoped such trials will be carried out." LEADING COMMERCIAL FISHES OP SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. These Pictures Were Made from Models Owned by Warren S. King, President of tlie White Star Canning Co., and are as follows: 1 — Grouper or Rock Cod; 2 — Yellowtail; 3 — Rock Bass; 4 — Albacore or Tuna; 5 — Wail-Eyed Bass; 6 — Barracuda; 7 — Black Cod, and 8 — Bonito. BARRACUDA The barracuda [Sijhyraena arf/ciitea) occur.s on our Pacific coast from San Francisco to Cape San Lucas, being very common among the Santa Barbara islands. Many are taken commercially by the fishermen of southern California. It is a long, slender fish and reaches a length of 4 or 3 feet. It rarely exceeds 1.5 pounds in weight, and usually appears in early spring in vast schools coming from the south. In 1917 the fishermen of 26 CANNING OP FISHERY PRODFC'TS California caught 3,080,810 ponuds of barracuda. As the catch at present is larger than can be marketed fresh, experiments have been made looking toward the smoking and can- ning of the surplus, and Dr. E. 1>. ("lark, and II. D. Davi, of the T. S. Bureau of (^"hem- istrv, lune ]iul)lished the results of such in a preliminary announcement issued by the liureau, from which I have condensed the following data: The authors recommend that the barracinla he dressed as soon as caught as other- wise the fish will rajjidly deterioraie. In this ojieration the gills and entrails are removed and the lilood carefully scraped out of the body cavity and around the backbone. The tish should l)e thoroughly washed in a weak brine testing about 10 per cent, saturated salt solution. On reaching shore the head and tail are first removed and then the fish scaled thoroughly. The cut along the abdominal cavity made in dressing is continued with a long, deep incision down the ventral surface to the tail, in order to release any blood lodged along the tail heme, after which the fish is thoroughly washed, a moderately stiff brush being employed for doing this work. The flsh is then given a final washing in a weak brine testing about 10 per cent, salt, or in clean sea water, after which they are allowed to drain. The fish should be graded now into three sizes, measuring 17, 21 and 25 inches, respectively, from the najies to the end of the tail. In order to allow quicker penetra- tion of the salt in the iiickliug jiroi'css sever.-il cuts sliouid he made Ihrough the skin on both sides of the fish: these cuts shuuld l)e made into the thick portiims of the oily dark flesh on the lateral line. In splitting the fish the knife is inserted and ])uslied along the left side of the back- bone and the cut continued to the lail, the sides being thus laid flat. The knife is then inserted under the backbone and the above operation repeated, when the latter can be removed. Care should be taken that the knife does not penetrate beyond the inner side of the backbone as otherwise the l)ack of the fish will be weakened. In this condi tion the flsh will lay flat. No fresh water should be used in washing the flsh after splitting as it tends to "puff" the flesh, encouraging rapid decomposition. Puffing also results in the loosening of the flakes of flesh from the skin, which greatly mars its a])pearance when finished. The flsh are then buried in a cold brine testing about ".j per cent, saturated salt solution. Care should be taken thai all parts ot I lie flsh are submerged below the surface of the brine. If the flsh are intended for immediate consumjition twithin 2 to 4 days), three-quarters to one and one-quarter hours of brining will suffice. For canning pur- po.ses one-lmlf to one hour of pickling will give the desired saltiness. Longer brining does not inci'ease the keeping (piality, but rather tends lo injure the palat.-iliilily of the flnal product. The flsh are then drained and dried, first by waterhorsing in small piles, flesh side down, and then by drying on trays, with wii'e bottoms, placed on racks in the sun. The a])])earance of the fish Avill indicate when the drying process has progressed sufficiently. Should the weather be unfavorable the drying may be carried on in the smokehouse, after opening doors and ventilators to allow a free circulation of air and by keeping fires burning slowly until the com])letion of the drying, but the temperature shoidd not exceed 100° F. in the smokehouse. After drying the flsh are removed from the 1i-a\s and suspended from the nai)es with two "S" shaped hooks, and hung on iron rods about i -j-inch in diameter. Smokehouses may lie of any design, size and nundier of compartments, the only essential being that they be constructed in such a way that various kippering tempera CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 27 tures, ranging from 80° to 125° F. can be easily and continnonsly maintained. Experi- ments sliow that the temiieratnre tor Idjipering liarrac-nda slionld be Ivept as near 105° as possible, and nnder no circnnistances slKHild it exceed 115° F. Tlie Iionse slionld be of moderate height with some system of ventilation on the (o]i and ii])]ier sides. Sup- ports on which to hang tJie smoke rods should be placed in the smokehouse, beginning about 7 feet above the Are and conlinuiug for 7 or 8 feet. The rods filled with fish are now placed in the liays or up])er part of the smoke house, the largest fish being linng ui)]iermost. Several small fires are then built in shallow depressions in the earth floor, dry hardwood blocks such as oak, maple, alder or of tan bark being employed. No resinous material should be used- When the fires have begiin to bui'n vigorously, the flames are smothered with a small amount of dry hard- wood sawdust in order to maintain the temperature at the desired jioint. Several Fah renheit thermometers should be placed among the flsh and the temperature kept from 100° to 105° F. Should the temjierature begin to rise, the upjier ventilators are opened to release the hot air. If the fish are intended for canning, a smoking of 7 to 8 hours or less at 100° F. is sufficient to give the flavor, color and texture desired. The color of the product can be controlled by the density of the smoke. After kijipering is com])leted all doors and ventilators should be ojiened to allow the flsh to cool thoroughly. After cooling the fish are removed from the smoke house and the sides carefully wiped free from ]iarticles of soot and dust which may have collected during smoking. Evajioration of the salt near the tail end, and shrinkage of the skin away from the outer edges of the flesh are evidences of too high temperatures during smoking. In canning the sides of the flsh are cut into choice square ](ieces to fit the size cans to be nsed. The skins are removed and the pieces placed in the can with the brown side uj). The cans are then filled with peach kernel or any \>uve nut oil, as these seem to blend well with the smoke flavor and the natural oil of the barracuda. If so desired, the fish may be packed in a light brine, but their ajipearance is somewhat altered by pro- cessing in such a brine- The cans should be exhausted 25 minutes at 212° F., sealed immediately, and then processed three hours at 212° F. A bath of boiling water should be used for the processing as a steam retort does not give a uniformly cooked jtroduct. After removal from the bath the cans should be cooled in a stream of cold water. The amount of water in the can after ])rocessing should not exceed 25 per cent, of total volume of the liquid if packed in oil. For canning purposes the average loss in weight from the round tish to the fish when ready for packing is 50 jier cent. BLUEFISH The liluefish {Powutouui>i sdltdtii-r) is found on our Atlantic and idly developing a market foi- the product. It is canned in almost identically the same way as tuna. The Atlantic bonito {Sarda sarda) likes the open sea, wandering around in large schools in search of food, and only approaches land when attracted by abundance of suit- able food or for spawning purposes. It occurs in summer from Cape Cod to Cape Sable, and occasionally in the Gulf of Mexico. It reaches a length of 2 or 3 feet and a weight of 10 to 12 pounds. Its flesh is fully as good as that of its Pacific brethren, and ought to make a good fish for canning. The bulk of the catch of this species is made in New Jersey, and is taken mainly in pound nets, although lines also bring in a consider- able quantity. It is probable that the catch could be largely increased if vessels were sent farther oft' the coast in search of the fish. CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 29 CATFISH One of the most iniportaut commercial fisheries of the i^^orth American continent is that for catfish. Most of these are obtained in the fresh waters^ the principal ones being the channel cats (Ictahirus), mud cats (Amemrus), yellow cats (Leptops). and stone cats {Notitius). There is much confusion, however, in the application of these names, the name in common use in one place sometimes being applied in another place to a totally difiereut species. There are also two species of salt water catfish, one of which has attained to considerable commercial importance. These are the gaff-topsail cat ( FrJiclifltijs }iifiriinis) and the sea catfish (Gdlcichthijs millierti). The catfish is found in most fresh waters east of the Rocky Mountains, thriving best in the ^Mississippi ^'alley. Xoiie are indigenous to the Pacific coast, although Ainciurus nehulosus and Aiitriiinis riitiis have been introduced into California waters, and have beconi;' fairly abundant. The catfishes range in weight from a few ounces to 150 pounds, and in size from a few inches to 5 feet. They attain their greatest size in the Mississippi Valley- The flesh is firm, flaky and of excellent flavor. The U. S. census returns for 1908 show that 1S.;3S(;,!)(I() ]M)un(ls, valued at 1792.830, were marketed. There has probably been a large increase in the ])roduction of these fishes since then. At that time Louisiana produced 4,405,000 pounds, but the claim is made that the production here is now about 18,01)0,000 pounds a year. Illinois .md Florida are also heavy producers of catfish. In Canada, in 191617, the catch amounted to 939.1*00 pounds, valued at 174,068. Ontario produced more than half of the total. Catfish are taken willi many forms of apparatus, although trot lines and fykes seem to be the favorites. The catfish has been canned in Lotiisiana, but it was camouflaged as salmon, and the enactment of the Pure Food Law killed the business. The following method is suggested as probably suitable for canning catfish, but care should be used at first to test the method at frequent intervals. The fish .should be skinned, dressed, the head removed and the body cut into lengths to fit the can. The pieces should then be put into a G0° (salometer) brine solution and allowed to soak tintil all the blood has been extracted. The brine should be made fresh every time. The pieces can then be put into the cans with V^ ounce of salt added for a 1-pound can, the top put on loosely, and the cans exhausted for about 15 minutes at 212^ F. The tops should then be sealed tightly and the cans processed for from 60 to 80 minutes at 240° F., after which the cans should be removed from the retort and cooled in the cooling bath or with a hose. CODFISH One fff the best oppoi'tunilies for the development of a large industry in the I'nited States and Canada is to be found in the canning of "codfish flakes," or "fish flakes," as they are called ^^hell haddock or some other mendier of the Gadida' is mixed with the cod. In this condition codfish is a much more sanitary and useful product than the dry-salted fish, and also has the advantage of being available for u.se every month of the year, and not, as in the case of the dry-salted j>roduct, unmarketable during the hot season. The family Gadida^ is a large one with iibout 25 genera and 140 species, many of which are highly valued as food. They inhabit chiefly the northern seas; one species CATFISH AND COD FISHERIES. 1. — Catching Cod Over the Rail, of the Vessel; 2 — An Ohio River Catfish, and 3 — Cod on the Deck of the Vessel ; Several Halibut are also Hanging from Shrouds. 30 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 31 (Lota) is coufliiecl to I'lesliwalcr lakes ami stieams. The cod tislieries of (lie world are surpassed in importance only bv those for herring. The coniinon codfish (Gadus ralhirkis) is found in tlie Xortli Alhintic and on lioth coasts, south to Prance and Virginia. A very siniihir species is the Ahislva codfish (6' macroccpholus), which is very abundant in Bering Sea on both shores, and ranges south ward on our coast as far as Cape Flattery. Both are exceedingly important factors in the fisheries of the United States and Canada, notably on the Atlantic coast, our Pacific fishery not having as yet been developed to sucli an extent. The other members of the family are usually taken at the same time as the cod. Cod vary greatly in size and weight, some attaining a very large size. They are generally taken with hand and trawl lines, and can be caught any month in the year. In Alaska shore stations are maintained at various places in the Sliumagin and Sannak groujis, and on T'nimak Island, most of lliese being operated all the year, while a fleet of vessels freipient the ofi-shore banks in the North Pacific and Bering Sea from May to August inclusive. On the Atlantic fishing is iirosecuted on the banks adjacent to the New England coast and on the (irand Bank. A fishery with boats is also prosecuted off the New Jersey coast. AA'hile the Atlantic waters produce several very important species closely related to the true cod, and which can be marketed along with them, our Pacific waters produce but one or two species, and these too small to be marketed along with cod. The most important of the related species is the haddock {McUuminuininni iirglc- fhnisj. which occurs from V;\\)e Hatteras north to the Strait of Belle Isle. They are abundant on the ^Massachusetts coast in summer, and it is then tliat the lai'gest catches are made there as well as on the ofl'-shore banks in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The usual size of the haddock is al)out 3 or 4 jK)unds, and the maximum about IT pounds. The pollock (PoUachius vircns) is common on both coasts of the Atlantic, on our side ranging north from New York. It is most abundant in the southern part of its range, and at times is ipiite common as far south as Cape Cod. It i-eaches a length of more than 3 feet and a weight of 25 pounds or more. The Alaska pollock iThrri (hdlcofpyiiiiiintfi) is found in Bering Sea and neigh- boring waters south to Sitka and the Kurils. It is very abundant throughout Bering Sea, swimming near the surface and furnisliing the greater part of the food of the fur seal. It reaches a length of 3 feet. No fishery has yet been established for it. The codlings, or hakes, contain only two s]iecies which are of value as food. These are the white hake iUrophi/ci.^ leiniis) and llie scpiirrel hake (!'. cliiiss). They are found on our Atlantic Coast from Labrador to Caiie Hatteras, l)eing especi.-illy abundant to the northward, and are found at a depth as great as 300 fathoms. They are most abundant during summer and Call along the coast of Maine and Massachusetts. The average size of the hake taken i)robably does not exceed 5 to 10 pounds, though each species reaches a much larger size. A quite extensive fishery is prosecuted for hake, lines and trawls being employed. The cusk, or torsk (Brm^ni'nift hrnsinr) is a large fish found on both shores of the North Atlantic, on this side ranging north from Cape Cod. The common tomcod or frostfish {Microfjadiis iomcod) is a very small codfish which is found on our Atlantic coast from Virginia to Cape Sable. On the Pacific coast is found the California tomcod (M. proximus), which occurs from Monterey Bay to Un- alaska. They are most abundant in early winter, when they approach the shores and even ascend rivers and creeks for spawning purposes. Though most abundant in winter they may be found along the shore at all seasons. The tomcod rarely exceeds a foot in length. 32 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS The only freshwater member of the cod family in North America is the ling or lawyer {Lota maculosa). It is found pretty well distributed in the larger lakes of Canada and the northern United States from Maine and New Brunswick to the head- waters of the Missouri, and to Alaska. It is probably most abundant in the Great Lakes. It I'eaches a length of 1 to 3 feet. As soon as caught all of the Gudidse, and, in fact, any of the large species, should be bled by having its throat cut. This gets rid of most of the blood and prevents it from dis- coloring the Hesh if allowed to congeal in the flsh after death. During the calendar year 1917 the American fishing fleets operating from Gloucester and Boston, Mass., and Portland, Maine, landed the following catches of cod and relateci species: Cod, 5G,44r>,.52S pounds; haddock, 33,554,385 pounds; hake, 7,914,646 pounds; pollock, 14,507,792 pounds; cusk, 3,549,303 pounds; livers, 959,420 pounds; sounds, 53,335 pounds; tongues, 1,688 pounds, and spawn, 148,591 pounds. This does not take into account the large quantity of the various species landed at other ports in New England and the Middle Atlantic states, other than New York and New Jersey, for which we have no data available for the year in question. This catch would run up into the millions of jKiunds. In New York and New Jersey the tishermen landed the following: Cod, 436,075 pounds; haddock, 24,775 pounds; hake, 2.161,787 pounds, and pollock, 320,062 pounds. In 1908 the tomcod catch of the United States amounted to 289,000 pounds. The catch in Pacific waters by the American fleet and shore stations amounted in 1917 to 15,522,-532 pounds of cod. During the year ended March 31, 1917, the fishermen of Canada landed the following catches of cod and related species: Cod, 196.286,000 pounds; haddock, 58,202,800 pounds; hake and cusk, 38,595,300 pounds; pollock, 14,330,600 pounds; tomcod, 1,431,400 pounds; tongues and sounds, 242,800 pounds. Newfoundland and Labrador during the year 1917 produced about 1,299,200,000 pounds of the various species of the Gadidre. Codfish and the related species may be canned either plain or corned. In canning plain codfish the fish should be split to the vent, the gill rakers, entrails and membrane lining (in the majority of cases this will be black, and will not look good in the can) of the stomach removed, the head and fins cut off, and the fish cut in pieces to fit the size of the can to be filled. They are then put in a tub and covered with a brine of SO'^ (salometer) strength and soaked one or two hours in order to extract the blood, etc. The thicker the fish the longer the soaking required. After the fish have been removed this brine should be thrown away and a fresh brine made for the next lot. The fish should be put into the cans, the tops put on loosely, and the cans run through the exhaust box for 10 minutes at a temperature of 212° F., then be sealed up and processed 45 minutes at 240° F., then raise to 250° F. for 10 minutes; or processed 65 to 70 minutes at a temperature of 245 to 247 degrees. After removal from retort they can be cooled in the same manner as salmon. A much better method is after dressing the fish as noted above, to put them on trays and run these into a retort or oven, whichever is most convenient, and heat the fish until a large part of the excessive moisture in the flesh has been removed and the skin is ready to peel off. After removal from the retort the skin is (aken off and the body cut iiil(( pieces to fit the can, llie loose rib bones removed wilh ii |iair of tweezers, the can filled and sealed, and then exhausted and pi-ocessed as noted above. It is possible that the exhausting could be done away with after a, little ex]ierimenting, esjiecially if the meat was packed in liallixjund cans. Some canners save the oil o])tained in cooking the flsh and put in the can with the flesh, which gives the latter the true cod flavor. CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 33 In corning the fish are dressed by having the head removed, the belly split to the veut and the gills and entrails removed. Some packers split down the back. The fish are then cleaned and wiped dry without the use of water. For each 100 pounds of fish the packer then mixes thoroughly 5 ounces of powdered saltpeter, 5 pounds of salt and 5 pounds of brown sugar, and rubs the outside and inside of the fish with the mixture. The fish are then placed in tanks, skin side down, several planks placed on top and these weighted down. They are allowed to remain here from 48 to 60 hours; the thicker the fish the longer the time. After removal from the tank and washing and draining the fish are cut to fit the size can in use and placed in the can. The can is then filled with a sauce made from the following materials and in the manner noted: V2 pound of whole cloves, Vo ounce of bay leaves and y^ pound of whole black pepper, and placed in 1 gallon of GO-grain vinegar and allowed to soak 48 or more hours. Two pounds of chopped onions and 3 pounds of salt are placed in a kettle with t2i.j gallons of water and brought to a boil, after which it is cooked 30 minutes, the vinegar and spices then added. The mixture is allowed to boil one minute, after which it is strained. The top is then sealed on tightly and processed at 240° F., 1-pound cans for 30 minutes and 2 pound cans for 45 minutes. In canning codfish the can should be lined with parchment paper as otherwise the flesh will discolor. CTJLTUS OR BLUE COD This exceedingly common Pacific coast fish is found from Sitka to Santa Barbara, being especially abundant in lower British Columbia and the State of Washington, and is a quite important food fish. The demand for it is constantly increasing, but the fisher- men could increase the catch a hundredfold if there was sufficient demand to justify it. The cultus cod (Ophidion elongatus) is a large, coarse fish, reaching a length of 3 to 4 feet, and a weight of 30 to 40 pounds. The flesh of the fish is livid blue or green in color, but turns white in cooking. The following method might work in canning this species. Scale, dress and head the tish. Cut in pieces to fit can, and soak these in 50° (salometer) brine until blood has been extracted. Do not use the brine the second time. Put pieces in 1-pound cans with 14 ounce of salt, put top on loosely, and exhanst for 15 minutes at 212° F. Seal tops and process cans for from 90 to 120 minutes (the time can be determined only by experiment) at 240^" F. Remove from retort and cool in bath or with hose. , DRUM The sea drum (Pogonias croiuis) is found fi'om New England to the Rio Grande, and is a common and well known fish on sandy shores everywhere, particularly south- ward. It is one of the largest food fishes on our coast, an example weighing 140 jjounds having been caught in Florida. Though those seen in market usually weigh only a few pounds, examples weighing 50 to SO pounds are not rare. The fish is a sluggish one, feeding chiefly at the bottom, where its long, sensitive barbels aids greatly in its search for food, which consists chiefly of crustaceans and mollusks. In the south it is held in much esteem as a food fish. The flesh is coarse, though tender and of delicate flavor. In North Carolina it is frequently dry-salted and is then known locally as "North Carolina cod." The fact Ihat muscle parasites are found in the posterior part of the back has militated against its more general use as a food fish. While these would not have a deleterious effect on the consnmer, it is possible that they could be 34 CANNING OP FISHERY PRODUCTS eliminated in some way. The roe is considereil a ureat delicacy and is often salted and diied, and also might be canned, the siiine method being used as is now followed with other fish eggs. The scales are used to some extent in Florida in the manufacture of the handiwork known as "flshscale jewelry." The drum is usually taken in seines or traps, while many are taken with hook and line. The freshwater drum (Aplodinotus gniiniiciis) is a large species occurring in our larger lakes and sluggish streams and bayous from the Great Lakes and west of the Alleghenies southward through the Mississippi valley to Louisiana, and in lowland streams through Texas to the mouth of the Rio Grande. It is jnost abundant in the Great Lakes and in the lowland sti'eams of Louisiana and Texas. It is one of the largest of our fresh- water fishes as it reaches a weight of 50 to (iO pounds and a length of 4 feet. The aver- age, however, is much smaller. It is much esteemed as a food fish in the south. This species has many common names. In the (Jreat Lakes it is the sheepshead or freshwater drum; in the Ohio it is the white perch, gray perch, or .simply perch; farther south it is drum, while in Louisiana, it is called gaspergou. In 1008 the production in the United States of saltwater drum amounted to 4,576,000 pounds, and of freshwater drum, 6,532,000 pounds. These fishes would probably be best corned, the same as codfish, and then canned the same as the latter. EELS The common eel (Aiij/iiind vhrlsmta) is (uie of the most familiar denizens of the waters of Eastern North America. On our Atlantic coast it ranges from Newfoundland to Mexico and Central America, and is also abundant amongst the islands of the West Indies. Unlike other eels, it ascends freshwater streams long distances, and may be found even in the headwaters of nearly all the rivers of the Atlantic coast and the Missis- sippi valley. They average about 21/0 to 3 feet in length. The eel is a freshwater fish whose real home is in the fresh water rivers and lakes, but which runs down to salt water at spawning time. The common eel spawns in salt water, usually off the mouths of rivers, on mudbanks, to which they go in great numbers at the spawning time, which is in the fall. At the beginning of the second spring after the young eels find their way to the mouths of the rivers, which they ascend in incredible numbers. In these freshwater streams and lakes they remain until of adult age, when they return to the sea for spawning purposes. This seaward migration takes place in the fall, when large numbers are caught in eel traps, pots and other devices. The downstream movement occurs usually at night, commencing soon after suu.set, and ceases an hour or more before sunrise. Like the Pacific salmons, the eels die after spawning, never returning to fresh water the second time. The common eel is remarkably prolific, as many as 10,700,000 eggs having been taken from a female. The catch of eels in the United States in ]00S anioiuilcd to 3,3.58,(10(1 pounds, but as the interior lakes and the upper courses of the rivers were not canvassed that year the above figures do not represent anything like the total (piantity obtained liy the fisher- men. New York and Massachusetts lead with 736,000 and 722,000 pounds respectively. Owing to the popular prejudice against the eel as an article of food in certain sections, but little fishing is now carried on in these for the species, but this would be speedily overcome should a demand arise from the canning interests for them. CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 35 In Canada during the year 1916-17 the catch of eels amounted to l,i08,800 pounds, of which 874,100 pounds came from the Province of Quebec ; lCi5,100 pounds from the Prov- ince of Ontario; 210,400 pounds from Nova Scotia; 147,000 pounds from New Brunswick, and 10,300 pounds from Prince Edward Island. As in the United States, the produc- tion can he much increased should the demand warrant it. If canneries were located in suitable spots, say in Chesapeake Bay or the sounds of North Carolina, where eels are plentiful and cheap, quite a business could undoubtedly be built up in canning them smoked, pickled and in jelly. Smoked As soon as possible after received the eels are dressed by splitting them from the head to the vent and removing the viscera. Some continue the splitting sufficiently deep to remove the large vein along the backbone, but sometimes this may be pulled out without splitting the fish more than an inch or two beyond the vent; many smokers, however, pay no attention to this vein. The eels are then immersed in a strong brine (about 20 pounds of Liverpool salt, or other good salt, to 100 pounds of fish being required ) from 2 to 7 hours, according to strength of brine, size of fish and the desired flavor. The thicker the fish the stronger the brine and the longer time required. The eels are then taken out and dipped in water to remove the slime and surplus salt. Some throw them into a tub of water and beat them with a net for several minutes to accomplish this purpose. The eels are then strung on iron or steel rods, this passing through the head of each eel, or through the throat cartilage and out of the mouth, and hung in the open air a few hours for drying; some smokers transfer them immediately to the smokehouse. In some places the fish are subjected to a mild smoke for about 5 or G hours until they have acquired the proper color, when the fires are gradually increased and they are hot-smoked or cooked for 30 or 40 minutes. Along the Great Lakes the smoking is usually at an even temperature tlimnghout and continues for C or 8 hours. ilahogany or cedar sawdust is used for nuikiug the smoke, while hickory or white-oak wood is used for cooking, the latter being preferred. The smoking must be carefully attended to, for if the heat becomes too great the fish will curl up out of shai»e. A good test to determine whether the cooking is sufficient is to notice the ease with which the skin may be separated or peeled from the flesh where the eel has been split. The percentage of decrease in weight by dressing and smoking is about 35 per cent. Occasionally the eels are skinned before being smoked, the process being the same as above described, except that less salting and smoking is reciuired, and it is also very difficult to keep them from falling down ofif the rods in the smokehouse. The eels are then cut into lengths slightly less than the height of the can, and these pieces placed close together in the latter, the interstices being filled with diluted cotton- seed oil suitably flavored with vinegar, cloves, etc., the top sealed on, exhausted about 10 minutes at 212° F., and then processed for about 100 minutes at 240'=' F. Eels in Jelly and Pickled Small and medium-sized eels are selected and after the head, skin and viscera are removed the eels are cut into suitable lengths and placed on wire trays and cooked in a steam retort, or, in some 'cases, fried in an oven for 20 or 30 minutes. They are then placed in cans, either plain or with a small amount of jellies to hold them firmly together, or with a sauce made of vinegar and spices, or in tomato sauce. 36 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCT.S The jelly can be made by dissolving on flre isinglass which has previonsly soaked one day in \vatei-. Add salt and spices to taste, and flavor with port or sherry wine. The jelly should be clarified after being made. The cans should then be sealed, exhausted for about Id minutes at -12 F. if put in cans cold (no exhausting is necesary if product is jiacked hot), and processed for about !)() minutes at 240° F. The exact processing time can be determined by actual experi- ment. FINNAN HADDIE This s]iecial method of curing haddocks takes its name from the village of Findon (of which Finnan is a corruption), near Aberdeen, (Scotland. At first it was a i)urely home indnsti-y, luit as time went on the product became better known and the mai'ket expanded, until today the fish so prepared in various lands has a wide sale amongst fish lovers. The business was first introduced into this country about 1850. Portland, Maine, was the scene of the first serious effort at the industry, and in this same city today the larger part of the present pack is prepared. Finnan liaddie are also prepared at East- port, Maine, New York City, and Gloucester, Mass., and at St. Johns and Digby in the British provinces. When first caught the fish should be bled either by cultiiig the throat or by cutting one fold. of the gill on each side of the head. If this is not done, and the landing of the fish is delayed for some days, the lilood will be so thoroughly congealed in the bones of the fish that it will be next lo impossible to extract it thoroughly, thus causing a general discolorment that will detract much from its value. In dressing the head is first removed, following the shape of the gill cover. The fish should then be laid on its side upon a bench or table, its shoulders being towards the v.orker and its throat toward his right hand. Taking hold of the "lugs" of the fish with his left hand, the operator should insert the knife at the throat and run it down along the belly to the anal fin. The opening should be done by one forward sweep of the knife, and not by repeated cuts. The entrails are then removed. The fish should then be washed in clean water and the black membrane lining of the stomach removed. In splitting the operator lifts the haddocks one by one with his left hand, laying each fish in front of him with its tail toward him. Taking a firm hold of the upper nape of the fish with his left hand, he enters the knife above the bone at the shoulder, and draws it down to within an inch of the tail, keeping the blade close to the bone during the operation, and taking care not to run the knife through the skin of the fish. This will make the fish lie out fiat. If the blood bone has not been cut through the fish should be turned round and as much of the bone chipped oft:' with the point of the knife as will expose the lilood cavity. They are then given a thorough Viashing, especially on the inside. The fish are then ready for the pickle, ^^•hich should be strong enough to fioat a ]>otato, or about 90° salonieter. They should remain here for 20 minutes to half an hour, according to the size of the fish and the requirements of the market for which they are destined. They are then hung uji on upright planks to drain and usually remain here overnight. The smoking kilns are built on the general model of an open fireplace with chimney. The fish are fastened to the sticks from which they are suspended in the smokehouse, the napes being stretched out flat and pierced by two small iron spikes or nails in the smoke- sticks. Sometimes these sticks are used for the draining of the fish and then suspended CANNING OP FISHERY PRODUCTS 37 in the smokehouse, the sticks being placed in tiers, one above another, with space be- tween to allow the smoke to circulate. A fire of hardwood, usually oak, is started over the floor of the smoking kiln and allowed to burn from 8 to 18 hours, when sawdust is applied, smoldering the Are and producing a dense smoke, which thoroughly impreg- nates the fish. In smokehouses with a low ceiling the smoking can be completed in 4 or 5 hours. In some smokehouses no wood is used, the curing being effected by burning hardwood sawdust, rock maple or beech being preferred, and the temperature is kept as high as practicable without burning the fish, which are placed high up in the bays. The time of cooking or smoking depends on the condition of the fish, temperature of the air, and the probable time to elapse before consumption, but never exceeds one night. ^^'hen the smoking is completed the fish are removed from the smokehouse and placed on racks for cooling, and when thoroughly cooled are packed tor shipment. Only enough are cured at a time to supply the immediate demand, as it is important that they reach the retail dealers in good condition. During warm weather they will keeji only a few days, but when the weather is cool they will, under ordinary conditions, keep from 10 days to 2 or even :i weeks. If it is desirable to keep them longei- they must be smoked much harder. The season for Finnan haddie begins in October and lasts until the following April. 100 pounds of round fish yields about 55 pounds of smoked. The choicest haddie are tender. The inside is of a light yellowish-brown or straw-color. As Finnan haddie when sold in boxes will keep but for a vei*y limited period, efforts have been made at enclosing them in hermetically sealed packages. A pojiular package with some packers is the glass jar. The fish are cut to fit these jars, packed in, the jars sealed in vacuum, and then processed in a retort at aljout 240'- F. for a period to be determined by experiment. GERMAN CARP SCALE CARP (Ci)l>riiiiis crirpio). One of the most abundant of the freshwater sj)ecies of this country is the (ierman carji {Ciijiriiiiis rdi'iiio). This species is a very ancient one in Asia and Europe, and has been cultivated in ponds for many centuries; in Germany and Austria this is an import- ant commercial industry. It was ])robal)!y first introduced into this country by ^Mr. J. A. Pop])e, of Sonoma, Califoiiiia. in 1S72. In ISTTiTT the U. S. Fish Commission began CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS the iutroductiou of the species, and in a few years had distributed specimens through- out the country. It was the intention to restrict the range of these tish to ponds, but as a result of freshets, accidents to dams, etc., many of them got into the rivers and large lakes, whei-e they found conditions so propitious that they increased enormously in numbers. Unfortunately our people took a dislike to the fish, due largely to the fact that it roots in the mud at the bottom of lakes and streams in its search for succulent roots, and this gives the flesh a muddy flavor if it is killed during the warm montlis. If marketed from October to April, however, the flesh has a fairly good flavor. It is said that the carp may live to be 100 or even 150 years old and may come to weigh 80 to 90 pounds, but these statements are not well authenticated. They have attained in our waters a weight of fully 10 jiounds. In warm waters in which plenty of fool is obtainable the rate of growth of these fishes is remarkably fast. While the carp is quite generally and abundantly distributed in our fresh waters, it is jiarticularly altundant in Lake Erie, especially at the western end, Sandusky and Port Clinton, Ohio, and Monroe, Mich., being the principal shipping points, Lake St. Clair (at its upper end), and in the Illinois River. Should the demand arise almost any section of the country could produce large quantities of this species. The carp thrives well under domestication. In ponds they become easily tamed, learn to come to a certain spot to be fed, and, it is said, will even take food from the hand. They are vegetable feeders and usually move in schools. In our southern states and California spawning often begins in April. Elsewhere the spawning season seems to be in the latter part of May and early June. One objection to the use of the fish as food is that the flesh has a muddy flavor. This is true of those fish which have lived in very muddy jdaces, especially where the water is stagnant and the temperature rather high. If the carp are removed from such places and kept for a short time in fresh running water, the muddy flavor it is claimed can be eliminated. Skinning the fish is also said to remove the undesirable flavor, which is thought to reside in the skin and fat immediately underlying it. Cutting off the head of the live fish and bleeding it is also said to woi-k an improvement. At the principal fishery centers it is the custom to catch the fish with haul seines, and put them alive iu ponds made by fencing off little bays or bights with narrow entrances, and keeping them here until tlie winter months, or until prices are sufliciently high to justify shipping. In cold weather the muddy flavor is absent, or but little noticeable, while the fish also commands a much higher price than it would bring during the summer and early fall. In 1908 the total production of German carp in our waters amoimted to 12,703,000 pounds, valued at |1,1.'{5,000. Of 38 states having fisheries of a commercial nature in that year, 31 reported German carp. Of the grand total Illinois rejjortcd slightly over one- half. The other leading producers were Ohio, Michigan, Missouri, Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota in the order named. California produced 427,000 pounds. Only a compara- tively small catch is made in Canada. Since 190S there has been a considerable increase in the demand for this species, ^vith a corresponding increase in the production, although no authentic figures are available showing the exact extent of the increase. If a market could be established for canned German carp the supply would be almost limitless. At the present time the Jews are the princii)al consumers, and they prefer the fish alive, or, if dead, in a I'ound condition, or just as taken from the water. Whether they could be persuaded to take them canned could be determined only by experiment. There would be but little trouble in keeping the fish alive until it could be canned, as it is an exceedingly hardy species. CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 39 Some years ago a few carp were canned in (^"leveland, Ijnt the process followed is not known. It is suggested that the fish be skinned, dressed and cut iuto pieces of a size to fit the cans, and after being thoroughl.y washed, put into clean, fresh brine made by dissolving 3 pounds of salt in each 12i/. gallons of water used and left here until all the blood is extracted, usually from one to two hours. The pieces should then be put in the cans, the tops put on loosely, and the cans run through an exhaust box for about 10 to 15 minutes at 212° F., the tops then sealed on, and the cans i)rocessed for from 100 to 110 minutes at 240'' F. for 1-pouud cans (a little longer time for 2-pound cans), after which they should be removed and placed in cooling bath. A little experimenting will speedily disclose what changes, if any, are necessary in this process. Canned SmokeJd Carp Canned smoked carp might prove uii(ls. It is an excellent food fish. CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS The speckled hiiul (7:;. dniiiiinoiid-liayi] is most abundant ou the red snapper banks in the Gulf of Mexico, and many are brought in to Pensacola by the snapper fleet. It attains a weight of 3(1 pounds. A closely related species is the black jewtish or black grouper (Garnipa nigrita), which occurs from Charleston and Pensacola south. It is an immense fish, one of the largest known, reaching a weight of about 500 pounds, and rivaling in size the largest known examples of the spotted jewflsh and the California jewtish. No small examples have ever been seen, only one weighing less than 100 pounds having been recorded. They are taken with hook and line, like all the rest, or with grains. The spotted jewflsh {Proniicroiis itaiarn) rivals the black grouper and California jewfish in weight. It reaches 2 to 6 feet in length and occurs on both coasts of tropical America north of Florida and the Gulf of California. These fishes can jirobably be canned in practically the same manner as red snap- per and a large industry built up on the Gulf coast, as the red snapper vessels can catch almost unlimited quantities if they are assured of a market for them. The same plants could also can red snapper and several other species available in that section. HALIBUT Tlie halibut ( Hiiipof/lossiis hippor/lossiis) is found in all northern seas, and is one of the most valued food fishes of the world. In the North Atlantic it is found on the American side as far south as Montauk Point. Its occun-euce south of 40° is unusual. Northward its range extends at least as far as Cumberland Gulf, in latitude 64°, and on the coast of Greenland to 70° north. It is abundant about Iceland and Spitzbergen, in latitude 80°. In the Pacific the halibut ranges from the Farallones to P>ering Straits. The bulk of the world's supply of halibut comes from the banks along the Alaska coast; but little is now taken from the Atlantic banks. The halibut thrives best in the coldest waters. The temjierature of the water in which it is taken rarely exceeds 45° F., and it is often as cold as 32°. It is one of the largest of fishes; the author saw one at Juneau, Alaska, about 1900, which weighed 3Go pounds, while Nilsson records one from the coast of Sweden that weighed 720 pounds. The male halibut is always much smaller than the female, and rarely exceeds 50 pounds in weight. Very large fish are not so highly esteemed as tliose of smaller size. Tho.se from 30 to about 100 jiounds fetch the best price. ^\"llile the fishery is now insignificant on the Atlantic coast, the banks being nearly exhausted, it is one of the most important of our Pacific fisheries. A large fleet of steamers and power vessels, with headquarters at Seattle, A'ancouver, Prince Rupert, Ketchikan, Petersburg, and Juneau, engage in the fishery throughout the year. In 1917 the American fleet ojierating on the Pacific banks caught 43,892,002 pounds, while the British Columbia fleet caught 9,710,030 i)ounds, a grand total for the Pacific of 53,002,032 pounds, as compared with approximately 3,742,1(;4 pounds caught on the Atlantic banks during the same jiei'iod. By far the greater portion of the catch is marketed in a fresh condition, and a consid erable part is shipjjcd to the East. Some are frozen, while a veiw small portion is fletched. None are canned for nuirket, although if properly managed a considerable trade could be developed along this line. On our California coast, from Tomales Bay to Cerros Island, and abjng the coast of Lower California, is found the bastard halibut (Prettichthijs californicus), which is I'eally a flounder, although commonly marketed as halibut. It reaches a length of 3 feet, a Aveight of 50 or 00 pounds, and is quite common. It does not rank near as high CANNING OP" FISHERY PRODUCTS 43 A DECKLOAD OF HALIBUT. LANDING A SLINGFUL OF HALIBUT AND TWO SKATES OF GEAR ON DECK. 4-t CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS as the lialibut as a lood fish. lu 1917 4,45:2,014: pounds were hiuded iu Califoruia from the bauks. Considerable experimental -work has been done in the canninj; of halibut, in several instances with marked success. In cue the flsh were dressed and cut into pieies lo lit the I-i)onnd cans, a little brine added, the tops put on loosely, and the cans exhausted for about 15 minutes at a temperature of about 210° F. They were then sealed u]i and rooked in a retort for about 80 mitiutes at a temperature of about 248° F. In another the lisli were first cooked the same as is done with tuna, the meat separated from The skin and bones, then put in the cans, the tops ]int on loosely, the cans exhausted and cooked as noted above. Some consider the exhausting: unnecessary in this process. The halibut have also been corned before beinc; canned. In this process the flsh, after being' dressed, split into two halves along the backbone, and wiped di-y, are thor- oughly rubbed, inside and out, with an intimate mixture composed of 23 pounds of brown sugar, 25 pounds of salt and 1 pound 9 ounces of powdered saltpeter, to each 500 pounds of fish. The fish are then laid, skin side down, in tanks, and allowed to remain here from 50 to 00 hours, according to the thickness of the fish. They are then taken out of the tanks, washed and the moisture allowed to drain oft' them, after which they are cut to fit the cans, placed in same, which are then filled with a sauce made as follows: Soak % pound whole black pepper, i^; pound whole cloves and Vi; ounce bay-leaves in one gallon 00-grain vinegar for 48 hours. Two pounds of chopped onions and 3 pounds of salt are then put in a kettle with 12ii; gallons of water, brought to a boil and cooked for ?>0 minutes, after which the vinegar and spices are added, the whole mass allowed to boil one minute, after which it is removed and strained. The cans are then sealed and for Ipound cans processed for 30 minutes at 240'^' F., and for 2 ])0und cans 45 minutes at the same temperature. ^^'hile oil can be used in the cans it does not jirescnt a xcry atli-active a]i])earance in contrast with the extreme whiteness of the meat. Tomato or mustard sauce can be used. A comparatively snmll quantity of smoked halibut is packed annually in cans and jars. Fletches are used for smoking, and when needed they are removed from the kenches. washed thoroughly in fresh water with corn brooms or bristle brushes, and soaked in water for three or four hours. The water is then changed and they are again soaked for about the same length of time. This soaking is necessaiy in order to remove the coating of salt from the fish, and so soften its fiber that tlie smoke may easily penetrate the flesh. They are then water-horsed, skin side up, and with weights on top, for flve or six liours, after which they are placed on flakes similar to those used in curing codfish. Here they are exposed to the sun's action for about 24 clear daylight hours, the flsh being placed in small piles and covered with flake boxes during the night or in rainy weather. After drying the fletches are cut in small pieces, from two to six ])ieces to the fletch, with a gash in each piece where the flesh is thin and the skin appears tough. The fletches are then strung on smooth, round, hardwood sticks or small iron or steel rods, the sticks passing through the splits or gashes cut in the fletches, each piece being two or three inches fi"om the adjacent ones to pei'mit the smoke to pass freely among them. The sticks with the fletches attached are then j'assed into the smokehouse. There are a number of types of smokehouses, the descriptions of which do not come within the purview of this book. The fuel for smoking consists principally of hardwood, chi]is of oak being especially good, with sawdust to smother the flames. Smoking is usually completed in from two CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 45 to five days. lu damp weatliei- luoisluiL" collects ou the lish and the process may then require a week, while during the wiuter it is jjossible to keep the fires hotter, aud the smoking may he completed in two days. The fires must not he allowed to get too hot, for then the fietches may become too soft to hang on the sticks, (lro])i(ing to the floor. The doors are slightly open at all times to permit a circulation of air to keep the hnlihiit cool, and they will also "take the smoke" better. One hundred pounds of fietches will yield about 82 pounds smoked. The smoked halibut is then sliced in chips and packed in cans or glass jars. The containers are then sealed in vacuum and are processed for a period of from 1 1 ■_, to 2 hours (the exact time can best be determined by actual trial) in boiling water heated by steam. The cans may be cooled by spraying cold water over them after removal from the hot water, but the jars should be allowed to cool off 1.") minutes in the bath. HERRING On the Atlantic coast the herring is one of the most abundant fishes inhabiting the North Atlantic Ocean. It ranges as far south as Cajje TIatteras, but never occurs in great abundance south of Block Island, and the jirincipal fisheries are north of Cape Cod. The northernmost ])ortion of North An;erica in which the herring fishery is per- sistently and extensively followed is Newfoundland, and there are likewise more or less extensive fisheries at the Magdalene Islands and at other places on the Gulf of St. Law- rence, while from the Ray of Fundy to Cape Cod the fishing grounds are jiratically con- tinuous. On the Pacific Chipca pnlhisii is found from San Diego to the Arctic, being most abundant northward, wheie the bays and sounds are filled with them in summer. They are also to be found in these waters in lesser abundance throughout the rest of the year. In Alaska they usually sjtawn in the spring. They ai-e fattest in the fall and early winter, and reach a length of 18 inches in certain sections of Alaska. Init the average length is much less. In California the herring is taken only from December to Ajiril, when it enters the sheltered bays to spawn. Its whereabouts is not known for the balance of the year. The California herx'ing are small in size, but few of them reaching 10 inches in length. The brush weir, a primitive form of the pound, or trap, net, is the princi]>al form of appai'atus used in the Allanlic fisheries. The fish are led into a large enclosure by uuans of long leaders and wings, which usually terminate in a funnel-sliai)ed entrance. Their esca])e is ]irevented liy the extension of these wings into the enclosure, thereliy forming a triangular hook at the end of each, so that the fish, as they circle around inside the weir, are directed past the entrance. In some instances a droi), or curtain, made of netting is attached to each side of the mouth and when the fish have entered it is let down and closes the mouth of the weir. ^'^'eirs are built in the spring, from Ajiril 1 to -Tune 1. It is customary for a num- ber of men, usually from two to five, to build, own and operate a weir together in equal shares. As all i)arts of a weir are stationary it is necessary to use a seine, usualy a ])urse seine, for taking out the fish after they have been entrapped. The weir is fished at both low tides each day when the fish are running. In a few jilaces on the Atlantic coast gill nets are used for herring. The nets are always set at some distance below the surface, (iill nets are also useil sometimes in .Vlaska and California. The cork lines are alwavs at the surface. I'ur.se seines are the THE MAINE HERRING FISHERIES. 1 — Dipping tlie Young Herring into Weir Boat; 2 — A Maine Herring Weir; 3 — A Maine Herring Smokeliouse. 46 CANNING OF FISHEKY PRODUCTS 47 coiiiiiioiiest I'oiiu 1)1' apparatus used in Alaska, wliile jiurse uud haul seines ai-e used iu other sections of the I'aciflc coast. Herring were first canned in Calil'oruia in 1!)17, and the scene of operations was at Pittsburg, at the junction of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. As the product becomes better known the range of operations will doubtless be greatly extended. Owing to the smallness of the California fish, but few of them reaching 10 inches in length, they are better suited for canning than pickling. Upon arrival at the cannery the herring are put tlirougli a revolving scaler and are then dressed by hand. After a thoi'ough washing they are carried on belts through a drying chamber through which a blast of warm air is driven. This is to remove the excess moisture and to dry the surface of the fish so that they will jiresent a more pleasing appearance and also so they will not disintegrate or shrink in the can. A suitable quan- tity of oil and spice or tomato sauce is then placed in the can, after which the fish are packed heads and tails alternately. From here they pass on an endless belt through an exhaust box for from 5 to 10 minutes at a temperature of about 210° F. The covers are then crimped on and the cans run into the retort, where they are cooked for about 90 niiTiutos at a temperature of about 24.^° F. A small (piaiitity of herring are canned in Maine also, the met hod being very similar to that followed in California. Some experiments in the canning of herring have been carried out at certain salmon canneries in Alaska. One canner packed some in yo-poimd ctnis. The fish were dressed and cleaned, and then were cut down to fit the can, in whicli they were stood upright. The top was then put on loosely, after which the cans were turned over so the loose end would be on the lower side. In this condition they were run through the exhaust box, the packer claiming that by this method the excessive amount of water in the fish is drawn off and allowed to pass out, while the valuable natural oil of the fish is retained. After they leave the exhaust box the cans are reversed before they reach the double seamer. They are then processed the same as salmon. THE ALASKA-PACIFIC HERRING COMPANY'S CANNERY AT BIG PORT WALTER, ALASKA. Kippered Herring Kil)pered herring have been canned in Elaine in small quantities for some years. In l!tl(> the business began in "Alaska. In the latter section when the herring are delivered at the cannery they are spread on the floor in a thin layer and sprinkled with salt, and they remain here until such time as the dress gang is ready to clean them. In dressing ■iS CANNING OF FISHERY PRODl'CTS the fish aic placed on tables, ainiiiid which (ialher the women, who cut off the head and ienio\e the viscera. Tlie fish are then tlioron,<;hl.v cleansed by being immersed in a 60° (salomcter) brine for one to two hours. Tlr.' tish are then removed, drained and taken to the smokinjj- room, where they are hunii by the tail on sticks studded on both sides with rdws of sharpened nails, ^^'hen tilled with fish these sticlcs are ](laced side by side and tier above tier, the first one starting about seven I'eet above the Hoor of the smoke- house, where they are exposed to alderwood .smoke over night, during- which operation all KIPPERED HERRING IN OVAL CAN. the surplus moisture has been driven from the body and the natural oil commences to appear. They are then taken down and carried to the cannery where they are packed by hand in l-]iound oval cans; each can holds from five to eight fish. The cans are then sealed without the addition of any oil or dressing, and are cooked abont - hours by immersion in boiling water heated by steam pipes to a temperature of 1^12 F. In California the fish are dressed the same as for jtacking fresh, after which they are run through the dryer, then kijtpered, after which they are canned the same as fresh herring. R.MOKED riEitrtiXG One Alaska canner in preparing fish in this manner dresses the fish by splitting them down the belly and removing the entrails. They are then put in brine for 30 minutes in order that the fish may be thoroughly washed and lightlv struck. Should the tub, or tank, be well filled with fish it will he necessary to rouse them around consider- ably in order to make sure that the brine reaches all parts of the flesh. The fish are then drained until they no longer drip, when the belly is opened by the insertion cro.ss- wise of the fish of a short stick, and the herring are then hung up in the smokehou.se. The smoking lasts about two days, and cottonwood branches and hai-dwood sawdust are used in the smoking. CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 49 After being smoked a suffliMeiit leiiiilli of time tlie fish are removed, split in two halves along the backbone, the head, tail and enough of the body cut off to jierniit of the fish fitting upright into the size can used. The skin is allowed to remain on the fish as it aids in retaining the moisture of the flesh and prevents the fish from getting too di-y. In packing in the can half are put in head end down and the rest head end uj), thus filling the can more uniformly. The cover is then put on and the can exhausted iu the same niainier as a can of salmon. After being sealed the cans are processed for 45 minutes at a temperature of 245° F. Quite an important business is carried on in Maine, and occasionally at other places, in the packing of hard-smoked herring which have been skinned and boned. The fish are purchased from the smokers and then skinned, the head, viscera and backbone removed. The fish are then packed eight to twelve in small wooden boxes with glass fronts, or in glass jars. Another method is to put six bunches of a dozen fish each in neat wooden boxes. By skinning the herring and placing them together their flesh is brought in close contact, preserving their inherent moisture and flavor, this effect being further increased by placing them in a box. The best effect, however, is obtained by packing the fish in glass jars, as in these but little of the moisture in the fish will be evaporated. The fish also presents a much neater appearance in glass when offered for sale, and is more attractive to customers. MACKEREL The common mackerel (Scomher firomhriiN), one of the choicest of the world's food fishes, inliabits the North Atlantic ocean and on our coast ranges from Cape Ilatteras to the Straits of Belle Isle. The species first appears in spring off Cape Hatteras, and later reach the shores of the Middle and New England States and Canada and New- foundland, coming in from the sea from a southerly or southeasterly direction. They leave the coast in the same way in fall and winter. The mackerel is a wandering fish and its movement and the causes thereof are not fully understood. It is an abundant species on our Atlantic coast, although not so common as 30 or 40 years ago. The schools are frequently of great extent, swim at the surface or near to it, and in a rather compact body. However, periods of scarcity alternate with seasons of abundance. The migi-ition to our coast is for the i)nrpose of sjiawning, and this season extends from ]\Iay to -Inly, Jnue prolinhly being the jirincipal month. Most of the bays and sounds on the New England coast contain important spawning grounds. Prior to spawning, and for several weeks after, the mackerel are lean and poor. The mackerel feeds upon the small crustaceans and other small animals which swarm in the sea. One of the surface swimming copepods, known as "red feed," is a favorite food; when mackerel have been feeding freely on it they spoil very quickly after being caught, owing to their sides rotting or ''burning.'' The only way in which this can be avoided is by keping the mackerel alive in a corral until they have passed all the food in their stomach, when they can be killed with impunity. On our coast the vessel fishery is carried on chiefly from Gloucester. The vessels go south in the early spring, falling in with the fish when they first appear off our southern coast, and landing their catch fresh at Philadelphia and New York. The fleet next seeks the school oft' the southern shore of Nova Scotia and follows it to the Gulf of St. Law- rence. Most of the fall fishing is done on the New England shore. Some of the finest fishing vessels in the United States are engaged in this fishery, and ])urse seines are used almost exclusively. The shore and boat fishery is carried on from New Jersey to Elaine, the catch being usuallv sold fresh. 50 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS To the flslieniieu small mackerel are kuuwn as "spikes," 'iilinkers" and "tinkers." The former are the smallest caught by the commercial fishermen, they being five or six inches long and five to seven months old, or younger. Tinkers are under nine inches in length and are supposed to be about four ye.irs old. Iilinkers are intermediate in size and age. Maturity is probably attained in the fourth year. Certain of the sardine factories of JIaine can small mackerel. In dressing these fish are split down the belly and the viscera, head and tail removed. The rest of the process is exactly the same as followed in ](acking sardines. The fish are generally packed with mustard, tomato sauce or spiced vinegar, the same as sardines, and then placed in oval-shaped cans holding from 1 to 3 pounds. They are sometimes placed in fancy glass receptacles and these are sobl at high prices. A few cases are alsct prepared in the same size cans as sardines. The demand for small packages of brine-salted mackerel led some years ago to the preparation of them in tin cans. In jiacking these the better grades, usually No. L', are used. They 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 traversely in two jiieces. In packing a small (piantity of fine salt is sprinkled in the bottom of the can and the fish are carefully arranged flesh side up, except the top layer, which is placed flesh side down. A small quantity of salt is then sprinkled over the fish and the top is soldered on. The can is then completely filled with brine through a jmncture about one-third inch in diameter which is made at the side of the can, after which a tin button is soldered over this puncture and the can is cleaned and labeled for market. A barrel of mackerel will "mess" about 180 pounds, which will fill three ca.ses each containing one dozen .^-jiuund cans. This work is usually done at the salting houses. The 5 pound cans are of two shapes, each of which is about 31- inches deep : the first is round and 9 inches in diameter, the second is oval and Ci/. inches wide and !!' - inches long. In addition to the 5-pound cans, 3-pound. 4-pound and 10-pound cans are occa- sionally used. But few of these tins are now prepared owing to the scarcity of the mackerel. The Chub ou Ti.xker M.vckerel The chub or tinker mackerel (Scoiiihcr jopouicus] is found on both coasts, in the Atlantic north to Maine, and to San Francisco on our west coast, although an occasional straggler has been reported as far north as ^'ancouver Island. The species has had a very erratic career in the Atlantic. Up to about 1840 it was apparently an abundant fish, but between 1840 and ISiiO it seems to have di.sa])iieared entirely. But in 1879 a considerable school was seen at Provincetown. It again disappeared in 1880, but it is not rare at present. In early spring on the Pacific large schools come up the coast and afford good sport for anglers. They are found in varying abundance until fall, when lliey leave for some unknown resort. Their average length is about 10 inches. This species is an excellent food fish, and it is strange that so little economic use has been made of it heretofore. In 1917 the tuna canners began canning it and they have met with much encouragement in disposing of the jtack. Upon arrival at the cannery the fish are scaled, eviscerated, the head, ventral and pectoral fins with their supporting bones removed, then cut to fit cans, and the jiieces put into a 75° (salometer) brine and allowed to remain here until the blood has been extracted from the fle.sh, or about 45 minutes, after which they are lightly rinsed in fresh water. The pieces are then ]nit into the cans, care being taken to see that the cans are CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 51 jiacked ;i>< tightly as possible and slightly alu)\x' the lop to allow foi- shriiikagL' in fool- ing. This is necessary in order lliai Ihe ]iack may stand up well under long distance shipment. The cans are tlien inverted and cooked in steam at 2 to 3 pounds pressure for 4.j min- utes. After removal from tlie retort tlie cans are allowed to drain 30 minutes or longer. The cans are then reversed and the pieces of backbone removed. This malves practically a lioneless product and adds much to its value at hut little cost. One-third to one-half fluid ounce of cottonseed or corn oil is then added. The cans are then ex- hatisted for about 10 minutes at 1'12- F.. sealed, and processed lio hours at l!10^ F., or 2 hours at 230° F. Some cauuers pack in a bouillon. In this method the head and trimmings should be saved. In making the bouillon Kl gallons of the waslied heads and trimmings should be placed in a soup kettle; to which add 12 gallons of cold water, 2 jtounds ehoi)ped onions, a bunch of parsley, 1 pound of chopped carrots, i- pound whole juniper lierries, % pound ground white peppei", 2 ounces ground red pepper. Uring to a l)oil then simmer gently one or two hours. The li(|uid should then be strained and 3 per cent, of salt added, when it is ready to be potired in the cans with the tisli, in i)lace of oil, after which the cans are handled the same as described ab()ve. excejit thai they do not have to be exhausted if the bouillon is put in the can hot. Quite small mackerel are obtained in considerable (luantities, and these are prepared in the same manner as sardines, and packed either in oil, mustard or tomato sauce. MICNHADEN THE MENHADEN (Brcvoortia ti/rannus). The menhaden (Brcvoortia fi/rdiiinis) o-curs on our Atlaiit ic coast fi-oni Xova Scotia to Brazil, and is by far the most abundant tish on our eastern coast. The migrations of this species appear to be largely dependent u])on the temperature of the water, a temperature of above 51° F. being most favorable to them. They first appear in Chesa- peake Bay in the early spring; on the coast of New Jersey in April and early May; on the coast of New England in late April and May; off Cape Ann about the middle of May, and in the Gulf of Maine in the latter part of May and the first of June. Return- ing, they leave Maine late in September or October; Massachusetts in October, Novem- ber and sometimes Decemb'er; Long Island Sound and vicinty in Novend)er and Decem- ber; Chesapeake Bay in I>ecend)er, and Cape Hatteras in January. Farther to the south CANNING OP FISHERY PRODUCTS they appear to leiiiaiii more or less constantly tlirdiigboiit the year. The winter habitat of the northern schools is unknown. The menhaden swim in immense schools, their heads close to the snrface, packed side by side, and ol'ten tier above tier, almost as closely as sardines in a box. A gentle ripple indicates their position, and this may be seen at a distance of nearly a mile by the lookout at the masthead of a tisliinji' vessel, and is of great assistance to tlie purse- seiners in setting their nets. At the slightest alarm the school sinks toward the bottom, often escaping its pursuers. Their movements are very capricious. The chief importance of the menhaden is as an oil and fertilizer producer. The animal is exceedingly oily, and large factories are maintained solely for the extraction of the oil from it, and the use of the residue as fertilizer or fish meal. At one time large quantities of menhaden were canned for food; in 1S74 the produc- tion was about 50(1,000 cases. During this ]i(M'iod they bore various ticlitimis names, such as ''sea trout," "ocean mackerel" and '■bliieback mackerel," ■'shadine," "Auierican Club-fish," and "ocean trout." Jlost of the iiroducing jilants were near Port Monmouth, N. J., while several of the Elaine canneries have jiacked them at (inies. (4oode in his "His- tory of the Auierican ^Menhaden," (page 1:57) gives the following description of the methods in use at one of these iilants: "We aim to have our catch of moss-bunkers in by or 7 o'clock a.m., as the fish seem to be strongly impregnated with phosphorus and soon spoil in warm weather. As soon as the fish are landed, we jiut our entire force of men to cleaning, cutting and scaling, for which we have machines adajjted. AVlien the fish are cleaned they are at once ])ut in hogsheads and salted just sufficiently to keep and to remove their extreme freshness. They are then packed in cooking cans, which are a little larger than the jtacking cans, and i)ut into the tanks, where they are steamed for the sjtace of about two hours. After the fish are taken out they are placed in the regular market cans, which are then laid upon zinc-covered tables, where they are filled with salad oil. They then go to the tin- ners, who solder on the lids, after which the can is again steamed and vented, and passed up into the cleaning and labeling rooui. Each day's work is piled up separately, each can being thoroughly tested to see that it is perfectl.y aii'tight. For this we have an experienced hand. At the expiration of this time, after being again tested, the cans are packed in wooden cases containing two dozen each, and are then ready for market. . ." On pages 138-1.'{!) he gives another description of the i)rocess : Mr. Barnet Phillijis describes, in the New York Times, a visit to the "Ocean trout" manufactory at Port Monmouth. He writes: "If the name of the sidmonUhir be taken a little in vain, the trout manufactured out of moss-bunkers are by no means to be despised. 'Ocean trout' may not be the (/(irinii cooked with Tragasoean salt, but it is a fair fish-food and as an alimentary substance is in good demand. The process of manufacture is simple. The fresh fish are scaled by machinery, by means of a revolving wheel, are then cooked in steam, packed into boxes, which boxes have a cover put on them perforated with a couple of holes. The box containing only the fish is then jilunged into a bath of pickle, where it remains until it fills itself, then the box, now full of fish and pickle, goes through a second cooking, ^'\'hen all hot, filled with steam, the two minute holes are closed with solder, a label is i)ut on, and the moss bunker, now nieta- mor]>hosed into 'ocean trout.' instead of being turned into oil ov being employed as a top dressing for sterile soil. . From the above descrijitinns the modern canner can easily work out the jirocess necessary for ]iackiiig the lish in the modern sanitary can. CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 53 Iiiimatiire uienluuleu can lie iiix'icned in the same manner as sardines, this having been done quite extensively in the early TO's. The writer has eaten this fish canned and found it excellent, and there is no doubt that there would continue to be a big demand for it were it possible to use the old trade names under which it formerly nuis(iueruded. Unfortunately, the consuming public associates the name menhaden with the oil and fertilizer obtained from the great bulk of the catch. As the lish has been blessed (?) with a large array of common names this handicap might be overcome by taking one of these. North of Cape Cod the name "Porgy" is almost universally in use. About Cape Ann "Hardhead shad" is in use, while in New York it is known as the "Moss-bunker." In Delaware Ray, the Potomac and the Chesapeake, among other names we find "rilcher" and "Green-tail." From North Caro- lina to Florida "Fat-back," referring to the oiliness of "the flesh, prevails. MULLET '•f"!^ THE STRIPED MULLET (Muciil reijhalus). The striped mullet iMin/il (■ciilnilns] is found on the Atlantic coast from Cape Cod to Brazil, being exceedingly abundant along our South Atlantic and Gulf coasts. On the Pacitic coast it occurs from Monterey to Chile. It is also found on the coasts of southern Europe and northern Africa. It goes in great schools and is everywhere abun- dant in bays, lagoons and sheltered waters. It averages about one foot in length and one i)Ound in weight, but sometimes reaches a weight of from 4 to 5 pounds and a length of 2 feet. The white mullet (M. ciircmd) occurs from Cape Cod to Brazil on our Atlantic coast. It is abundant, especially in the tropics, and entei's the sea more freely than the striped mullet, next to which it is the most important food .species of the family in our waters. The mullet catch of this country in 1908 amounted to .33,703,000 pounds, of which 24,582,000 pounds were taken from Florida waters. The next most important section was Nortli Carolina, where 5,070,000 pounds were taken. In Florida the bulk of the catch is made on the west coast between the Punta Gorda region and Apalachicola, the fish literally swarming in all suitable places. The catch on the California coast in 1917 amounted to 61,328 pounds. ^Mullets are caught in haul seines, gill nets, cast nets, pound nets, etc. Gill nets are the most productive. 54 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS Large nuiiiber.s are salted for local use or shipiiieiit, hut the hulk of the catch is packed in ice for shipment to northern towns and cities. There are no particular obstacles, so far as kiiowTi, in the way of canning mullet, and as the raw material would he both abundant and cheap, the only difficulty would be in finding a market for the product, and this ought not to be very difficult of accom- plishment. The fish should be scaled, the gills removed, the belly slit down to the vent and the entrails removed, and the body then cut to can lengths. The pieces should then be washed off in clean water and covered with a sufficient quantity of 50° (salometer) brine, in which they should be allowed to soak for one or two hours, according to the thickness of the fish, or until all the blood is extracted ; the brine should be fresh made each time. The fish should then be placed in the cans, and the latter filled with brine made by dissolving 3 pounds of salt in each 12U gallons of water. The top should then be put on loosely and the can exhausted 10 minutes at lMl'° F., then sealed and pro- cessed about ()0 minutes, the first 50 minutes at about l.'40 F., and the last 10 minutes at about 250° F. It should he understood that the above are merely suggestions as to the proper process, and that exact methods will have to be woj'ked out by experiment. I'ADDLEFTSn OR SPOONBILL CAT The ]»addletish, or spoonbill cat {Polijuiloii sjiutluihn, is ])robal)ly the most singular looking fish found in our waters. It is a sculeless fish, with a body very much like the shark, with a lowbrowed, armor-plated head that runs forward into a broad, thin ''l)addle'" of bone, constituting one-third the length of the entire fish. Its home is in the bayous and lowland streams and lakes of the Jfississip])! ^'alley, and here this remark- able instrument is doubtless used in turning u]i the mud at the bottom of the waters in which it lives, in searching for food. It reaches a great size and weight, s[)ecimens G feet 2 inches in length and weighing 1221 ^ pounds being known, all hough the average is more nearly around 'M) pounds. The species was considered worthless from a food standpoint until aifout 20 years ago, when the sturgeon fishermen who were seeking a substitute for sturgeon eggs in making caviar, the latter having become quite scarce through excessive fishing, discovei-ed that the eggs of the jiaddleflsh very much resembled sturgeon eggs both in apjiearance and flavor, also that the Hesh made a very good substitute for sturgeon flesh. Since then an imjjortant fishery has been prosecuted for the species and much ticsh and consider- able quantities of eggs have been prepared and marketed each season. The fiesh is pre- pared in the same manner as sturgeon flesh and the same method of canning can be fol- lowed. The fish is caught usually with set line; nr in haul seines. PIKELIKE FISHES In our fresh waters are to he found a number of s])ecies of fishes, some of which are true pikes, while the others resemble pikes. These are nearly all excellent food fishes, and some of them are very important commercially. They are all good for canning and have been grouped together under one heading for convenience. The conuiKin pike or ])ickerel (Eao.r liirinx) is the most wid(My distributeil and most im])ortant species of the family. It is found in all suitable fresh waters of northern North America, Europe and Asia. On this continent it is found from New York and the CANNING OF FISHERY PRODFCTS 55 Ohio Kiver northward. It is not found on tlie Pacific coast except in Alaslca. In the small lakes of the upper Mississijuti \'aller, and in the Oreat Lakes, it is generally com- mon. It is a common fish in Canada. It readies a length of 4 feet and a weight of 4t) jionnds or more. THE EASTERN PICKEREL (Eso.r n'ti( ulatis) . The common eastern |(ickerel or jack iExo.r rrticitlafift) is found from Maine to Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas and Tennessee, common everywhere east and south of the Alleghanies. It is a common and familiar inhahitant of nearly every lake and pond in New England, New York, New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. It is also found in the lakes of eastern Canada. This species attains a length of i.' feet and a weight of several pounds. It is fished for in all sorts of ways. In winter many are taken through the ice hy using live minnow halt. Its Hesh is firm and flaky and ]iossesses a pleasant The total quantity of ])ike and iiickerei taken in the waters of the Lnited States hy commercial fishenneu in IDdS amounted to 2,9o9,(M)() pounds, 2,142,(1(10 pounds of which came from the Great Lakes. Pound nets, seines, fyke and hoop nets and gill nets take the bulk of the catch. Ohio fishermen operating niainly in Lake Erie, took 1,118,000 pounds, while those of Michigan and Minnesota caught 478,000 jiounds and 351,000 respectively. In 1916-17 the Canadian fishermen marketed 10, .142, 800 pounds of pickerel, with the prospect of very large increase as means of transportation to its many inland lakes are developed. These came mainly from Jfanitoha, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Quebec. MrsKAi.i.fxoE The muskallunge or maskinonge ( hJxo.r iiKisqiiinoiirii/) is native to all the Great Lakes, the upjier St. Lawrence River, certain streams and lakes tributary to the Great Lakes, and in a few lakes in the u])jier ^lississippi ^'alley. It also occurs in Canada north of the Great Lakes, also in Manitoba. It is not very abundant anywhere. The Chautauqua muskallunge (E. oh'onisis) is found in Chautan(pm Lake and the Ohio basin. It is quite abundant in the lake, where it is taken by trolling. It is said to reach a length of o feet. The total catch of muskallunge in the I'nited States in 1008 amounter. to 250,000 |)ounds, while the catch in Canada during the year 191(j-17 ainditiilcd lo 9, :!()() jionnds. Piki:-Pi:rciies The wall eyed i)ike or jiike perch { Stizostcdinii ritrnmn. while not related to the pikes in any way, has a body resembling that of the pikes, and is frequently found in 56 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS coin]i;m,v with them, and could he canned in the ^anie way. This species has a wide dis- ti'ihnlion. It is tonnd lioni l^ake Chaniplain westward throughout the (ireat Lakes i-egion and to Assiniboia. It is native also to the small lakes of New York and the Sus- quehanna and Juniata Rivers, east of the Alleghanies, where it is known as jack salmon. In the Mississippi Valley it occurs in many of the larger streams and small lakes as far THE WALL-EYED PIKE ( Stizostedion vitnum). south as (ieorgia and A-lahama, where it is known as salmon. In Canada, besides the Great Lakes region, it is found in the Hudson Itay region and Labrador. It is prefer- ably a lish of the lakes, and it reaches its greatest abundance in the (ireat Lakes, par- ticularly in Lake Erie. In Lakes Erie and Ontario is found the blue i)ike, supposed by fishermen to be a distinct species, but which is really the young of the wall-eyed pike. The species ranges greatly in size, the maximum length being about 3 feet and the maximum weight about 25 pounds. The average is very much less. The flesh is firm, flaky and white, and of delicious flavor. The Sanger, or sand jdke i N. (■(iiKidciisr), is found from the St. Lawrence westward through the Great Lakes and in the Mississipj)! ^'alley west to ^Montana and south to Tennessee and Arkansas. It is especially abundant northward, in the St. Lawrence and the (irea',: Lakes. In Canada, besides the Great Lakes, it is found in waters of Manitoba and perhaps Saskatchewan. The sauger is a much smaller fish than the wall-eyed pike, its length seldom exceeding a foot or 18 inches, and its weight a pound or two. The catch of pike-])erches in the T'nited States in 1!)()S amounted to 1.5,247,000 pounds. Of the total amount, IT), 115, 000 pounds were taken in the (ireat Lakes. Over half of the total catch was taken by the Ohio fishermen ojierating in Lake Erie. The fish are taken princii)ally in gill nets an.d pound nets. In Canada during the year IDKMT the catch amounted to 7,39!),3(I0 pounds, mostly from Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Quebec. Can N En To can these fishes they should be scaled, the gills taken out, the fish split down the belly to the vent and the entrails removed, the fins cut off' and the fish cut to the length of the can to be used. Wash the i)ieces in clean fresh water, and then place in a iuh or tank and cover over with a quantity of 50° (salometer) brine, made fresh each time, in which one-half to one per cent, of alum has been dissolved (the flesh of freshwater fishes is generally softer than that of saltwater sjiecies, and the alum is for the purpose of hai-dening the flesh) and soak until all the blood has been extracted, which usually CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 57 requires Iroiii one to two hours. The fish are then placed in the can, which is filled with hrine (;_! pounds of salt to 12V-; gallons of water), or some sauce, the top put on loosely, exhausted 10 minutes at 212° F., the top then sealed, and the cans processed about 53 minutes at about 245° F. Smoked and Canned These fishes are excellent smoked and then canned. In this event the fish should be split down the belly and the entrails removed, the fins cut oft', but the head allowed to remain on. They are then washed thoroughly and packed in tubs, about four- pounds of fine salt to 100 jiounds of fish scattered among them, and sufficient brine of 90^ salinity to cover them. From one-half to one per cent, of alum should be added to the brine for the purpose of hardening the flesh. Either dry salt or brine alone may be used, the former being jireferred in warm weather and the latter during the winter. In case brine alone is iised, some dry salt should be placed on top to strengthen the weak ])ickle fioating at the surface. After remaining in the pickle for several hours, depending upon the strength of the pickle and the flavor desired, the fish are removed and strung on smoke rods, the rods passing in at the right gill opening and out at the mouth. Several other appliances for holding the flsli may be, employed, if desired. If it is desired to have the fish well smoked on the inside, small wooden sticks should l)e used to keeji the abdominal cavity stretched open. Unless they have been riused before stringing, the strung fish are dijiped in fresh water to clean them, drained and suspended in the smokehouse four to eight feet aI)ove the Hoor, and subjected to a gentle smoke for four or five hours. The door or damper is then clo.sed, the fires spread or built uj) and the fish cooked for one or two hours, acc(u-d- ing to the amount of fire, the height of the fish and tli(> particular cure desired. After cooling, which is accomplished either by opening I he doors of the smokehouse or by remov- ing the fish to the outside, the head is cut oft', tiie fish cut in lengths to fit the can, placed in same dry. and the tops sealed on. The,v are then exhausted Id minutes at 212" F., and processed at 240° F., 1-pound ciins 30 minutes. 2-])ound cans l.T minutes. Some canuers fill the interstices of the can with either brine, oil or sauce. PINTADO AND CA^'ALLA In the neighborhood of Key West are found two species of fish, the iiintado (Sront- bcroiiiorHf: rri/iiHx) and the cavalla, or kingfish (»S'. cdnilhi'', which closely resemble each other, and are near lelatives of the Spanish mackerel. The pintado is found from Cape Cod to Jjrazil, but is not common anywhere excejit about Florida and Cuba. It grows to 5 or feet in length, 20 (tounds or more in weight, and is an excellent food fish. It is most abundiint around south Florida and is caught by trolling. The cavalla is a fish of the tropical seas, often coming in immense numbers to the coasts of Florida and the Carolinas. It is common on our South Atlantic coast and among the Florida keys; it is one of the most important food fishes in the Key West markets. It usually appears in Novendjer and remains until April, during which time it is caught by trolling. As a food fish it takes a very high rank, the flesh being firm and of excellent flavor. The cavalla reaches a length of 5 feet and a weight of 100 pounds, while examples weighing 40 to 50 pounds are not rare. The average size, however, of those taken about Ke.v West is only about 10 jiounds. or perhaps even less. In 1008 the fishermen caught 1.5f)4,0()|[) pounds of cavalla, of which 1.435.000 pounds were taken in Florida. This does not begin to represent the possiliilities of the fishery as the market at that time for the fish in a fresh condition was verv linuted. 58 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS Neither of these fishes have beeu canned fur market as yet. It probably would be a comparatively simple matter to so preserve, and would sujjgest the following trial method, which may be altered as expei'ience indicates is necessary. The fish should be scaled and dressed, the head and tail removed, and the body cut into lengths to fit the cans, and Ihoronghly washed off in clean water. The pieces should then be covered with a (JU isalometei-i biine and soaked until all the blood is extracted, usually one or two hours, according to the thickness of the fish. This brine should not be used the second time. The pieces should then be put into the cans, \\ith 14 ounce of salt, and if the sanitary can is used, the top should be put on loosely and Ihe cans run through the exhaust box for 10 or l.j minutes at 212^ F., the top then sealed on and the fish processed in the retort for 90 minutes at 240° F., after which they should be removed from the retort and placed in the cooling bath. It undoubtedly would improve the flavor of both fishes if they were lightly smoked before canning. ' KE1> SNAI'PER THE RED SNAPPER (Lutianus uija). The red snapper (Lutianus ai/o) is undoubtedly the handsomest of all our food fishes, being a brilliant red in color, and in addition is one of the most important economic fishes of the United States. Its range extends from Long Island to Urazil, but the center of abundance is in the Oulf of Mexico, in rather deep water on the rocky banks off the coasts of Cami)eche and Yucatan. It is fairly abundant off the east coast of Florida and the coast of Georgia. The bulk of the fishery is centered at I'ensaeola, from whence a con- siderable fleet sails to the banks. A few vessels also have headqnai-ters at Mobile, New Orleans, and Galveston. The red sna])per reaches a length of 2 to :> feet and a weight of 10 to 3~^ pounds. They are caught with hand lines alone, and these are worked from the deck of the vessel, the latter being ci I her ancluired on the bank or else allowed to drift broadside across it. CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 59 111 I'.illS the eateli of red suapjiers aiiiotiiiieil lo i:!.4'.is,(l(i(i jkhhhIs, \ allied at |()30,- (10(1. Tlie lislierv was confined to Florida. Alabama, Texas, (ieorgia and South Carolina, their importance being- in the order named. At tlie present time practically all ol' the red snajijters are marketed in a fresh con- dition, but a few experiments have lieen undertaken looking- toward the canning of the surplus. A plant established 1o handle this species could also handle groujiers, wliich frequent the same banks, and unlimited (jnantities of which could be brought in by the red snapper fishermen. Tlie following method wduld probably lie found suitable for this sjiecies: The fish should be scaled, eviscerated and the head removed. It should then be put in a (]0° (salometer) brine and left here until all the blood has been extracted. The brine should be made fresh each time. The fish should then be cut into can sizes and packed in the receptacles with 14 ounce of salt added, the tops put on loosely, and the cans exhausted for from 10 to 17 minutes at 210° F. The tops should then be sealed tightly and the cans processed from 100 to 120 minutes at 2-1:0° F., or a little shorter time if the temperature is at 215- F. It is possible that both the red sna]t]ier and grouper could be kipjiered before being canned. ROCKFISHES On our Pacific coast is found a gronj) of fishes, of the geuus Sebastodes, the members of which are commonly known as i-ed rin-kfish, red rock cod, orange red rockfish, yellow- backed rockfish, Sitka ■black bass," which is steadily increasing- in popularity. Nearly all are to be found in abundaiici' fro:ii Alaska to Lower California. They range fairly large in size, some of them attaining a length of nearly 3 feet and a weight of many jiounds. They are caught at juesent mainly with hook and line, but the otter trawl could be lised with much effect as the fish are bottom feeders. At iiresent the sn]i]>ly is far in excess of the demand, and it is jiossible a market might be created for them in a canned condition. The ttesh is white and flaky, and it ought to be jiossible to can them by the same ]u-ocess as followed in canning red snapper. SALMON One of the most important Ihings for the canner^iiien to knu\\- is wlicie and \\-lien the ditt'erent species of salmon are to be found. As each species forms a difi'erent grade, the value of which vary much in the markets, and as they do not all a|)iiear in the same abundance or all run togellier in the same waters, the caniiei- who w jslicd to jiack a cer- tain grade would naturally select a location along the waters in which that s]icries was most abundant. Five species of salmon i Oiicorlniiiclius 1 are found in the waters of the North Pacific, ranging northwaid from Monterey Pay on the .\merican coast and Japan on the Asiatic, the extreme northern distribution of certain of the species having not yet been accui-ately determined. The five species are: (1) Oncnrln/iir-liiif! tschairytficha. quinnat, tyee, Chi- nook, spring or king salmon; (2) Onrnrhi/iichitfi iicrl-a. blueback, red, sukkegli or sockeye salmon; (?>) Oncorhi/iichiis l-isiitch, siWver, coho or white salmon; (4) OiicorhjiHchus gor- bu.^ch'i, humpback or pink salmon; (5) Oncorhi/nchiis leta, dog or chum salmon. In addition the steelhead trout {Sdliiin r/airdiicri) is classed as a salmun by the commercial fishermen. < X m < o « Z o <; tn O 2 < m CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 61 Chinook, Quinnat or King Salmon The largest, best known and most valuable of these is the chinook or king salmon (0. tschaicijtschu)- It is found throughout the region from the ^'entura River, Calif., to Norton Sound, Alaska, and on the Asiatic coast as far south as Northern China. As knowledge extends, it will probably be recorded in the Arctic. In the spring the Ijody is silvery, the back, dorsal fin and caudal tin having more or less of round black spots, and the sides of the head having a peculiar tin-colored metallic luster. In the fall the color is, in some places, black or dirty red. The flsh has an average weight of about 2l! ])ouiuls, but individuals weighing 7(1 to over 100 pounds are occasionally taken. The Southeasi Alaska tish average as high as i';'. ])(iun(ls in certain seasons, followed by an average of about 2- jxiunds in the Cdlumbia Kiver, and about 1(1 ]iounds in the Sacramento. In most places the flesh is of a dee]) salmon led, but in cerlain places, notably South- east Alaska, Bristol Bay, Paget Sound and British Columbia, many of the fish, the pro- portion being sometimes as much as one-third of the catch, have white flesh. A few examples have been taken with one side of the body red and the other white, while some are found with mottled flesh. No reasonable explanation of this phenomenon has yet been given. In its southern range llie i|uinnat strikes in at ^Monterey Bay in suflicient numbers to justify commeicial Ashing nlionf llie middle of April, where it is seen feeding upon the inshore moving schools of herring and sardines, continuing until in August. There are two runs of spawning flsh in the Sacramento, the flrst or '■spring run" beginning in April and continuing throughout May and June, these fish spawning mainly in the cold tributaries of the Sacramento, such as the ^IcCloud and Fall Rivers. The second or "fall run" occurs in August, Sei)tend)er and October, and these fish sjiawn in the riffles in the main river between Tehama and Redding, also entering the tributaries in that vicinity. The two runs merge into each other. It is claimed that there is a tliii-d run which comes in December. The Eel and Mad Rivers of Xorthein California have only a late or fall run, while the Klamath River has both a spring and a fall run, and Smith River has a sjiring run alone. Rogue River in Oregon has a spring and a fall run, and the Fmp(|ua and several other coast streams of Oregon have small early runs. The Columbia River has three runs, the flrst entering during January, February and March, and si)awning mainly in the Clackamas and neighboring streams. The .second, which is the best run, enters during May, June and part of July, spawning mainly in the headwaters. The third run occurs during late July, August, Septendier and part of October, and spawns in the tributaries of the lower Columbia. In Puget Sound chinook salmon are found throughout the year, ailliongh it is only during the spawning .season that they are vei-y abundant. In the Eraser River, a tribu- tary of the sound, the run occurs from March to August. In the Skeena River, British Columbia, the run occurs from May to July, the same being approximately true of the Nass also. In Southeast Alaska they are found all the months of the year. From March to the middle of June they are abundant and feeding in the numerous straits and sounds ; in ilay and June the spawning fish enter the Cnuk, Stikine, Taku, Chilkat, Alsek and Copper Rivers in large numbers, and in a few smaller streams in lesser abundance. In August, Sei)tember and October they are again to be found in large nund)ers feeding in the bays and sounds, while during the winter months a few have been taken on trawls set for halibut, showing that they are living in the lower depths at this time. 62 •CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS FT" CANNING OF FISHERY PEODUCTS 63 In Cook Inlet the run ocoui-.s during May and June and is composed whollj' of red- meated fish; in the rivers of Bristol Bay the run comes in June, and the same is true of the Togiak. Kuskokwim and Yukon Rivers, although flsh may be seen in the upper courses of the Ynkon in July, the lateness here being due to the immense distance the flsh have to go. On the Asiatic side the Chinook is found in some of the rivers of Siberia. Owing to their special suitability most of the chinooks are now marketed in either a fresh, frozen or mild-cured condition. The principal canning is done on the Columbia River and along the Oregon and California coasts. A few are canned along the rest of the coast, but the price obtained for the canned product is, under normal conditions, so low that the canners find it almost impossible to compete with the fresh fish buyers and mild curers. But very few white-meated kings are canned now. As it is a difficult mat- ter to dispose of these in any other condition except at a greatly reduced price, it is to be hoped that the market for them canned will be expanded, thus furnishing a much needed profitable outlet for them. SOCKEYE, BlUEBACK OR ReD SALMON The sockeye, red or bluehack salmonCO. iirrka). which forms the greatest part of the canned salmon of the world, when it first comes in from the sea, is a clear bright blue above in color, silvery below. Soon after entering the river for the purpose of spawning, the color of the head changes to a rich olive, the back and sides to crimson and finally to a daik blood red. and the belly to a dirty white. The maximum weight is about 12 I)ounds, and length o feet, with the average weight about .") jiounds, varying greatly, however, in dift'erent localities. A run of small, or dwarf, males accompanies certain of the main runs, these being especially noticeable in the Chigiiik lagoon, Alaska, run. This species usually enters streams with accessible lakes in their courses. A few specimens of the socke.ye have been taken as far south as the Sacramento River. In Humboldt county, California, small runs are said to occur in Mad and Eel Rivers. Only an occasional specimen appears in the coastal streams of Oregon. The Columbia is the most southern river in which this species is known (o run in any numbers, entering the river with the spring run of chinooks. From here south the species is called blueback exclusively. A considerable run enters the Quinniault River, Washington, and there is also a small run in Ozette Lake, just south of Cape Flattery. In the Puget Sound region, where it is known as the sockeye, this species ascends only the Skagit River in commercial numbers, although a small run appears in the Lake Washington system of lakes and, possibly, in the Snohomish, Sdllaguaniish and Nook- sack Rivers. The greatest of all the sockeye streams was the Fraser River, British Columbia, and this stream was famous from very early days for its enormous runs of this S])ecies, a peculiar feature of which is that there is a marked quadriennial periodicity in the run. The maximum occurs the year following leap year, the minimum on the year following that. The greater part of the catch of the Puget Sound fishermen is made from this run as it is passing through Washington waters on its way to the Fraser. The fish strike in during July and August on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island, a]iparently coming from the open sea to the northwest. They pass the Straits of Juan de Fuca, Rosario and Georgia, spending considerable time in the passage and about the mouth of the river. Small nnml)ers run as early as ]\Iay and as late as October, but the main body enters about the first week in August. The run has of recent years dwindled until it is now but a fraction of its former size. 64 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS The sockeye occurs in most of the coastal streams of British Columbia, and is usually the most abundant species. The principal waters frequented are the Skeena, Rivers Inlet, Nass, Lowe Inlet, Dean Channel, Nanui Harbor, ISella Coola, Smith Inlet, Alei't Bay and Alberni Canal. In Alaska, where this fish is genei-ally known as the red salmon, it is abundant and runs in great numbers in all suitable streams, of which, in Southeast Alaska, the follow- ing are the most important: Boca de Quadra, Naha, Yes Bay, Thorne Bay, Karta Bay, Nowisky Bay, Peter Johnson, Hessa, Hetta, Hunter Bay, Klawak, Kedflsh Bay. Stikine, Taku, Chilkoot, Chilkat, Alsek, Seetuck, Ankow, etc. ; in Central Alaska, Copper, Knik, Kenai, Sushitna, Afognak, Karluk, Alitak, Chignik; in the Bristol Bay region, the Cga- shik, Ugaguk, Naknek, Kvichak, Nushagak and Wood. It is also supposed to occur in the Togiak, Kuskokwim and Yukon Rivers, which debouch into P.ering Sea, and probably occurs in the Arctic streams of Alaska. The run in Alaska begins usually in June and extends usually to the middle of August. It begins earlier in Prince William Smmd, and sometimes extends into September in Southeast Alaska. On the Asiatic side the species is known to occur at Bering Island and in all suit- able streams south to Japan, where it is found land-locked in Lake Akan, in Northern Hokkaido. This sj)ecies is the most abundant from a canning standpoint. Its value, however, varies considerably with the geographical location of the cannery. Under the designa- tion (if blueback it was formerly abundant in the Columbia River, but in recent years the pack, except in a couple of years, has been quite small, and has ceased to be a factor in the markets. The common designation for tliis species in Puget Sound and British Columbia is sockeye, and under this name the pack is marketed at a considerably higher figure tlian the same species when paclced in Alaska and called red salmon. Some can- ners claim that the Puget Sound and Fraser River sockeye contains more oil than the Alaska red, and while this may be true, it is extremely unlikely that it would be true also with res])ect to the sockeyes running in the other streams of British Columbia, especially those in the northern portion. By far the greater i)art of the total pack of this species is made in Alaska. The flesh is a deep red, and it retains this color wlien canned, and this, with the comjiaratively large quantity of oil found in its tissues, makes it sjiecially valuable for this ])nr])ose. The bulk of our foreign exports is composed of this species. The packer rarely ever has any difflcnlty in disposing of his jtack of this species at remunerative figures. Sii.vici! <)i; ilEDir.M Reii Salmon* Tlie siher, silverside, medium red or coho salmon ( O. l-isittdi ) is silvery in spring, greenish on the njiper jiarts, where there are a few IninI black spots. In the fall the males are mostly of a dirty red. The flesh in this species is of excellent flavor, but jialer in color than tlie red salmon, and hence less (nlued for canning purjioses. This species has a maximum weight of about :j(l pounds, ^^•ith a gcnei-al average of about pounds. The silver salmon is found as far south as Monterey Bay, where it apjiears diiring the month of July and is taken by the trollers. From Eel River, in ("alil'ornia, north, it is found in most of the coastal streams. It usually appears in July and runs as late as November, the time of appearance and disap])earanee varying somewhat in dift'erent sec- tions. Owing to its late appearance comparatively few, and they usually in the early part of the season, are packed by the canneries, most of wliic h shut down in July and CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 65 August. This fish also tan-ies but a short time about the uiouth of the sti'eaui it is to euter, and is wary of nets, which makes it ralher unprofitable to fish for the latter part of the season when it is running alone. On the Asiatic side the coho ranges down the coast to Japan. This species, owing to its lighter color wlu'ii canned, does not command as good a price as 0. nerka. and is not in as good demand, as a result of which, and for other reasons noted above, the yearly pack is comi)aratively small. HuJii'P.-\rK OR Pink Salmon The humpback or pink salmon (O. (/oihiiKcJia \, is the smallest of the American species, weighing from '.i to 11 ])ounds, the average being about 4 ]iounds. In color it is bluish above, silvery below, tiie posterior and upper ]iarls w lib many round black spots, the caudal flu always having a few black sjiots, oblong in shape. The males in fall are dirty red and are very much distorted in shape, a decided bumii ai)pearing on the back, from which deformity the s])efies acquires its name. The Hesh is softer than in the other species; it is pale in color, hence its canned name, "pink" salmon. The southern limit of the fish is the Sacr;nuento River, but only occasional specimens are found here and in the rivers northward until Puget Sound is reached. Hei'e a large run ajipears every other year, the only place on the coast where such is the case. The humpback occurs in varying abundance in the waters of British Columbia, but it is in the waters of Southeast Alaska that it appears in its greatest abundance. Many of the canneries in this region depend mainly upon the humpback for their season's pack, and the canned product now occupies an excellent position in the markets of the world. The fish spawn in nearly all of the small, short streams. In Central and Western Alaska the runs are much smaller and the hum]iback is not much sought after by the cannery men, who are usually able to fill their cans with the more vahiable species. On the Asiatic side it is found in Ihe rivers of Siberia (abundaiil in the Annul, but not in Japan. In Southeast Alaska the run begins in June and continues until Se])tend)er, or even later in some places. In \A'estern Alaska the period is somewhat shorter. In Puget Sound it continues until late in the fall. This is the second most abundant sjiecies from a canning stand])oint, and owing to its great abundance it will ultiinalely atlain to first place as the more valuable species are rcduceil in numbers by excessix'e fishing. I>o(i oii CiiiM Salmon The dog or chum salmon {<). Icta) reaches a maximum weight of 1(> pounds, the average being about 8 jionnds. When it first appears along the coast it is dirty silvery, immaculate or sprinkled wilh small black specks, the fins dusky, the sides with faint traces of gridiron-like bars. Later in the season the male is brick red or blackish, and its jaws are greatly distorted. Its flesh is quite pale, especially when canned, when also it is mushy in texture. It is especially good for freezing, salting and smoking. This species has a wide distribution. It is found as far south as San Francisco, but it is not utilized commercially in California except on Eel River. It is found in most of the coastal streams from here north, being es]»ecially abundant from Puget Sound north- ward to Southeast Alaska, both inclusive. In this region it is being utilized in greater numbers each vear, as the markel for it widens. 66 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS lu Central, Western and Aretie Alaska, the species ofcnis in vaiving ahnnilanee, but is utilized siiarinjily, except l)y the natives, witli wIkhu it is the favorite species dried for winter food. This is tlie most abundant species of salmon in Ja|)an. where it is called salce, and large quantities are dry-salted each year. In Siberia the s])ecies is abundant and is known as kaita or kita. The run of dog salmon comes later than that ol' any other species excejit the coho. In Alaska it begins in .lune, lint the height of the .season does not occur until late in August or early in Sejitember, and fish are found as late as November. In I'uget Sound the.v run from about the middle of August until late in N(»vember, and practically the same is true in the Columbia River. The pack of this species varies greatl.v, dejiending mainly ujton the demand. If the price is remunerative a large pack can be made as the species runs for a longer period than any othei*. ' Handling the Fish The ]irime requisite in this business is to so locate the cannery that it will be within convenient distance of the fishing grounds, thus reducing to a niininium the distance the fish have to be trans]iorted. This will make ]iossible the jiacking of an almost abso- lutely Iresh jiroduct and will also cut down expenses vei-y materially, as the trans])ortn- tion of the raw product from the fishing grounds to the cannery forms a large item even to the best situated canneries. At convenient s](ots near the fishing grounds large scows and lighters are anchored and the fishing crews deliver their catches aboard these, the tallyman on each scow keep- ing a record and giving the crew a receipt. ^len fishing near the cannery delivei' their catch alongside. Steamers and launches are used to tow out empty scows and liring in those filled. In the old days the fish were pitched liy hand into bins on the wharves, but this laboi-ious method has been superseded by the use of an elevator, which extends from a short distance above the to]> of the wharf to the water's edge, jtrovision being made for raising or lowering the lower end according to the stage of the tide. This elevator is slanting, and is made of an endless chain operating in a shallow trough. About every two feet there is attached to the chain a cro-ispiece of wood. At the top of the elevator are chutes which deliver the fish at various convenient spots on the cutting-rooni Ibior. Self-unloading scows are also coming into use now, and with these it is not necessary to use a pew in emptying them. Great care should be used in keejting the cutting-room clean. Most cannerymen, as .soon as it has been cleared of a batch of fish, turn the hose ujion it and thoroughly wash down the walls and Hood the floor, after which the floors are salted, and then it is ready for the next batch. Unfortunately some few cannerymen cannot see the necessity lor this thorough and fi'equent cleansing of this most important jiart of the cannery jircqier, and do it at infrequent intervals, with the result that the room soon emits a most unpleasant odor, and the ]irodnct undoubtedly suft'ers Ironi (his lack of cleanliness. Salmon are generally used very shortly after reaching the cannery. ^Most cannery- men agree that it is necessary to allow the fish to lie from ten to twenty-four hours after being taken from the water before being canned, claiming tlmt if some of its moisture has not been allowed to evaporate a pound of meat cannot be packed into the can. While Chinook, coho, red and, at times, chum salmon may possibly lie kejit with safety and jirofit for twenty-foin- hours, this can rarely ever be done with the hunqiback salmon, which soon softens and sjtoils after being removed from the water. The condition of the weather and CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 67 MACHINE FOR CUTTING SALMON INTO LENGTHS TO FIT THE SIZE OF CAN USED. THE "IRON CHINK," WHICH DULSt^iCS AND SLIMES 'IliE SALMON. 6S CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS the teiiiperatiue very materially affect the time .salmon may be kept. lu Alaska, where the weather is generally moist and the temperature low, fish may be kept much Jouger than in ^^'ashington, Oregon and California, where the weather is usually dry and the temperature high in the summer time, when the canning is done. Tlie danger of canning flsh that are too fresh, however, is of minor importance as compared with the tendency in the other direction U])<)n the part of some unscriijinlous canners. Salmon are covered with a natural coat of slime, and this aids very materially in preserving the fish from decay. HeCore dressing the fish a stream of water is kept jilaying over them in order to remove the dirt and slime, after which men with j/Cws separate the different species int receive the gang knives. The carrier and gang knives are set in motion, each i-evolving on its own shaft. As a rest on the carrier comes to a horizontal position, men stationed at the fish liins lay a fish on each ledge as it passes. Thence it is conveyed to the revolving gang knives and, after being divided, pas.ses thi'ough on the downward course, sliding off the rest into the filling chute. The knives in these machines are so arranged as to cut the fish transversely in sections the exact length of the cans to lie filled. The rotary cutler shunts the tail pieces to one side, and these are carried by means of a chute to baskets, from which they are later removed and canned separately. As the tail portion is much smaller, with less meat, and jiroportionately more bone, it can not I«' idaced in the cans with the middle and head sections without detracting fi-oni their value. In some of the smaller canneries, especially in those packing flat cans, the gang knives are worked by hand. In this case the knives are not circular, but elongated or semi- circular in shape, tapering at the outer ends. They are mounted on an axle having a large iron lever at one end, and when this lever is raised the ends of the gang knives are thrown up and back. The fish is then placed in position under them and the lever pulled forward, the knives, with a scimitar like movement, dividing the fish. PILLING SALMON CANS BY HAND. THE SALMON PILLING AND WEIGHING MACHINES. 69 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS Canning the Fish Every cau of salmon is seasoned with one-foni'th of on ounce of salt, which, to insure uniformity, is added by mechanical means. A table is used, in the top of which are holes equal distances apart. On the under side of the top is a sheet-iron plate, with an equal number of holes, which slide in a groove at the sides, and is worked either by a hand or foot lever. Just below is an open space large enough to accommodate a tray holding 36 to 48 cans. A workman stands in front of the table and slides a tray of cans into the open space. He then throws a quantity' of salt upon the table and immediately scrapes this otf \^•i1]l a thin piece of wood, each hole being filled in the operation, and the salt being prevented from falling through by the iron plate undei-neath. The lever is then pressed, the iron j)late moves foi*^\'ard until the holes in it are directly under the table top, when the .«alt drops through into the cans. This operation can be repeated four or five times in a minute. Special machines which automatically deposit the required amount of salt in the can just before it enters the filling macliiiie are now in quite general use. Most canneries now use filling machines, although a few, more particularly those packing flat and odd-sized cans, still fill by hand. The filling machine consists of a chute with a belt to which are attached wire racks about four inches apart, set at an angle to prevent the salt from spilling out, into which the salted cans are fed from the floor above and pass into the machine. At the same time the divided sections of salmon pass down another chute into the mouth of what looks like a hand coffee mill. They pass through here down a smaller chute and are forced by two dogs into a receptacle through which the plunger, or filler, passes. Here the plunger comes opposite the open mouth of the empty can, which when it reaches this point is caught by a clasp or hook and held in front of the plunger, Avhicli is immediately thrust forward through a chamber filled with salmon, cutting the fish longitudinally and at the same time filling the can. The next movement forces the can out upon a table. When running at full speed one of these machines will fill about 80 cans a minute. On being released by the clanqi the cans roll u]ion a long table and are picked up by a man stationed here, who strikes each one upon a square ]iiece of lead set in the table, in order to settle the contents down into the can and for the purpose of detecting any defici- ency in weight. 11 not quite full the cans are pushed to the other side of the table, where an operator adds the ipiantity of fish needed, a su])])ly of small jiieces being kei)t at hand for this purpose. (Jenerally the cans overrun in weight, frecpiently as much as an ounce. Occasionally a can is weighed in order to see that the machine is in perfect adjustment. Most canneries now use a weighing machine, which forms part of the regular line of machinery. Should the can be of the proper weight it will pass right along, but if short weight it is switched to one side, and is then brought to the required weight by filling u]) with ])ieces. > In the hand method the fillers stand or sit on each side of a long table with a trough running down tln^ middle from end to end. This is filled with the cut pieces of salmon, and the fillers, usually women and children, put into the cans the large pieces first and then smaller pieces to occupy the vacant spaces. By this method the fish are so placed in the can that when opened by the consumer later on it i)resents a much more uniform and inviting appearance than the cans filled by machinery, which necessarily have a somewhat jnmlded api^earance when oi>ened. In some canneries the cans are then washed hy applying either jets of water or steam to the sides. CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 71 Sanitary Method The sauitary can has now almost entirely supei-seded the old soldered can. The statement is frecjnently heard that this type of can is solderltss, but such is not really the case. As a matter of fact the long- side seam of this type of can is treated with both solder and flux, the latter usually of an acid character, but the can is of such a superior type that it is but rare to find one which will show a trace of either solder or flux on the inside. The tops and bottoms are crimped on without acid or solder by machines called "double seamers," because they fold the flanges of side and end over twice in the crimp- inji i)rocess. In order to make sure of an airtight joint the ends are coated with a rub- ber like compound. A recent invention is that of a paper gasket to accomplish this purpose. P.y the use of sanitary cans the soldering machine, iu fact, all use of solder and acid after the cans have been filled, is done away with, while the exhausting in retorts and the subsequent venting and soldering are completely done away with, a considerable sav- ing both in labor and time consumed. In the sanitary method the cans when they come from th'> filler pass along an end- less belt to the topper and crimper. This machine trues uft the ui)per edge of the can and attaches the top of the can loosely to the body in such a way as to allow the gas generated in the can during the exhausting process to escape gradually, yet prevents the fish fi-om coming in direct contact with the steam of the exhaust box. Some of the exhaust boxes used in connection with sanitary cans ai-e about 30 feet long, with the cans traversing the i'uU length seven times, while others are so arranged that they traverse the full length eleven times. Each run is supposed to take about a minute and a half, with a total in the first instance of about 10 minutes for a can to pass entirely through the box, or about 15 minutes with the last ramed, but there is consid- erable deviation from this time in various canneries, some shortening the period, while others lengthen it. The heat is usually fi"om 200° to 212° F., 210° appearing to be the safest in most cases. The above holds good mainly in Alaska. On Puget Sound sockeye l-])ound tall cans are usually exhausted S to 10 minutes at a temjteratnre of 210 ' to 211^, while 1-pound flats are usually exhausted at the same tempci-alnre for about (i ininulcs. and halves for about 7 minutes. Colios, ]iinks and cinims are exhausted the same as soi-keyes. ^^'ith i-j-pdund sjirings the cxhausl is usually for about 7 minutes at 210° to 211°. Upon leaving the exhaust box (he cans jiass to the double seamer, which com))letes the operation of sealing on the tops. Passing from here on the endless belt the cans are run through another washer and then are transferred to the coolers and these are immediately placed upon the trucks and run into the retort for the one cooking they are to undergo. The time they are to remain here varies in the different sections and with the different species and sizes of cans. In Alaska 1-pound tall reds, cohos, chums and pinks are generally cooked from 00 to 120 minutes at 12 to 18 lbs. pressure and a tem- perature of 242° to 248° F. One-pound flats and half-pound cans are generally cooked about 10 minutes less time. Owing to their larger bones king salmon are generally cooked from 10 to 20 minutes longer than the other species. On Puget Sound l-]K)un(l lall sockeyes, cohos and ]iinks are generally cooked for 90 minutes at a pressure of 10 jiounds and a temjierature of 240"' F. Halves and 1-pound flats are generally cooked at the same temiierature but for only 80 minutes. Chum tails are generally cooked for 10."i minutes at a jn'cssure of 10 pounds and a. temperature of 240°, while spring salmon are cooked for 120 minutes at a j)ressure of 10 ])(ninds and a temperature of 240°. CANNING OF FISHKRY PRODFCTS It is tlu' custom III all caiiiitM-ies, no iiiatlcr wlial llic system, to allow about Ave minutes at tlie beginnins;- of the liigh teniperatuie eook to woik up the required heat of the retort, and when eookiiig is complete theie is a lilce period for reducing the tempera- ture and pressure before opening tlie doors. The cooking times given above are exclu- sive of the two five minute periods noted here. EMPTYING RETORTS OF THE CARS LOADED WITH COOLERS OF FILLED CANS. It should be distin<'lly understood that the ]irocessii)g times noted are only approxi- mate. Tlie condition of the flsh, tlie weather — whether hot or cold, rainy or dry — etc., all have a bearing on the (piestion and must be taken into account. The packer cannot go far astray, however, if he keeps generally within the narrow margins noted above. Imperfect cans which are repaired befoie cooking are naturally in the same condi- tion as if there had been no defects. If the leaks are discovered after cooking and are repaired at once and the contents recooked, they are still very good, the only ditticulty being that they have lost .some weight in the process of i-epairiug the leaks. The above goods usually go in with the regular pack of their kind and are not classed as "do-overs." When, however, a cannery is running at full capacity, defective cans can not always be repaireil and recooked at once and are sometimes set aside for days. Decomposition follows, of course, as with any other meat that is exposed to the air, and the fish becomes unfit for food. When recooked the meat becomes mushy and the blowing or venting makes the cans very light, a defect which is frequently corrected by adding salt water or a soup made by boiling salmon in water. This, the "do-over," is the lowest class of goods, and but few are ever shipped by canners, as the consensus of oiiinion amongst food officials and cannerymen generally is that they are not a fit article of food. On coming from the retort the coolers are lowered into a bath of lye, or, as in some canneries, the cans are run through such a bath on an endless belt, which, with the aid of a slight rinsing and a few rubs with a brush over the top, removes from the can all the grease and other materials which have accumulated on it in its. passage through the can- nery, and then passes into another bath where the lye is washed off in hot fresh water. From the lye bath the cans go to the cooling room, where a stream of water is played upon them, or, during rainy weather, are placed out of doors upon the wharf, and there CANNING OP FISHERY PRODUCTS 73 allowed to cool. This is very necessary, as otherwise the heated contents of the cans would continue to cook for some time after beiusi removed from the i-etort, and jiossilily become mushy from overcooking. The top and bottom of the cans contract in cooliuii'. and for several hours a sharp popping noise is heard. Here, as in nearly evei'y process through which they pass, the cans are again tested, this time by tapping the tops with a small piece of iron about six inches long, or, sometimes, a 12-penny nail. The sound conveys to the trained ear of the tester an unmistakable meaning as to the condition of the casi, and the faiilty cans that escape notice during the other tests are generally found in this one. Lacquering A common and at one time universal custom in the salmon-canning industry, but one that is not common in the canning of vegetables, fruits, etc., is that of lacquering the cans. This idea of protecting the can on the outside ha.s been followed from the very beginning, for two rea.sons : (1) That the English market which, at that time especially, absorlied the greater ]>art of these goods, insisted on their shiimients being finished in this SALMON CANNING LINE SHOWING EXHAUST BOX, DOUBLE SEAMER, ETC. 74 CANNING OF FISHI<:RY PRODUCTS Wii.v, ;ui(l C'l from the fju-1, as Ww cainiers tiiiMi tliunglit, that if they did not protect their cans in some way enormons losses through rust would ensue. The first experiment of this nature was to jiaint the cans hy liaiid with red paint, treating each can singly. Xext a composition of logwood extract and alcohol was tried, which, however, did not ]»rodnce satisfactory results for a very plain reason — the can was dyed instead o( being la((]uered. The next attempt was to varnish the cans with a japan varnish reduced with alcohol, but this was found to dry too slowly for speedy handling. After extended experimentation the (|ui(k-drying brown lacquer of the pres- ent time was evolved, which carries asphaltum iu the form of an as]ihalt varnish as its base, this lieing su])]danted in some cases by gilsonite. This luc(]tier can be jirocured in either a heavy or light body, is generally reduced with benzine or gasoline, and is applied according to the retpiirenients of the m.nrket, which in some localities demands a heavy coating and in others a much lighter tinisli. the latter giving a rich golden-brown color. Some experiments have also been made in using brighter colored lac(iners for this work. Several of these, made to gi\e a bright golden. coi)pei' or oilier color, are extremely MAKING SALMON CANS IN AN ALASKA CANNERY. attractive in appearance, while at the same time protecting the tin against rust quite as well as the brown. The industry soon outgrew the hand method of lacquering, and the work is now done almost entirely by special machinery designed for this purpose. A few of the large packing companies have given up the lacquering of the body of the cans, claiming that the label fully protects this jtortion ol the receptacle. As the CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 75 enameled ends ara usually bought from the can-making companies, those who follow this practice have been enabled to cut loose altogetliei" ii-om the somewhat dangerous work of lacquering in the cannery. A few flat and oval cans arc not lactpiered, Imi are [trotectcd from riisl by wrapping in tissue ])a]ier, over which I lie label is jilaced. Boxing A case of salmon generally contains 4S one pound cans or llie e(jui\alent, i.e., 24 two-pound cans or 96 half-pound cans. Some canneries pack their half-i)ound cans in cases holding 48 cans. The cases are made of wood and are generally bought from the mills cut to the proper lengths for putting together in the cannery. CAX-il.VKING Along the coast and in jiarts of i^outheast Alaska most of tlie canners buy their cans ready made, but, owing to Ihe bulk of the empty cans making the freight rates dis]n-opor- tionate to the weight involved, the canners in ^^'estern and Central Alaska and parts of Southeast Alaska, have installcil can-nniking machinery at their i)lants and, in the case of sanitary cans, numufacture the bodies of the cans from she"t tin, the to]is and bottoms being ])nrchased from the ''an-makers on the coast. In the case of the old-style cans not only the bodies, but also the tojis and bottoms, are manufactured at the cannerv. One can-making company has recently devised a system by which it can collapse the body of the can so that 400 may be ]iacked in the ordinary 4S one-pound tall salmon case. At the cannery the collapsed bodies are run through a simi)le reshaping machine and the bottoms may then be put on in the same manner as are the tops. An added advantage which the big canners find in making their own cans is that it provides work for a large part of the cannery crew who would otherwise be unemplo.ved while the rest of the force was getting ready the other necessary paraphei'nalia. Analyses of Canned Saljion. 1911 Pack [By U. S. Department of Agriculture] Water Ethyl Ether Extract* Protein (Nx 6.25) Total ash NaCl.f AMMONIACAL NITROGEN Richard- son method Alcohol Vapor method No. 1— Puget Sound Sockeye Salmon No. 2— Puget Sound Sockeye Salmon No. 3— Alaska Medium Red Salmon 62.44 61.84 69.97 73,48 74.12 70.88 15.17 13 74 7.81 2.88 4 75 5.20 20.25 21.77 20.40 21.33 19.75 21.79 2.50 2.73 2.58 2 57 1.98 2 35 0.79 1.10 1.09 0.83 0.50 0.64 0.0403 0.0437 0.04965 0563 .0404 .0455 0.0348 0.0410 No. 4— Alaska Chum Salmon 0557 No. 5— Alaska Pink or Humpback Salmon. No. 6— Alaska Red Salmon Each sample was average of two or more cans. .\I1 samples, except No. 2, were old form 1 lb. tall cans. No. 2 was J'2-lb. flat cans. *Represents the fat. tRepresents the salt. 76 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS Canned Smoked Salmon Smoked salmon is one of the choicest of fishery products, and while the greater part so prepared is sold in bulk, a constantly incieasini; (piantity is being packed in cans and jars, in which condition it will keep indefinitely, an impossibility when not so packed. While a few canners use hard-salted, mild-cured or frozen fish for smoking previous to canning, most of them prepare fresh salmon for this purpose, so the methods followed in the curing and thawing of the former will not be described here. When handling fresh fish, after dressing (they are usually split down the back in this operation) they ai-e placed in a pickle of !)0 ' (salometer) and allowed to soak here for about 8 to 12 hours, deiiending upon the size of the fish; small fish require less time than large fish. AVhen hard-salted or miid-cured fish are used, the greater i)art of the saltiness must first be removed, while in the case of frozen salmon the fish are thawed out either by immersing them in water over night or by laying them on boards in a moderate temperature and turning them over every 2 or 3 hours for 8 or 10 hours, when they are sulficiently thawed for handling, after which they are pickled the same as fresh fish. After they are sufficiently soaked the flesh is smoothed with the side of a flat knife, all ragged parts being pressed down. Each fish is then trussed wide open and arranged with cords or iron or wire hooks so they can be hung up on the cross sticks in the smoke- house. After draining for several hours, they are hung in the ujiper part of the smokehouse, away from the heat, but not so high as to be in the warm air which accumulates at the top of the bay. Usually only two rows or tiers are smoked at a time, and in the lofty smokehouses the smoking is continued for 18 to 30 hours. About 24 hours are usually required, but on dry, windy days 10 to 18 hours are sufficient, and during sultry weather 30 or more are necessary. When low smokehouses are used, in which the fish are hung within 8 or 10 feet of the fire, the smoking is usually completed in about 12 hours. The smoke should be even throughout and with little fire. In some houses a light fire is built under the fish as soon as placed in the smokehouse, and this continued for or 7 hours, when a shovelful of sawdust is added and the smoking continued for 12 or 1-t hours. Fish so prepared will keep for 10 days or longer under favorable conditions. Some salmon are kijipered before being canned. In this event the fish are gener- ally cut in cross sections after salting, and these pieces placed on wirework screens, which are slipped into racks with grooved compartments for receiving and holding them. These racks are UMumted on rollers and as soon as filled are run into the bays, the work being carried on on the upper floor of the smokehouse. Some smoke the fish whole. Here they are dried in the heat from a hot fire for about 20 hours ; the flii-e is then somewhat smothered with hardwood sawdust and the fish smoked for about 24 hours. Small fish require less time for smoking than large. One canner prepares his product by curing the fish for 8 hours in brine testing 90°, or sufficiently strong to float a potato. After smoking for 12 hours the fish are cut in pieces to fit the cans. The tops are then put on loosely, the cans run through the exhaust box for 10 minutes at 212° F., the tops sealed, and the cans processed for 90 minutes at 245° F. It is a comparatively easy matter to pack hard smoked or kippered salmon in cans or jars. Some cut the smoked fish in pieces to fit the cans, as is done when packing fresh salmon, while others smoke them after cutting, and after placing these in the cans pro- ceed as with fresh salmon. If the fish are hot when placed in the can it w'ill not be necessary to exhaust tJiem, but if put in cold they should be exhausted for about 15 to CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 77 SLICED SMOKED SALMON IN FLAT CAN. ^^«»LW A PACIFIC COAST SALMON SMOKEHOUSE. 78 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS IT luiinUes ;ir 21:2° P., iind then jnocessed, 1 ]ioiiii(ls lor nltont iT, inimites at about •2i-2'' F. Oue cauuer, iu VJl'.i, put up some hard smoked salmon in glass jars without exhaust- ing or processing, and in 1919 tliese were still in good condition. Several companies at varying periods have taken up llie packing of sliced smoked salmon in cans. One which operated in Seattle several years ago smoked mildctired salmon until it reached the condition known in the trade as "hard smoked," cohos and kings being employed. The salmon was then cut transversely of the body into very thin slices, averaging 40 to 50 slices to the pound. These strijts were then packed flat in cans shaped like sardine cans, a little salad oil added and then sealed up the same as sardines. The cans were then exhausted the same as salmon and ]ii-ori'ssi'd lor about !)(l minutes at 240° F. S.VLJIOX IX Si'K.'KS The salmon are dressed, cleaned and cut into pieces of a size to fit the cans in which they are to be i)acked, after which they are washed off in clean water. They are then put in a tub or tank and covered with a 60° (salometer) brine and allowed to soak about IVo hours, or until all the blood has been extracted. The si)iced pickle can be made in the qnantity desired by making in the proportion of one quart of cider vinegar, one half ounce of celery seed, one-third ounce dried mint, one-third ounce dried jtarsley, one garlic, three small onions sliced, three whole cloves, a teasjioonful of wliole ]iepper-corns, and one half leaspoonful of salt. Put into pot and bring to a boiling point; then pour the mixture over the salmon and allow it to stand for 24 hours. If the vinegar is very strong reduce with water. Should the above condiination of spices not suit it can easily be changed l\v the substitution or adding of other spices. The fish should be put into cans, some of the mixture added, and the cans exhausted and processed the same as with canned fresh salmon. SARDINES The .second great fish-canning industry of Ibis country is that for sardines. This industry is centered almost wholly in Maine and California. In the former state the industry is a comparatively old one, having been started in 1875. In California it is comparatively new, having been begun early in the century, although it is only since about 191G that it has attained to any considerable dimensions. In Maine the industry is centered in the eastern part, while in California ]iacking is carried on mainly at Mon- terey and in southern California. ! On the Maine coast the species used in jiacking is the young of the .sea herring (Cliipca hdroHius) , and in Alaska and on Puget Sound the young of a closely related species, C. paUiisil. A description of the methods of the fishery, etc., for these species will be found under the heading of "Herring" elsewhere in this volume. In California the s]>ecies nsed is the California sardine (CJupca ('(irrKlrn ). The latter occurs in great abundance along the entire west coast and southward on the coast of lower California. It is taken the year round and is especially abundant from Septem- ber to December. It spawns in the spring. It is an oily, delicately-flavored fish that resembles very closely the European sardine (('In pea pilch(irrhis). and when packed in the same manner as in France and with as good condiments, will compare most favorably with them. Although the European species grows to be nearly as large as ours, only so CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS the sniallsized fish are canned there. On our coast fishes of all sizes are canned. The fishery is prosecuted with haul and imrse seines. With the exce])fion of in southern California but little sardine cauiiing has been prosecuted on the I'aciflc coast, although there are abundant supplies of raw material available in a nund)er of sections. Several modest attempts at sardine canning have been inaugurated on I'uget Sound, but for various reasons other than a lack of raw material they all came to naught. Under the conditions which have prevailed during the last few months it is quite certain that properly located plants would prove successful if operated on business principles. In Alaska, and particularly in the southeast section, young herring, suitable for can- ning as sardines, are exceedingly abundant, and as the demand for this product increases canneries will eventually be established here. In 1905 a small plant was established in Juneau, where an excellent grade of sardines was put up. The difticulty experienced at that time in securing sufficient labor, and the necessity for comiieting with the then low- priced Maine jiroduct, proved too much and the infant industry soon suspended opera- tions. Young herring and pilchards are also abundant along the British Columbia coast, and this section will some day be as abundantly dotted with sardine canneries as it is at present with those for salmon. On the Maine coast sardines are packed wiiolly in the Hut obhing 14' V2 ^md %- pound cans so familiar to the trade. In California canning began about fifteen years ago. For some years the fish were packed mainly in 1-pound oval cans, only an occasional pack of the cans typical of the Maine product being put up. In the fall of 1910 the tuna canners, attracted by the high prices then prevailing for sardines, began the packing of the fish in the round flat cans used for tuna. The consumers did not enthuse over this, to them, unusual shape of can. so the packers sjteedily installed machinery foi- packing the fiat cans so familiar to the trade, with the result that in I'.ilS tJie ]i:uk amonnted to 1,356,048 cases. The legal season in which weirs can operate in Maine is from April 15 to December 15, but it is seldom that fishing begins as early as the legal season allows. The Maine canneries do not open before May 1, and many of them not before August, consequently there is not much demand for fish until May or June. In California the canneries usually begin on sardines in July. On both coasts the best fishing is said to occur from about the first of August to the end of November. While sardine canneries are scattered all along the Maine coast, they are most abun- ilant on Passamaquoddy Bay, as they are thus enabled to draw abundant supplies of raw material from not only the American weirs, but also from the adjacent Canadian weirs. The canneries have collecting boats which visit the weirs regularly and buy the sardine- hei'ring, the rest of the catch, which is too large for canning, being sold to the smokers or salters by the owners of the weirs. On the Pacific coast the fish are usually cajiturcd so near the canneries that the fishermen bring them in in their fishing boats. Amongst the Maine and California sardine canneries are to be lunnd some of the largest and finest fish-packing plants in the country. The buildings, which are located on wharves, for convenience in receiving the fish, are usually two-story frame build- ings. The interior is partitioned into separate rooms for convenience in performing the various kinds of work necessary. On the first, or lower, floor is the cutting, salting and testing rooms, and storerooms. The second floor has tlie sealing, packing, drying CANNING OF FISHERY PRODT-('TS 81 INTERIOR OF PACIFIC COAST SARDINE CANNERY. INTERIOR OF CANADIAN CANNERY PACKING SAIMJIXE.S AND OTHER FISHERY PRODUCTS. 82 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS aud cooling rooms, and a storei'oom for cans. The attic is used lor sawdust and as a general storeroom. The oil and mustard tanks are also located here, and their con- tents conveyed to the packing rooms by means of pipes. There are usually several smaller buildings for housing the oliice, the power plant aud the box plant, while others have special warehouses for storing the finished product. In Maine a majority of the employees are residents of the towns and villages in which the cannei-ies are located. There is also a considerable number who come in from the country and the Canadian islands in the vicinit;\- of Eastport aud Lubec to work in the canneries during the summer and return home again at the close of the season. Each cannei-y employs from 50 to upwards of 250 jtersons, tlie average being about 140. The employees in every instance comprise both men and women, and a large percentage of boys and girls. The work is usually done I)y the jiiece, but clerks, foremen and general laborers are paid by the day or week. On the Pacific coast the canneries are located within the limits of good-sized cities, I'l-oiu which aie easily drawn the labor needed. The packers and Hakers are all women and girls, while the fish-cutters are mostly women and boys and girls. The latter go from one factory to another in the same town, as fish are received at one or the other, and are thus enabled to secure more continuous employment than the others. On both coasts the food of the herring consists of snuill animal organisms, chiefly of two small crustaceans, viz.: copepods, or "red feed," and Scbizoiiud crustaceans, or the "shrimp" of the fishermen. When the herring is taken from the water their stomachs are sometimes filled with undigested food and are known as "feedy" when in this condition. The "red feed" noted above rajddly decomposes aftei- the fish dies, even within two or three hours, and this results in the breaking open of the belly of the tish, making an unsightly and practically unsalable product. There are only two known ways in which this handicap may be overcome. On the Maine coast the fish are usually left alive in the weirs until they have digested this food, when they can be handled without any resulting damage. On the Pacific coast the best method is to anchor a large, square net in close proximity to the fishing ground and turn the catch alive into this until the food has been digested. The other method is to cut and eviscerate the fish as speedily as possible after being landed, but owing to the scarcity of suitable labor for this work it has usually been impossible to follow it. In Maine, when the fish arrive at the cannery they are hoisted by power winches from the collecting boat to the wharf in baskets. The baskets are carried into the cutting room usually by being attached to hooks suspended from an overhead track A\hich passes close to the ends of the cutting tables. A few canneries transport them on cars which run on tracks on the floors, or on wheelbarrows. As the fish are brought in they are turned out and distributed along the middle of the tables, so as to be within easy reach of the cutters, who stand on either side at convenient distances apart. The fish-cuting consists in removing the heads and viscera, the work being done with great rapidity. The cutter takes several fish in the left hand at once and, with a special make of shears, or a sharp knife, in the right, cuts off the heads one at a time. (Machinery to perform the above work has been employed to some extent, but with unsatisfactory results, due jirincipally to the varied sizes of the fish used.) Sometimes even the bones are taken out when a certain grade of flsh is to be packed. A sweep of the shears or knife removes the viscera and throws the "cuttings" into a barrel at the cutter's side. The fish are thrown bv a movement of the left hand into the cutting box, which is located luider the CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 83 FRYING THE SARDINES. FISH-CUTTING ROOM 84 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS edge of tbe table. The euttiiig boxes are eatli consideied to hold tisli eiioii<>h to pack one case of .sardines, and it is generally estimated that if the herring are of suitable size and in good condition, so there will be no waste except •'cuttings," one hogshead (supposed to hold one thousand pounds of fish, although it really holds about eleven hundred pounds) will pack from 20 to 22 ca.ses, and possibly a larger number. The cutters are attended by a man who removes the boxes (giving the cutter a check for each) and rolls aside the barrels when filled, putting em])ty ones in their places, so the work may continue with- out interruption. As .soon as the fish have been cut they are taken to the salting-room and put into a washing-tank, where a man stands with an ordinary scoop net and washes them by rous- ing them up and down. The water in the washing-tank is being constantly renewed by means of a lio.se, the surplus water passing out llnongh an escape pipe. The fish are then dipped out into (he jiickling tanks. The tanks are sometimes hogsheads cut off just above the bilge, but usually they are built of planks and are about :> feet wide and 2i/'o feet deep, being generally about 15 feet long and divided into two or three sections. They are filled with strong jiickle, made by dissolving one bushel of salt in every ?>t) gallons of water, or, as it is figured at some canneries, using 12 buckets of salt to 51) bushels of herring. They are allowed to remain here from twenty minutes to an hour, the length of time dei)ending somewhat u]Kin the fatness of the fish and the condition of the weather. If the fish are very fat or the weather is cold it re(piires a longer time, but ordinarily not more than from 30 to 40 minutes. After being sufficiently "struck" in the i)ickle they are dii)])ed out into baskets and allowed to drain, after which they are sent up to the tiaking-room. The Hakers take the fish from the baskets and lav them on the flakes in PUTTING SAUCE IN CANS FOR TOMATO PACK. COOKING PACIFIC COAST SAUDINES IN HUia/,UN TAl. la-rrtJKT. CRATES FOR HOLDING THE CANS AND PERPENDICULAR RETORTS IN WHICH THEY ARE COMMONLY COOKED. 85 86 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS rows. The flakes are Iraiiies al)oiit 3 feet long and l!2 inihes wide, and are tilled in with galvanized wire an inch or more apart. Eaeh tlake contains five rows of from IS to 25 fish eaeli, or from !)(! to 125 to the flake, accordinji to the size of the fish, and about 10 Hakes are re(inired to ]iack a case of sardines. The flaking is now done by machinery in certain plants. As soon as a Hake is filled it is jilaceil in a movahle rack which rnns on rollers. These racks hold a number of flakes and as soon as one is tilled it is run into a horizon- tal retort, the door closed and bolted tightly, when the fish are steamed in a live steam bath for 10 or 15 minutes, according to the size of the fish. They are then taken into the drying-room where they are dried by means of a cnrrent of dry warm air being forced over and around them for two hours by means of a blower. At a few canneries the drying, when the weather permits, is done by placing the flakes in the open air. The above method supersedes at many plants the one formerly in vogue of cooking the fish by placing them in wire baskets and submerging them in an oblong tank filled with boiling cottonseed oil (at a temperature of 210' F. ) for oO minutes, and then drying them before placing in the cans. The fish are then i)acked in the cans and the latter stihmerged in boiling oil. heated to a temperature of 210^ F., for four minutes, after which the required condiments are placed in the cans and they are then sealed up. The sardines are packed in cottonseed, olive or peanut oil, mustard sauce, tomato sauce or vinegar with spices. The spices employed are usually mustard seed, allspice, cloves and bay leaves. The mustard sauce is composed of mustard, cayenne pepper, tumeric and other spices, ^'inegar is also used for diluting the mustard sauce. The tomato sauce may be prepared by boiling two hours in an enameled kettle: Tomatoes, 100 pounds; .salt, 18 ounces; bay leaves, i/o ounce; cloves, lo ounce; onions, 3 pounds. The preparation is then passed through a fine sieve. The above sauce can be made some time in advance and when needed can be made ready by boiling it again and adding one ounce of butter per jxiund of sauce. I'nder the regulations now in force, prescribed by Maine law, not less than one gallon of the condiment should be used to each case of sardines. The prescribed (|nantities are one-hundredth part of a gallon for quarter and one-fiftieth of a gallon for three- quarter cans. The bath tank is generally separated into two compartments, which are filled with water and heated by steam. The steam is conveyed from the boiler of the engine by iron pipes, which pass around the inside of the tank in a number of coils. The pipe in the tank is perforated, so tliat the steam may come in contact with the water. Each compart- ment of the tank is fitted with six coolers or large wire ba.skets. The cans are placed in the coolers and lowered into the tank, where they are completely submerged in boiling water which is heated to a temperature of 212° F. The quarter oil cans are allowed to remain in the bath two liotn's, and three-quarter mustard, or other large cans, two and one-half hours. They are then hoisted out and the bottoms of the coolers, which are arranged to slide out, are removed, and the can."5 are released at the head of a chute or screen in the floor which leads down into the testing room. They are first cooled and dried in sawdust, and then shoved down the chute by means of a wooden scraper. In the testing-room every can is carefully gone over and if a swell is found it is sent to the leak-menders. The final testing for leaks is made by bringing two tins in sharp contact with each other, the absence of oil in the tins being detected solely by sound. The leaks are carefully mended, after which the can has to be vented and refilled with new mixture. A ])uncture is usually made on the bottom of the can at one end near the CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 87 SHOWING MANNER OP PACKING SARDINES IN QUARTER OILS. edge. The cover and bottom are then pressed back into their projicr concave shape and another pnncture is made in a similar place at (he opposite end, alter which the can is stood endwise in a |)an of nil, or other condiment, niilil i( i.s refilled. The pnnctnres are then closed with solder and the can is again ]iiit throngh Hie bath. The jierlect cans are nibbed clean with sawdnst and are then ready to be packed in cases for shipment. In ea*;^ case there are 100 cans of the (piarter or lialf sizes, or 50 cans of the three-qnarter size. The latter, when packed in vinegar and spices, are called "marinees." 88 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS A few siiidines are aliso smoked and after cdoHiij;- are packed in cans, the cans then filled with oil niechanicall.v and passed thronj;h the sealing machine. They are then pro- cesed by heatinji for one and one-half to two honi-s. The cans are iisuallj' cleaned while hot and after cooling are tested and are then ready for casing. Sardines are jtacked in 14s, 1/28 and -^s on the Maine coast, while on the California coast the same sizes and in addition 1-pound ovals are packed. Most of the small-sized cans have the lettering ])nt directly on the tin before it is made into the can, after which it is lacquered and then made into the can shape. A few of these sizes are left plain and enclosed in cartons, while others are left ]ilain, wrapped in tissue paper and the label then ]iasted over this. The 1-ponnd ovals are not lacquered, but have a litho- graped label i)asted around them. A considerable number of the cans are now equipped so they can be opened with keys. < "\' tisli is obtained. It the tish are not jirojierly dried befoi'e thev are cooked tlie results are not satisfactory. AUTOMATIC BRINE-WASHING MACHINE. CANNING OP FISHERY PRODUCTS 91 ^=^ 2 Pi H Q O Z f— I H >^ <: ia*P»!('8J»*^; (S 1S«IM!1I» ^,*1'J» o z o o z o <: "**^ :; ' 2 s 92 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS The flakes are then placed on an endless chain which carries them through a long, narrow vat. At the bottom of this vat is a steam coil. When ready for operation the SPREADING THE SARDINES ON FLAKING TlvA\S. vat is partially filled with water, and then enough oil added 1o fill it nearly to the top. The oil being lighter than the water will remain on top. Olive oil was u.sed exclusively for some years, but recently cottonseed oil and peanut oil have taken its place. Steam FLAKING SARDINES IN THE SU.N. being turned on, the water and oil soon attain sufficient heat for cooking, about 240° F., when the flakes are started through. The flakes with large fish i-equire about 12 minutes to pass through. The tail gets brittle when the fish are sufficiently cooked. CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 93 DRYING SARDINES BY ARTIFICIAL HEAT. SEALING SAKDINES IN QUARTER-OIL CANS. 94 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS The thike.s are then traiislerred to trucks and allowed to remain here to drain and cool for several hours. They are then dumped onto the jiackinj;- tables, \\here the tisli are packed into the cans by hand and oil or sauce adde.l to till liie interstices. After cai)ping they go through an exhaust box for to 5 minutes, owing to their smaller size, after which they are allowed to cool from (j to 12 hours. After being put into th? cans with the re juired condiments they are exhausted in the exhaust box, capped, and then jn-ocessed in retort from IV'i; to2i- hours at a tem]ierature of 220 to 240" F. ; the lower the temperature the longer the jircu'essing time. Cottonseed and peanut oils are the ones generally used in the cans. "Soused" is a mixture of small peppers, cloves, allspice and mustard s(^ed mixed with vinegar. Sometimes the fish are ]iut up in round cans, the same as used for tuna. In this event the fish are cut to fit the can, packed in raw, exhausted, and then processed in a regular steam retort. It would undoubtedly pay our canners to pack a i)art of their product in the same manner as the Norwegians, as thev have built u]) a considerable trade in this country with these fish. After being brined the fish "are placed in long rows of little grooves in which a wire rod is run through the eye of each fish. Each I'od, with 22 fish on it, is then liung on a flat frame, 30 rods to each frame, making 000 fish on a frame. Ten of these frames are then placed one above the other, with the O.tiOO fish hanging fiom them, in a crate or larger frame. This is wheeled into one of the many smoking ovens, where the fish are smoked for 30 minutes or so, the length of time depending upon the condition CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 95 of the tish. They should be lightly smoked and cooked, but not enongh to hrowu them, as the tine silvery tinisli must be retained for canning. "The fish are then taken from the smoking ovens to tlie cutting machine, where their heads are cut off by a machine. The fish are then sorted by hand ready for packing in the cans in uniform sizes. . . .'"* STAitrii IN Tomato Sauce Used in Packing Sardines The U. S. Bureau of Chemistry in 1918 made the following ruling in reference to the use of starch in tomato sauce used in packing sardines : "Dr. ( ". L. .Vlslierg, Chief, in a letter states that a large number of packers of food products who use tomato sauce have been interviewed and their opinion requested on the propriety of the use of starch in the prep- aration of this sauce. By far the greater number of these packers are of the opinion that starch is not a proper ingredient of tomato sauce and its use is simply that of a substitute or cheapener. This view is concurred in by the Bureau and in the enforcement of the Food and Drugs Act the presence of starch in tomato sauce used in the packing of sar- dines will be considered as an adulteration." Labeling Sardines The U. S. Bureau of Chemistry in construing the provisions of Food Inspection Decision 64 is of the opinion that "whenever the name 'sardine' is applied to a fish of the clupeoid family, caught upon or near the shores of, and packed in the United States, it should be (jualifled by the word 'American' or 'Maine,' or some similar appelation. The Bureau does not consider the designation 'native' to be sufficiently informative as to the country or state in which the fish are taken and prepared. If the expression 'native sardines' is used, it should also be accompanied by the information concerning the coun- try or state as indicated in the Food Inspection Decision C4." Inspection of Products For some years much complaint was heard from consumers as to the quality of the majority of the sardines packed in Maine. It was claimed, and with considerable truth, that large and small fish would be used in filling the smallest size cans, the large ones being cut down so they would fit in, this constituting in addition an economic waste of nearly half of the fish; that fish which had been too long out of the water, or had been bruised or broken either in handling or dressing, and fish with "red feed" in them, were canned; that too little care was employed in brining, dressing, di'ying and cooliing the fish, and that unsanitary canneries were altogether too common. While these condi- tions prevailed in some of the canneries, a number of the others were doing their best to ]>ack a high grade of goDds, but the actions of tlie lemainder prfived so much of a handicap that finally early in lillti all but three of the packers came together and formed the "Sar- dine Section" of the National ('aimers Association and entered into an agreement to support a reasonable and thorongh ])lan of insi)ection, to abide by the rulings of the association, and to pay an assessment of two cents on every case of sardines packed to defray the expenses of this inspection. Tlie appointment of the director of inspection and the inspectors (now luindiering about 20"), as well as the forimilating of rules and regulations, was left entirely in the hands of the officers of the National Canners Asso- ciation. The duties of the inspectors are to see that only fish of godd (|iiality ai-e received and packed at the I'aclories, and that the sanitary requirements are lived up to. These ♦From V. S. Commerce Reports. No. l."»7. for .Tul.v 7. 1!']7. p. 7ri. 96 CANNING OP FISHERY PRODUCTS SAKUINE CAN-MAKING PLANT. reqtiiieiiieiits are about twenty in number, covering cleanliness of lautory e(iuii(nient and jirovisions for the comfort and welfare of the emi)]oyees. \\'iien tish of j)r()])er (niality are pacl^ed in accordance witii tlie association's require- ments, tlie ])acker is entitlelaced in a brine testing aliont 10%, and allowed to soak here until all the slime and blood have been washed oft', after which they are removed and allowed to drain. CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 101 As soon as drained the lisli are immersed conii)letely in a strong brine, about 75% saturated, and allowed to remain here for about two hours. As soon as taken from the brine the shad are hung on sticks or hooks, whichever the smoker may have found best for his purpose, the tlesh side being out. These are then placed in the sun, on a frame or scaffolding, preferably in a light and airy place that is protected from dust and flies, and allowed to remain here until the fish have dried sufficiently for smoking. In damp weather the drying may be done in the smokehouse by using low fires and a good air cir- culation through open ventilators. Any ordinary smokehouse in which a temperature of from 80° to 125° F. can be easily and continuously maintained will answer for this work. In kippering shad the tempera- ture should be kept at not more than 112^ to 113° and under no circumstances higher than 120° F. The shad are now placed in the upper part of the house. Two or three small fires are built of some hard wood, such as oak, maple, birch, alder, etc., but in no case of pine, redwood or any wood containing resinous or turpentine-like material. The wood should be dry, and as soon as it begins to flame vigorously should be smothered with dry hard- wood sawdust in order to produce the maximum amount of smoke and to maintain the temperature at the desired point. Several Fahrenheit thermometers should be suspend- ed among the fish and the temperatiire maintained at about 112° to 113° F. As stated above the temperature should never be allowed to go above 120°, and if it shows a tendency to do this the upper ventilators should be opened in order to let out the hot air and the burning wood smothered. For canning purposes the shad should be smoked for 7 or 8 hours, or even less may be sutticient to gi\e the desired tlaviir. At the end of the smoking period the fires are piit out and all the doors and ven- tilators opened in order to allow the fish to cool. This cooling should be allowed to go on for to 12 hours. The fish are then cut to fit the size of can in which it is to be packed, and placed in it with a small amount of o% brine added. They are then sealed and the cans cooked for about SO to 90 minutes at a temperature of about 242° F. The time of cooking will vary somewhat at different places. SMELT The American smelt (Osiiierus mordax) is the smelt of America. It is found along our Atlantic coast from Virginia to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, entering streams, and is often landlocked. It is abundant in Lakes Champlain and Memi)hremagog, aiid in many other lakes in New England, New Urunswick and Xova Scotia. It entei-s our livers and brackish bays during the winter months for the purpose of sjiawning, when it is caught in immense numbers in nets, and by hook and line. JIany are taken through holes cut in the ice, and are frequently frozen naturally. Those which have not Iteen frozen are termed "green" smelts, and are much more highly esteemed. The smelt does not usually exceed 8 or 10 inches in length, l)nt it sometimes exceeds a foot in length, and a weight of a jioun.d. The I'acitic smelt (0. flifilriclilln/x) is found on our I'acitic coast from San Francisco nortlnvard to Bristol I5ay in Alaska, and is fairly common. The flesh of this species is soft and does not keeji well, but is of excellent flavor. The fish attains a length of from 8 to inches. Fnder the heading of smelts have been included several well known and closely related species, all of which are eminently suitable for canning in the same manner as smelts. The enlachon, or candleftsh (ThdleicJithi/fi jiacificu.'^), or, as it is freciuently called, the '•( "olumbia River smelt," has been descrilied as being "the finest food fish in the world 102 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS — tender, fragrant, digestible." It is probably the fattest of tishes, but its oil lias a peculiarly delicate, agreeable flavor and, when extracted, is solid at ordinary tempera- tures. In the abundance and consistence of its fats its nutritive value is more like that of the best grades of meats than is the case with most other tishes. Like the salmons, the eulachon has the habit of running into rivers and brooks to spawn, and is found from Oregon northward, running in the Fraser, Nass and other streams of British Columbia, Washington and Alaska in enormous numbers. They are slender fish — when adult about a foot long — and although resembling the smelt in form, lack its brilliant silvery sheen. The capelin (Mallotus villosus) is found on both coasts of Arctic America, south to Cape Cod and British Columbia. It is a most delicious fish, much valued in the north, and is found in almost countless numbers. The surf smelt (HiJiiomcsiis prctiosiis) attains a length of a foot and is found on the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington, from ilonterey northward, usually abundant and spawning in the surf. It is a firm tleshed and fat little fish of delicious flavor, scarcely inferior to the eulachon. In ('anada, in lillO-lT, the catch of smelt amounted to 0,802,000 i)ounds, of which 5, 502, .500 pounds came from New Brunswick waters and the remainder from Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Quebec in the order named. During the same year the catch of capelin (all from Quebec i aiiiimnted to 4,;j.5(),S00 jiounds, while the catch of eulachons amounted to 1,200,000 pounds, of which practically all came from Briti.sh Columbia. There is room for an immense increase in the catch of capelin and eulachons in Canada and .Vlaska, as the immense runs of these species have hardly been touched as yet. In 1008 the smelt catch of the Cnited States amounted to 4,:U0,(I(M) jiounds, of which 3,645,000 pounds were taken on the Pacific coast. The canning of the eulachon has been taken up recently on the Cowlitz River with considerable success. The canning of smelts proper has never attained to much promin- ence, however, due doubtless to an abundance of sardines, the fish with which they would compete. The methods of canning are not Avel! established, and the following should be considered as merely aids in the experiments which should be undertaken by the int'\nd- ing canner for the pnrjjose of establishing correct methods. For canning in a fresh condition the fish should be headed, dressed, and llien dried in an artificial dryer, or in the sun, for from one to two hours. They should then he packed in cans with oil, tomato or mustard sauce, to|i]ied loosely, exhausted for al)out 10 minutes at a temperature of about 212° F.. to]is scaled light, and then jirocessed at a temperature of 240"^ F. for a jteriod which can only be determined by exiteriment, but which should jtrobably be froTu 50 to 70 minutes. If the tish hshow a decided tendency to mush they should be first soaked for about an hour in a !M) brine in which liom one- half to one per cent, of alum has been dissohcd. wliicli may possibly aid in ]ire\enting the tendency to mush. The fish are sometimes lightly smoked in a roiind condilion. ^^'hen prejiared in thi.«t way the fish should be soaked first in a Ot)" brine solution for 1 or 2 hours (the time to be determined by experiment i after which they should be hung in the smokehouse and lightly smoked and then packed in 1-pound oval cans and exhausted and ])rocessed as above. Another method of canning is wfth spices. The fish are cleaned and washed in one or two waters, after which they are salted over night. They are then washed again, put on flakes and either dried in the sunlight or in an artificial dryer for an hour or two. To one gallon of vinegar use two tablespoons of ground mustard, one tablespoon cayenne CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 103 pepper, oue tablespoon inace, one tablespoon whole allspice, and one tablespoon cloves. I'ut spices into vinegar and let it come to a boil before ponring over the smelt when packed in the can. The cover is then put on and after exhausting the cans are processed for about one hour (the period can be determined definitely by exi>eriiiient | at a tem- perature of about 240" F. The (juantity of mustard should be varied to suit the taste. SQUETEAGUE OR WEAKFISH, AXD WHITE SEA BASS THE SQUETEAGUE OR WEAKFISH (Cynosrion irgaUs). The squeteague, weakfish or sea trout [Cijiiosvion ni/tili-'i) is found throughout the entire length of our Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and ranges as far north as the Bay of Fundy. It is rare in the Gulf of Mexico, and is most abundant in season off the Middle Atlantic states. It has varied greatly in abundance within the last hundred years, but is always one of our commonest and best known fishes. The fish is found generally close to the coast, but it sometimes runs up tidal waters, and then prefers the vicinity of river mouths. It is highly j)rized in southei-n markets. The squeteague reaches a maximum weight of 30 pounds, though examples of more than 10 (u- li' pounds are very rare, and the average weight is much less. » ^ i f t. i THE SPOTTED WEAKFISH (Cynoscion nebulosus). 104 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS The spotted weaktisli or spotted sea trout (C. nrhinofius) is associated on the eoasts of New Jersey and Virginia with the squeteagiie, from which it may be readily dis- tinguished by the presence of numerous round black spots on the body posteriorly. Ow- ing to its shape and the spots noted above, it is known on the southern coast as spotted sea ti'out. It becomes more abundant as we go southward until otf the coast from North Carolina to Georgia it is one of the most common food fishes. This species is more migratory in its habits than its relatives. At Beaufort, N. C, it appears from the south iu the spring and passes through the inlets on the flood tide. Early in May it pro- ceeds northward, extending its journey as far as Long Island. On the North Carolina coast they are perhaps more abundant than any other species except the mullet. The average weight of the sjiecies is from 2 to 4 jxuinds, though the maximum is much greater. The bastard weaklish (('. iiofhus] is a well marked species, ditfering in numerous respects from the others of the genus. It occurs on onr South Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and is a good food flsli. Fishing for the above sjiecies begins in Ihe latter ])art of Ajiril (they are also (piite abundant in the Indian Kiver, Florida, during the wintei- and early spring), and lasts from six to eight weeks, until the schools begin to move off inio deeper and cooler waters. In 1908 nearly one-half of the entire catch was made in pound nets, traji nets and weirs, and one-third in seines. The total catch on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts in 1908 amounted to 18,532.000 pounds, valued to the fishermen at |1, 731, 000. Of this catch nearly one-half was taken in almost equal quantities by New York and New Jersey fishermen. Every state from Massachusetts to Texas, both inclusive, participated in the fishery. The white sea bass {('. iiohilix] is an iiiqiortant game tish of southern ("alifornia waters. It ranges north to San Francisco and occasionally even to \'ictoria, ^'ancouver Island. It is most abundant about Santa ( 'atalina, but is also taken in large (juantities in Monterey Hay. It i-eaches a weight of 20 to 80 ]>ounds, and is an excellent food tish. It comes in schools from somewhere in April and remains late into the summer. Dur- ing 1917 some 507,079 jtounds were taken and marketed by the fishermen, but this quan- tity cotdd have been largely increased had tlier:" been a market availaljle. The so-called sea trout of southern California ( r. ji(irriiiiiniis\ is a relative of the white sea bass, but attains a much smaller size, ranging up to 12 or 15 pounds. It is also commonly known as the bluefish. It is found from the Santa Barbara islands to Guaymas and Mazatlan, being common as far north as San Pedro, and is an excellent food fish. During 1917 the Califoi'uia fishermen marketed 83,051 jiounds of this species, but this could have been largely increased had the demand existes put on. They are then exhausted 10 minutes at 212"^ F., the tops sealed and the cans ju-ocessed from 80 to 90 minutes at 240° F., after which they are renu)ved from the retort and ])laced in cooling bath. Small size fish require less time to process than noted above for the larger fish, the time required probably being from 50 to 00 minutes. CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 105 STRIPED AND WHITE BASS THE STRIPED BASS OR ROCKFISH (Borcus Hnratus). The striped bass, or rockflsh (Roccns lincatiin) occurs on our Alhintic coast from the St. Lawrence River to tlie Escambia River in western Florida. It is most common between Cape May and Cape Cod and on the North Carolina coast. It is particularly abundant in the great estuaries and open stretches of large rivers. Some years ago it was introduced in Pacific coast waters and is now fairly abundant in California waters, particularly in the Sacramento River. The striped bass is strictly an anadromus i5sh, living chietiy in salt or brackish water, and entering fresh water only at spawning time. As a food fish it is one of the very best. Some very large tish have been reported, the largest weighing 112 jjounds. The average weight, however, is about 5 pounds. At one time the species was exceedingly abundant on the Atlantic coast. In 1908 the catch on the Atlantic const amounted to 1,S81,()00 jiounds, while the California catch amounted to ],131,55() pounds. The Hesh is white and flaky and would can easily, either plain like the squeteague, or corned like the cod. A few were canned on the Sacramento River in ISDCi. The j>roeessing time would be somewhere between 70 to SO minutes for the small fishes, and for the large fish from 110 to 120 minutes, at a temperature of 240' F. A closely related species is the white bass {R. chri/sops), which is found throughout the Great Lakes region from the St. Lawrence to Manitoba, and south in the Mississippi Valley to the Ouachita River in Arkansas. It is generally abundant in the Great Lakes. It does not occur in salt water, but frequents the deep, still waters of the lakes, seldom ascending small streams. It reaches a length of a foot to IS inches and a weight of one to two pounds. It is an excellent food fish, and could be canned the same as the striped bass. The brine in which it is soaked must, however, contain one-half to one per cent, of alum, as freshwater lish are softer fieshed than saltwater species. STURGEON At one time the sturgeon was exceedingly abundant in some of our waters at cer- tain seasons of the year, but the great demand for their eggs in making caviar, and the high prices obtained for the fiesh, led to such intensive fishing that they have become 106 CANNING OP FISHERY PRODUCTS almost extinct at places where tbey formei-ly were exceedingly aliiindant. They are anadronius fishes and only enter fresh water for the purpose of spawning. The common sturgeon {Acipenser sttirio ) ranges from Maine to South Carolina, and up to ISSO the species was exceedingly abundant. The chief center of abundance was, and is, the Delaware River, although considerable fishing is done in the ocean off Nags Head, North Carolina, and off certain sjiots on the New Jersey coast. The maximum LANDING A TEN-FOOT STURGEON. length of the fish is about 10 feet, and weight about 500 jjounds. in all the species the females are much larger than the males. The short-nosed sturgeon {A. hirvirostris) ranges from Cape Cod to the coast of Texas. It was at one time quite abundant in the Ocklocknee and Apalachicola Rivers and the rivers debouching into I^scambia Bay. This sturgeon is much smaller than the common sturgeon, it rarely ever attaining a length greater than 3 feet. The white sturgeon (.1. truiisiiKnitcnius) ranges north from Jlonterey, Cal., to Alaska, ascending the Sacramento, Columbia and Fraser Rivers in the spring in greatly decreased numbers as compared with a few years ago. This species attains an enormous size; the largest examples of which we have record were 13 feet long and weighed 1.000 pounds. They run usually from April to November. The range of the green sturgeon (A. medirostri.i) is approximately the same as that of the white sturgeon, l)nt it has never been so abundant and does not attain so large a size as the latter. CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 107 SKINNING A STURGEON. The lake sturgeon (A. ri(hicuiidiis) is found as an inhabitant of the (Jreat Lakes and the hirger rivers connected therewith, Lake of the Woods, and many of tlie Canadian lakes. Jt i.s also found in the upper Mississippi Valley, and the lower portions of the Ohio and Missouri Rivers. In the Great Lakes it is most abundant in Lakes Erie and Ontario. The average weight at present is about 40 or 50 pounds, with an average length of about o feet. The shovel-nosed sturgeon fSvuiiliirliynclins platori/Hchus) is known only from the upper and middle Mississippi valley. It is most abundant in the Ohio, Illinois and Mis- souri Rivers. It does not attain a very large size. It is caught usimlly on set lines. As the sturgeon decreased in abundance the fishermen began seeking a substitute and found it in the paddleflsh or spoonbill cat (Pohjodoii siitilhiihi). This is one of the most singular and interesting fishes occurring in our waters. Its home is in the bayous and lowland streams of the Mississippi Valley from Texas j.nd Louisiana on the south to ^linnesota and Wisconsin on the north. At one time it was particularly abundant in the streams of Arkansas, the lower Ohio, and the Mississippi River in Mississippi and Tennessee. They are usually taken with set lines. Specimens have been caught which were six feet two inches in total ^ength, and weighed loO pounds, but the average is nmch less than this. Its flesh is sold as sturgeon meat, while the eggs are used in making caviar. C.\xxED Smoked Sturgeon A very small quantity of smoked sturgeon is canned each year. When intended for canning the fresh fish are cut into pieces to fit the size of the can for which they are intended and placed in a wire drum, the cross-section of which is equal to the cross- section of the can. This drum is so arranged that one side or head enters the receptacle and by means of a spring or clasp is pressed into the drum, thus slightly com- pressing the contents. While it is subjected to the action of the smoke, and as the fish 108 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS becomes more and more compact, the movable bead will gradually press it against the fixed bead, so tbat tbe contents take the shajte of a disk with comparatively tlat sides. The drum is so suspended that it may be turned oi rotated from time to time, so that tbe juice that settles to the bottom is brought to the top and compelled to How through the mass again, thus retaining it in tbe flesh. When the smoking is finished tbe disks of fish are removed from the drum and placed in cau.s with a small quantity of cottonseed oil, without exhausting, and the cans hermetically sealed. The product is very palatable and will keep for a year or two under favorable conditions. At one time quite a quantity of this product was prepared annualh', but the present great scarcity- of sturgeon has caused an almost total cessation of tbe business. DOLLY VARDON TROUT Along our Northwest sloi)e and in Alaska is luiind IIk' Ddlly >'ar(l(in Innit, also known as salmon trout i SdlrcIiiiKS parkei), which is so abundant tbat it has liecome a .serious menace to the salmon fisheries. It i.s found in the streams and lakes of the coast states, British Columbia and Alaska. Though a freshwater fish it often descends to the sea and is frequently taken in salt and brackish waters. it reaches a length of 2 to li feet and a weight of 5 to 112 pounds. The average is nnuli less, however. This species is the most persistent and destructive enemy of the saliiniii eggs and fry. In vast numbers they acc()ni])any the spawning fish to the beds with the sole object of feeding upon the salmon eggs when extrutled. .\fter the eggs have hatched the fry and lingerlings fall a ready jtrey to this voracious trout, which pursties them not only in the streams and lakes but down to salt water, where the destruction cdntinues until the salmon have grown large enough to protect themselves. Lai'ge numbers of these trout are taken in the tra]is and other nets njHM-ated for salmon, but little use is made of them at present, largely because of the game laws which make no distinction between this destructive species and other fronts. In Alaska a few are canned in the same manner as salmon, but there is not much demand for them in this shape. It is believed, however, that if the smaller ones A\ere selected and packed whole in 1 and 2-pound oval cans they would present a more inviting ajqiearance, and it is possible a good trade in them could be built up throughout the country, as tbe trout label would be a novelty in the East, and also one to conjui-e with, as the name stands for a choice article in the minds of the people. The following method would probably work successfully in canning whole trout. It should be understood, however, that it is impossible to give exact directions to cover all contingencies, especially with a new and untried product, and the operator will have to use care until he has demonstrated for himself the exact method to be followed. Even with old-established products with which the packer is thoroughly familiar the methods have to he varied from time to time in order to meet unusual coiulitions which will arise. In ])acking the fish should be nearly uniform in size, and should be as fresh as it is possible to obtain them. The head should be cut oil and the lielly slit to the vent and the entrails removed, or they could be removed without splitting. The fins should then be cut off and the fish washed in clean water, after which they should be covered over with a generous quantity of 00° (salometer i brine and soaked one or two hours, accord- ing to tbe thickness of the fish, care being exercised to see that all tbe blood is extracted. Fresh brine should be used each time. The fish should I)e ])laced with shoulder and tails alternating so they will nmke a neat and even pack. Then fill the cans with brine (3 pounds of salt to 121,4 gallons of water), place the tops on loosely, run them through the exhaust for about 10 minutes at 212° F., after which the 1oi)s should be sealed, and the CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 109 caus proces.sed at a teiniieratme betweeu 240'- and 247° lor a leugtU ol' time which can he determined only bv exiieriinent, but probably for about one hour. Should the fish develop a teudeiu-y t(i iinisli in the cans one-hall' to one per cen(. of alnm should be dissolved in the brine in which they are soaked. The large fish can be dressed and packed in the same manner as canned salmon. STEELHEAD TROUT The steelliead trout (t^nhno gairdiicri) is commonly classed as one of the salmons by the canuers of the Pacific coast. In different localities the average weight is placed at from 8 to 15 jtounds, while exti-eme sizes reach 4". pounds. The excellent quality of its Oesli cau.ses it to be highly prized for the fresh market, but owing to its jiale color only limited quantities are canned. The principal center of abundance of this species is the Columbia River. It is found from Carmel River, Califcn'nia, north to central Alaska, and possibly has an even wider range in Alaska. It seems to be found in the rivers during the greater part of the year. In the Columbia River the spawning season is from February to May, in Puget Sound in the spring, and in southeast Alaska in May and June. The liest commercial fishing is in January, February and March. In California the catching of this species is restricted to hook and line fishing. Wherever used commercially the steelhead is generally caught along with the salmon. Practically all of the steeiheads canned are i»nt up on the ("olunibia Kiver or along the Washington coast. The actual process of canning steeiheads is the same as for salmon, with the excep- tion that ihey are processed ten minutes longer than are salmon. The reason for this is that the bones of the steelhead are harder than the bones of the salmons and a longer cooking is necessary in order to properly soften them. TUNA One of the newest of our canned fishery products is the tuna. The business is car- ried on solely in southern California, the only ])lace where the species has been found in SAN DIEGO, CAL., TUNA CANNERIES. 110 CANiNlNG OF FISHERY PRODUCTS abuudance on the I'afitif coast. This species was first canned in 1!I07. No large quantity was packed until 1!U], when the two canneries then operating put up about 20,000 cases. In 1912 there were five jdants in operation and they packed about 80,000 cases. The output in 191S amounted to 32."), 000 cases of all sizes of cans. Awhile the canned product is labeled tuna, the species utilized is really the albicore, or long-tinned tuna ((Irniio (ihilinif/u). as it is sometimes called. The albicore is a pela- gic species found in all tropical seas, and closely resend)les Thunnus, the regular tuna, from which it differs chieliy in having the pectoral long and sabre-shaped, the length in the adult being almost one-half that of the body. It is a comparatively short, but excep- tionally thick-set, fish. While specimens weighing as much as 100 pounds have been taken, the average weight is about ;!0 pounds. This species is raiely seen on our Atlantic coast. It makes its appearance in the waters of southern Calilornia early in the spring, and tishing operations are olten car- ried on as late as l>ecembei'. The fishermen stale that during Ibis period the fish often disapitear for several months, and it is presumed that they are then spawning. The albicore is a deep-sea fish, and is taken li-oiii Iwo to forty-five miles off shore, moving usually in large, well distributed schools and at a depth of ten or more feet. It is not so active as the leajiing tuna {Thuiniii.^ tlii/nnvs) and the yellow-tin tuna [Thun' mix )nficro]iti-nifi'i . with which it schools. The commercial fishery for this species is a comjtaratively recent one, although the taking of them has been a somewhat popular sport with anglers for a number of years, Hand trolling lines are used almost exclusively by the commercial fishermen, this primi- tive form of ap]>aratus seriously handicapi)ing the extension of the business. Unfor- tunately no better method of catching them has been found, although efforts have been made with floating traps and i)nrse seines, but with indifferent success so far. CATCHING ALBICORE. Bait, comprising live sardines, is held in the "live tank" shown on deck. CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 111 The boats employed iu the tishery are open niotorboats with engines of about eijjhl horsepower. Usually three or four men constitute the crew, Japanese and Portuguese predominating. Before starting out in the moi'uing a quantity of chum bait is ])repared by chopping up sardines or other small lish. On the way out sardines are caught in small meshed seines and these are retained alive in a tank filled Avith sea water. Upon reaching the grounds a live sardine is placed on the hook and the trolling line paid out. the boat moving slowly forward. At the first bite the engine is stoi)i)ed and chum (mashed-up sardines I is then thrown overboard, this serving lo draw I be school close to the boat. The liand lines are baited with sardines and if the tish are in numbers they can be taken FISH HUNG ON KAt'KS TO PERMIT OF THE BLiioD DKAlNINLi. almost as fast as the lines can be casl and haulcil. Aiiiiosl inncdiblc ralches are i-ejiort ed as being taken when conditions were favorable. Daily trips are made to the fishing grounds when ihc wealber permits, the tleet returning each afternoon or evening to the canneries. The fish are dressed on the home trip by removing the viscera and head. The tuna (Thinniiitt thyniuis) is canned on the Mediterranean, and considerable quantities of same are imported into this country from Italy, and meets with a consider- able sale amongst the Italians and other South European peoples resident in this country. On the Atlantic coast this species is found as far north as Xewfoundlaud, and ia known as the tunny, Inn-se mackerel or great albacore. They aii]>ear on this coast early in the summer and remain until October, being very abundani sonielimes, and it is strange that with the great demand now for canned tuna some one has not taken up the business. Despite their great size (a length of 10 or more feet and a weight t)f l,.")(l(f 112 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS pounds has been recorded i they are not diffienlt to cateh. Owing to hick oT a market for them but few are saved by the fishermen. Most f.f Ihose taken are in the fisheries of Massacliusetts and Xew Jersey. They are said to be abundant during the season oflf Rhode Island. ' This species is found on the Pacific coast as far nortli as .Monterey P.ay. Tliey are not abundant, and do not attain to such a large size as on tlie Atlantic coast, the largest taken by the anglers weighing but 251 pounds. In the neighborhood of the Hawaiian Islands is found another member of the alba- core family, Gernio gcrnio. known locally as alii, \\liile the bonito {(IjiiiiuoHiirda jichniiis), COOKING THE FISH. known locally as the aku, is also found. Polli are abundant and are now being canned by local packers. On being delivered at the cannery the fish are first washed in brine and then in fresh water, after which they are hung by the tail from racks to drain the blood and thus insure the whiteness of the fiesh. (If the fish were bled by having their throat cut when first caught a considerable i)art of this work would be unnecessary.) After draining the fish are placed in iron meshed trays or pans (usually three fish to a jian i in a large low-pressure retort, where they are cooked with live steam for about three hours (de- pending upon the size of the fish; the large fish require the longest time), at practically no pressure, or a temperature of 212° to 220° F. This cooking is foi- the jiurpose of soften- ing the flesh, loosening the skin and trying out the oil. As 1lie fish usually arrive at the canneries in the late afternoon or evening, the night is generally devoted to this stage of the process. T'pon removal froni the cookers they are run into the cooling room, where thev are cooled l)v means of fans. CANNING OF FISHERY PRODIT'TS 113 III the iiHiiiiiiij; tlie cooked tisli are transreiied to the eiittinji and tillinn tables. Here tlie girls, standing on one side of the lung tallies, lireak the tish in two longitudinally and renun" the backbone. The skin and dark la\er oT meat inst nnder same are then removed PUTTING THE TUNA IN CANS. This Picture Was Taken at the Plant of the Los Angeles Tuna Canning Co., at Long Beach, Cal. with kni\es, after which the tiesh is cut into sections of the jirojier size to fill the i/iliounil, i^l'O'intl iiii'l l-potind Hat i^aiis in which the iirfidiict is packed. FINAL COOKI.XG OF THE CANXKD FISH IX RETORTS. In the center of the table are two endless belts running in parallel grooves. At the head of the table a chute running from the mezzauine floor to one of the belts delivers 114 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS the empty cans to it, and while it is covering this distance each can is antomatically provided with 14-ounce of fine salt and a teaspoonful of cottonseed or some other pure nut oil, to supply the lack of natural oil in the flesh of the fish. The girls on the filling side of the table remove the empty cans from one belt, fill them with meat, and then place them on the other belt, which carries them to the topper, then through an exhaust box for 11 minutes at a temperature of 210° for halves, and 15 minutes at 220° for pounds. A few packers do not exhaust at all. In some of the plants a vacuum machine is used for the purpose of exhausting the cans and does the work in an excellent manner. They then pass through the washer, where the outsides of the cans are cleaned, and then are transferred in coolers to the retort and once more cooked, this time for about 55 minutes at a temperature of 240° for halves, and about 05 minutes at a temperature of 240° F., and a steam pressure of 12 pounds for l-])()und cans. The cans are then cleaned, cooled, tested for leaks, labeled and boxed for shipment. The cans are not lac- quered as in the case of salmon. It is estimated that a ton of fish will fill 23 cases of ISone-pound cans each, or 45 cases of 48 i/^poim'^ <"'Ti*^ ^'ich of the white meat. A few of the jiackers let the dark meat go along with the refuse material to the gurry scow, which transports it to the fertilizer plant, or, if the cannery has a fertilizer plant attached, direct to it on an endless belt. The majority of the packers, however, use the dark meat and the small scraps and bits from the white meat in making what is termed potted, or deviled, tuna, this being packed in 14 pound and i/4-pound cans. These are exhausted and processed the same as the white meat. In preparing this product the meat is run through a grinder; spices may or may not be added, as the packer wishes. UTAH LAKE CHUB The Utah Lake chub (Leticisnis liiwatiis) is one of the largest and most widely dis- tributed species of this genus, and is abundant everywhere in the Great Basin of Utah, and in the Snake River basin aliove Shoshone Falls. In Ulali Lake it is exceedingly abun- dant, as it is also in Jackson's Lake, Yellowstone Lake and other similar waters, where, owing to its large size, it is of considerable importance as a food fish. It attains to a length of from 12 to 15 inches. In 1916 the canning of this species was begun by a plant located at Utah Lake. WHITEFISH Whitefish are among the most important freshwater fishes of America, and rank high as food fishes. The common whitefish (Corcfiouus i-lupciforniis) is the most valuable species of all. It is found throughout the Great Lakes region from Lake C]KUii])lain to Lake Superior, and possibly to Lake Winnipeg. The common whitefish lives habitually in the deeper waters of the lakes, coming out into more shallow water at spawning time, which, in the Great Lakes, is from late October into December. Fishing is carried on in all months except January, February and March, when the whereabouts of the fish are unknown. In Lake Erie the fish ranges from about iVo to 5 or pounds, but seldom exceeds 4 or 5 pounds. It attains a weight of 12 pounds or more, and some have lieen reported weigh- ing as high as 20 pounds. Gill nets are the favorite form of apparatus, although pound nets, trap nets and seines take considerable. The trade is centered chiefly at Chicago, Detroit, Sandusky, Cleveland, Erie and Buffalo. The Rocky Mountain whitefish, or mountain herring ( C. villi(imsoiii), has a very wide distribution, occurring in all suitable waters from the west slope of the Rockies to CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 115 the Pacific and from Utah to British Columbia. It prefers tlie cold, clear lakes, such as those of Idaho, Oregon and Washington, but is also found in many streams. During the spawning season, which occurs in late fall or early winter, those living in the lakes run out into the tributary streams, in some places in incredible numbers ; the rest of the time they spend in comparatively deep water. TJiis species attains a length of a foot or more, and a weight of about 4 iionnds, though the average is somewhat less. Considerable fishing is carried on for this species during the spawning season, the catch being shipped to Eastern points. The broad whitefish or nuiksun (C. krnn/icotti) is known from the Yukon River north in Alaska, and in Great Bear Lake and Mackenzie River in Canada. It is one of the largest species of the genus, and reaches a weight of 30 pounds, and as a food fish is '■.iSX, THE COMMON WHITEFISH (Coregonus cliipeifonnis). held in high esteem. It is said to be abundant \v the Yukon in both winter and summer, and that it spawns in September, when it enters the small tributary streams. The menominee, or round whitefish (C. qiiadrlhiteniJis), is found in the lakes of Labrador, New Brunswick and New England, westward through the Adirondacks and the Great Lakes, thence northward into British Columbia, Alaska and northern Canada, making it the most widely distributed species of American whitefish. It is ordinarily found in rather deep water of the lakes, and does not often enter streams. It spawns in the fall. The menominee reaches a length of 12 to 15 inches, and a weight of 2 pounds; the average weight, however, does not exceed 1 pound. Lake Champlain and the small lakes of ^'ermont and New York yield considerable quantities each year, while in Lakes Huron, Michigan and Superior still larger quantities are taken, gill nets being the gear usually enijiloyed for this purpo.se. t% ^ In 1008 the combined American whitefish catch from the Great Lakes, Lake of the Woods and Rainv Lake amounted t( 1,000 ituunds, the greater portion, 4,772,000 pounds, being taken by tlie fishermen of Michigan. Large quantities are taken commer- cially in the smaller lakes of New York, Vermont, Wa.shington and Idaho, of which no record is available. In Canada during the year 1910-17 the catch of whitefish amounted to 16,499,200 pounds, of which 5,033,900 pounds were take in Manitoba waters, (5,071,100 pounds from 116 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS Ontario, 2,855,100 pounds from Saskatchewan, 2,145,200 pounds from Alberta, 309,900 pounds from Quebec, and 78,900 pounds from Yukon Teritory. Lake Herring or Cisco THE LAKE HERRING OR CISCO (Leuiirhthi/s artrdil. This misnamed species is really closely related to the whiteflshes and is a strictly freshwater species with no relationship to the sea herring'. The lake herring, or cisco fLciicichfhi/s (irfrdi), as it is freipiently called, is found throughout the Great Lakes and northward into the Hudson P.ay drainage, and to Labrador. It is taken in enormous quantities each year and in most of the lakes is the object of a sjiecial fishery. In 1908 the catch in the T'nited States was 41,118,000 pounds, of which 12,124,000 pounds were taken in Wisconsin and 14,787.000 pounds in Michigan. The species is most abundant in Lake Michigan (with 21,059,000 pounds), while Lake Erie ranks .second in importance with 10,000,000 jiounds. Gill nets and pound nets take nearly all of the catch. The Canadian catch for the year 1910-17 amounted to 5,853,700 pounds, principally in the province of ^lanitoba. The fisliing begins in the spring, generally early in April, and lasts usually until November. The average weight of the species does not exceed a pound, and the ma.ximum weight two Jiounds. The fish are marketed fresh, pickled, smoked and canned. The blackfin whitefish (Argi/rosoniiis nif/rii)inins) is commercially classed with the whiteflshes, although scientifically it belongs with the ciscos, and is known certainly only from Lake Michigan and Miltona Lake. Minnesota, though it has been reported from other small deejiwater lakes of Minnesota and Wisconsin. It has also been reported from Lake Superior, but probably erroneously. The blackttn is probably the most alnindant fish of commercial importance in the deeper waters of Lake Michigan. The sjiawning season occurs in November and December. It is taken usually in gill nets. It reaches a length of 18 inches, aiul a weight of one to two pounds. Like the blackfin, the tullibee (A. tullibrc) is classed commercially with the white- fishes, although it belongs with the ciscos, or lake herrings, and is known from Lakes Onondaga (New York), Erie, Superior and Michigan, also from Lake of the Woods, and in the provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Alban.\- River and other waters north- A\ard. It is especially abundant in Lake of the ^^'oods and in the provinces of Assiniboia CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 117 and Jlaiiitoba. It is not at all common in the (iieat Lakes. The tiiUibee attains a len^h of 18 or 20 inches and a weight of SVo pounds. It mnks hija\v (A. iiroi) has been steadily growing in favor as a food fish during the past twenty years. In 1S!I8 less than 50,000 pounds were mar- keted, but in 1008 about one and one half million ])ounds were sold, while in 1917 11,890,055 pounds were caught in the coasta fisheries o( New York and New Jersej' alone, while in 1916-17 S,700 pounds were taken in Canada. The species is found from Cajie Ann to Key \Vest and Pensacola, its center of great- est abundance being in the north, and princiiially along the New England and New Jer- sey c'oasts. It is normally a resident of deep waters offshore, but during spring and early summer it comes to our northern coast in vast schools, its migrations to the coast being imjielled by the search for f(>od. It reaches a maximum length of about 18 inches, 118 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS but its average length is about 12 or 14 inches. They are caught principally by lines, seines and gill nets. The sand whiting or Carolina whiting {M. aiiicricainis] is found on our South Atlan- tic and Gulf coasts from the Chesapeake Bay to Texas. It is very common on sandy shores southward, and is a food flsh of considerable importance. This species is most common off the Carolinas, 1,091,000 pounds having been caught here in 1908. The surf whiting or silver whiting (M. littonilis) is found on sandy shores from the Carolinas to Texas and is generally common. The California whiting {M. undulatus) occurs from the Santa Barbara islands southward on sandy shores, and is a food flsh of some value. The whiting is a sweet flsh, but unfortunately its flesh is rather soft, which some- what militates against its being shipped fresh to distant points. Considerable are pickled and frozen, while a few have been canned. It should not be difficult to can this species, and a close perusal of the methods used in packing similar fishes, shown elsewhere in this work, together with a little experimenting, ought to quickly develop the process most suitable for the consuming trade in view. The softness of the flesh may be overcome somewhat in canning by dissolving in the brine in which the fish is soaked one-half to one per cent, of alum or some other hardening agent. Would suggest that the fish be dressed, cleaned and soaked in fresh brine made by dissolving 3 pounds of salt in each 12i'o gallons of water used until all the blood has been extracted, usually from one to two hours. They should then be jiacked in the cans, with V4 ounce of salt, the tops put on loosely and the cans exhausted for about 10 minutes at 212 ' F., the tops sealed on and the cans proces.sed at 210- F., 1-pound cans about 50 to V,?> minutes, after which they should be removed and cooled in cooling bath. YKLLOWTAIL OR AMBERFISH The yellowtail [htiriuhi dursalis) is found on the Pacific coast from Mazatlan and Cape San Lucas north to the Santa Barbara Islands. This species arrives in southern California about :March and remains until December, and occasionally throughout the year. In Winter it goes south and off into deep water, being occasionaly taken on the outer hanks at that time. The flsh attains a weight of 100 jiounds and a length of nearly '> feet, but the average weight is about 20 ])onn(ls. The greater part of the catch ./ «,^^ ■Ji^^ THE AMBERFISH OR AMBERJACK (Scriola clumerili). CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 119 is made with lines. In 1915 1,(194,410 pounds, valued at |:3G,1L';{, were marketed in a fresh condition, and 124,500 pounds, valued at |4,743, iu a salted condition. Several years ago the tuna canners, whose fishermen frequently made large catches of yellowtail, began putting them in cans using the same methods as followed in canning tuna. The demand for the product is steadily increasing as it becomes better known. The canners now use the name amberfish, a name applied to a closely related species found in Florida, in place of yellowtail, on the can labels. On the Florida coast is found a related species, the ambertish or amberjack (l^criola dumerlli). It is a not uncommon specie.s in winter and attains a maximum .size of SO pounds or more, although the avei-age size is less than half of this. As on the Pacific coast, the species is taken mainly by trolling, and will can as readily as its California relative. MOLLUSKS A B ALONE IT is ouly within the last three or four years, and tlien since canning was taken up, that the abalone has been considered as an article of food by white residents of the Pacific coast. It has been highly esteemed, however, for many years as an article of diet by Orientals living in this country, while large quantities in a dried condition were shipped to Asia. While not a resident of our Atlantic shores, tlie mollusk abounds along our Pacific coast from San Diego to Alaska. The animal has a single calcareous shell, from (! inches to nearly a foot in length, and this is one of the most brilliantly beautiful in its interior of any known. The abalone crawls about the bottom of the ocean, just outside the surf, at a depth of from 20 to 120 feet. A large holding muscle, really the foot of the animal, is attached to the shell near the middle, and with this the animal, when disturbed, clings to the rocks with a tenacity which makes it a difficult matter for the fisherman to dislodge it. Most of the ftsliing is done by Japanese, who go down in diving suits and detach the abalone from llie rocks by slipping a shucking chisel under the expanded foot of the animal before it is alarmed. The captured abalones are put into a basket, which has been let down by the rest of the crew from a boat at the surface, and this is then hauled up, enii)lie(l, and sent down again until the diver is tired and comes to the surface to rest. The white fishernuui usually rows along iiear the rocks in a boat and examines the bottom through a water telescope (a short wooden box with ii jjane of glass at one end, through which the bottom can be seen undistui-bed by the surface ripples), and when a shell is found it is i)ried off by a chisel fastened to a long jiole, which then is pressed against the body of the animal, so raising it to the surface. Chinamen also wade along close inshore and pry the abalones off with a short chisel, dropping the shells into a basket. Practically all of 1he fishing at ju-esent is confined to the coast south of ^Monterey Bay, but as the lu-oduct becomes better known to the consuming public the almost limit- less supplies along the coast north of here will be drawn upon Four or five plants were engaged in canning the ubaloiie in 1917. All but Uie viscera are utilized. The flesh and juice are treated togelher and the i)roduct is said 1o acquire a flavor more delicate than that of the oyster. It may be stewed or fried, while the juice makes a good broth, soup or appetizer. Being highly albuminous the meat is very nutritious. Upou arrival at the cannery the meat is detached from the shell by means of chisels, the visceral mass being cut away. It is then put into salt water and allowed to i-emain here for a coujtle of days, or sufficient time to remove the black envelope around the foot muscle. For the white trade only the foot muscle is used, and this is sliced and then minced in a meat grinder; but for the Oriental trade both loot muscle and mantle cut into cubes are used. After packing in cans, usually in Ipound tails and flats, the cans are run through an exhaust box for 4.^ minutes at a temperature of 108 F., after which they are run through the double seamer and the tops sealed on. They are then put into retort and cooked one hour under 1.") i^ounds pressure, the temperature being between 240" and 120 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 121 250° F., at the end of which period they are taken out of the retort, sprayed, and then laid out to cool. In California the best season for canning is in May, June and July. During the winter months the flesh of the mollusk is at its poorest. It spawns during February. It is strongly reconinioiided by the packers as a health food, containing, it is saia, a higher percentage of albumen than any other canned food. A considerable business is done in the selling of the polished shells, which ai-e highly esteemed as ornaments the world over. CLAMS Next to the oyster, the clam is the most important mollusk found in our waters. In 1908 the clam product ranked sixth in value, amounting to 1,900,000 bushels, valued at 11,917,000. Included in this total product were 970,000 bushels of hard clams, valued at $1,317,000 ; 865.000 bushels of soft clams, valued at |553,000 ; 26,000 bushels of razor clams, valued at |25,000, and 33,000 bushels of surf clams, valued at .f21,000. What few cockles were taken were included in one or the other varieties of the clams mentioned. In 1908 Alaska was credited with 850 bushels, valued at |350, all of which were mai'keted locally. About 1915 the canning of clams was taken up, with the result that in 1918 45,191 cases of clams and 90 cases of clam juice were packed. The next few years will see a great development in clam canning in Alaska, as beds arc iiunicroiis and hut few have ever been worked heretofore except for local use. In Canada in 1910-17 the production of clams of all kinds amounted to 54,942 barrels, all but 5,-538 barrels (from British Columliia) of which came from Atlantic waters. British Columbia will in time be a heavy producer of clams as the location and extent of her beds become better known. The quahog, hard clam, or round clam {Venus mercenaria). is the most important member of the clam family, and is found in abundance from C;ipe Cod to Texas, but is not much used as a food south of North Carolina. It is the "clam" of the nmrkets of New York, Philadelphia and southward, and it is also utilized to some extent in New Eng- land. It has a heavy shell and lives on the muddy bottoms, principally below low-water mai-k, where it is taken by means of specially designed rakes. Most of the raking is done by hand from sail or power boats, but occasionally one is dragged over the bottom by a sail or power vessel while drifting or movhig slowly. Tongs, similar in shape to oyster tongs, are occasionally used, while ordinary shovels are also employed in a few places to dig them up. ^Many are secured by "treading," i.e.. the clammer wades about and feels for the clams with his toes, and then ])icks them up by hand or with a short rake. The long clam, or mananose (ili/aralive lightness of its shell is often called the "soft clam." It was introduced into San Francisco Bay about 1870 with importations of Eastern seed oysters, later was planted at Santa Cruz, Cal., and in Coos and T'm]»qua Bays-, in Oregon, and in Willapa Harbor. Wa.shington, from which places it has spread widely, and is now an important food product. The 'soft clani" is found principally on sandy shores or in a mixture of sand and mud, between the tide nmrks. Its long siphon permits it to burrow to a considerable depth, and it is dug from Its burrow by means of spades, stout forks or heavy hoes or rakes, with three or four broad prongs, the mollusk betraj'ing its jjresence by squirting water np when the sand is shaken or pressed. SOME OF THE RAZOR CLAM CANNERIES OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 1— Nahcotta Canning Co., Nahcotta, Wash; 2 — Copalis, Wash., Plant of Sea Beach Packing Works; 3 — Aberdeen Plant of Elmore Packing Co.; 4 — Pacific Fisheries and Packing Co., Moclips, Wash.; 5 — Surf Packing Co., Aberdeen, Wash. TLAAl, rUAll A.\l) OVSTKK FISHERMEN. 1— Emptying a Crab Pot; 2— Ready to Set a Crab Hoop Net; 3— Tonging Oysters in California; 4 — Digging Razor Clams on the Pacific Beaches. 122 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODICTS 123 The surf clam (Mm-tru solidis.siiiKi ) . which is also kuowu as "sea clam," "heu clam," "skimmer," etc., is foiiiul on both coasts and is distiniiiiished hy its jiieat size and smooth surface, some of the shells being- more than six inches long and four or five inches broad ; there is great variation in the form of the shell. On the Atlantic coast it ranges from the Gulf of ^Mexico to Labrador, but it is only in New Jersey and New York that it is of commercial importance. Owing to the diflflculty experienced in freeing the meat from the sand, which its exposed beach habitat causes to accumulate inside the shell, but few are eaten, the gieat majority being marketed as bait. It ought to be possible for some canner to remove this sand, when he would have an excellent and abundant product for canning purposes. THE RAZOR CLAM (Machacra piituhi). The razor clam (Muchitn-n jxiliild) is the most important of the native west coast species, being found on nearly all of the sandy beaches from the southern boundary of Oregon north to the Arctic. The shell of this bivalve is long and sub-cylindrical, resem- bling in shape a razor. They excavate large elliptical holes, which penetrate downward, usually in a nearly vertical direction, to a depth of two or three feet. Owing to the short- ness of their siphons, or breathing tubes, they are obliged to come up to the opening of the hole in order to obtain oxygen and food. When the tide is in, and no danger is near, the end of the shell usually projects above the surface for an inch or two, but a sudden jar startles them, and down they go with great rapidity. Short-handled spades are used in digging the molhisk out. As the razor clam lives below high water, and is usually most abundant about low tide, the hours in which the diggers can work each day are few. The best digging is dur- ing the spring tides, when the greatest run-out occurs, thus exposing more of the beach than in the ordinary tides. The best months for digging are May, April and September, 124 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS in the order named, while December is the poorest, on acconnt of the storms usually encountered then. In the state of Washington there is a closed season from June 1 to September 1. About 34 pounds of meats are obtained from 100 pounds of clams as taken from the water. The little-neck, or hard shell clam (Tapes stamiiica). the ''hard shelled clam" of the. markets, and the butter clam (tSaxidomus nuftali), both very abniidant in all parts of Puget Sound, and only less plentiful in many other places, are the principal clams of the Washington, British Columbia and Alaska markets, l.arge r|nantities are used fresh, while many, especially of the last named, are canned. The great Washington clam {Tresiis iinttali), which sometimes reaches a length of eight or ten inches, when minced makes an excellent canned product. It is abundant in Puget Sound and is also found all along the coast as far south as Mexico. Several species of cockles are also found on the Pacific coast and are occasionally canned along with the clams. A large business is done in Xew England in canning .soft clams; in the Middle, South Atlantic and Gulf states in canning quahogs, and on the Pacific coast in canning razor, littleueck and butter clams. i On the Pacific Coast the canning of razor clams has been brought to a high degree of perfection in certain plants through the development of si)ecial machinery for doing certain parts of the work. Upon the arrival of the clams at these plants they are dumped into one end of a long rectangular box. In this is a wire rack which has a slight upward curve. This rack has successive steps, one a little higher than the other, and the whole rack is operated some- what on the same principle as a rocker in a quartz staniji mill. In the center of the box is a tank of hot water, surmounted by a square box resting on the top of the main box. The hot water causes the clams to gape widely and the action of the rocker shakes the meats out and also advances the meats and shells step by step until they reach the oppo- site end. Here jets of cold water are played upon the meats in order to cool them rapidly ; should they cool slowly they would become tough. The meats are jiicked off the frame and placed in large dish pans, while the shells pass on and drop onto the beach through an opening in the side of the building. The pans of meats are then taken into another room where girls sitting in front of long zinc-covered tables dress the bivalves. Taking a clam in her left hand the girl splits it from tip to tip on one side with a medium-sized pair of scissors, causing it to lay wide open. Near the end of the siphon is a darkmass, composed principally of sand and dirt, which is then clipped off. The meats are then placed in a cylindrical perforated washing machine, which revolves automatically half a turn both ways in a tank tilled with water for the final washing They are then taken to another set of operators who cut off the siphon and side walls of the body. The stomach is then slit open with a pair of scissors and cleaned out, after which it is put with the rest of the meat. The meats are then dumped into a hopper, fitted wilh a ]iliinger to force them dowu, and thence into a grinder, whence they emerge in a minced condition. The mass is then dumped into a square hopper, which automatically feeds the quantity desired into the can, which is brought under the mouth of the hopper on an endles belt. Should the mass in the hopper become dry and move sluggishly, the operator feeds a little clam nectar to it by means of a hose from a small tank running to the edge of the hopper. The operator also stirs uji the mass occasionally with a wooden jiaddle. It is said that one bushel of razor clams in the shell will, when prepared for canning, fill 20 one-pound cans. RAZOR CLAM CANNING. 1 — Washing the Clams by Machinery; 2 — Cleaning the Clams; 3 — Adding Nectar to the Pilled Cans: 4 — Removing the Meats from the Shells. 125 126 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS As the filled cans jiass by on the endless belt nnotlier mieratoi' adds the necessary clam nectar by means of a hose pipe fitted with a pair of nippers for the purpose of shut ting off the flow. The belt upon which the cans travel slopes slightly toward the opera tor, thus facilitating the adding of the fluid. The tops are then put on loosely, after which the cans pass into the exhaust box, where they remain about 8 minutes, temperature 210° F., and then pass out, when the top is sealed. They are then packed in coolers, these piled one on top of the other on a car, when the car is run into a retort, where they are cooked, 1-pouud cans about 90 minutes at a temperature of 220° F., i-o-pound cans 70 minutes at similar temperature. As soon as the cooking is completed the steam is blown out and heavy sprays of cold water i>layed on the cans so as to cool them rapidly : should they be allowed to cool slowly the meats will become tough. They are then taken out of the retort, cleaned in a lye bath, and are then ready for lacquering and labeling. In the more primitive plants the clams are steamed in wooden vats and are washed and dres.sed in what are virtually enameled lavatory basins, arranged in rows, each with two separate faucets. The other operations are the same. In one plant a rectangular box with three compartments is in use. The clams are placed in a box with sides and bottom of netting. This is lifted by a block and fall and let down into the first compartment, where the clams are washed in cold water. It is then lifted out of this and lowered into the second compartment, which has hot water, where the clams open themselves. The box is then put into the last compartment, which is filled with cold water in which the meats are cooled oft'. The little-neck and Inillcr clams, and several related s])ecies, are usually canned whole, although at times considerable quantities are canned minced. Upon arrival from the beds a few of the canneries packing whole clams put the bivalves in a tank of water and throw cornmeal over them and allow them to remain here for 24 hours. During this period they pass all the food and other material in their stomachs when dug, and the cornmeal helps to clean and bleach the flesh. The outsides of the shells are then thoroughly washed, after which they are jdaced in a receptacle so arranged that all the liquor in the shells may be saved. Steam is then tnined on for 30 minutes, the receptacle having a temperature of 212° F. When taken out the shells are wide open, from which the meats can quickly and easily be removed, while the juice is transferred to another receptacle. If the meats are to be canned whole the greater i)art of 1he siphon, which is quite tough, is cut off. In making minced clams the meats aie run tliroiigh a meat grinder, in which event the siphon can go in with the rest of the meat. The meats, together witli some of the liquor, are then packed hot into the cans, the tops sealed, and then the cans run into closed retort, where 1-pound cans are cooked 1 hour and 40 minutes at a pressure of 10 pounds, and a temperature of 240° F. A long cook is necessary in order to produce a tender product. Half-pound cans are usually cooked at the same temperature for about one hour. Should the meats be held until cold it will be necessary to run them through an exhaust box for about 10 minutes at a tem- perature of about 212° F. Clam Nectar The surplus liquor, or juice, also known as nectar, is packed separately, and after being put hot into the cans the latter are sealed, aftei- which l-])Ound cans are cooked for 1 hour at a pressure of 10 jxainds and a tenqterature of 240° F. Should the liquor he CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 127 cold wlien jiut into tlie cans tliev should be exhausted about the same as the meats. Half Itouiul cans are usually cooked at the same temperature but lor a shorter time. Tho length of the cook for the latter can .soon be determined by experiment. Hard .\nd Soft Claris In cauiiiufi- the soft clam the siphon is cut oil (there being no siphon, this is not necessary with the (piahog), the thin skin or film covering removed, and the clams cleaned in the same manner as when prepared for the table. The meats are then placed in tin cans, holding from (Uo to 12 ounces (known in the trade as 1-pound and 2-pound cans), after which the cans are nearly filled with the licjuid, diluted with either fresh, salt or sea watei% and the covers put on. The cans are exhausted for 10 minutes at 212° F., the tops then sealed on, after which they are cooked at 240° F., 1-pound cans for 15 minutes and 2-pound cans for 20 minutes. In packing quahog or hard clams the only difference in the treatment is to process l-pound cans 20 minutes, 2-pound cans 2."i minutes, and ."Vpound cans .'iO minutes. A lew (pialiogs are jiickled. New Yoi-k being the center of this trade. The clams are generally steamed in the shell, a basketful being placed in the steam box at a time, where they lemain for 10 to 30 minutes, according to the time for which they are to be kept. On removal the clams and liciuor are cooled separately, the latter being first sti-ained and flavored with \inegar, lemon, mace, etc., and then combined and scaled up in suit able receptacles. Clam Chowder Considerable clam chowder is packed annually. The meats are prepared in the man- ner previously described. Owing to its more pronounced flavor the quahog is the most popular species for this purpose. Usually in preparing clam chowder it is found much cheaper to get together and prepare the necessary ingredients for a large than a small quantity. In preparing the chowder, to 2,500 (piahog meats are added the following ingredients: 25 pounds bacon, 25 pounds jiotatoes, 7 pounds onions, 23 pounds tomatoes, V4 pound finely chopped parsley, ^ s pound thyme, 1 ounce sweet marjoram, 1 pound salt. ¥2 pound ground white pepper, and 15 gallon of water. The clams should be washed in cold water, drained and chopped. Cut the potatoes and bacon in dice, and place the water, clams, bacon, onions, potatoes and tomatoes in kettle, bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes; then add other igrcdients: stir thoroughly and place in cans. The cans are then topped and processed, No. 3 cans for 80 minutes at 250° F. : for quarts, 50 minutes at 250° F. < Any quantity of clam chowder can be prepared at one time by correspondingly in- creasing or decreasing the quantities noted above. Clam chowder is usually packed in No. 3 cans, though it is also put up in No. 1, No. 2 and No. 10 cans. A condensed clam chowder is prepared in the same way as plain clam chowder. In jirejiaring this only half the quantity of water is used. After all the ingredients are added and mixed, and the steam turned off, the liquid is drawn from the bottom of the kettle, the cans filled with.the solid materials and covered with the liquid. They are then eajiped, tipped and processed, No. 1 cans 40 minutes at 250° F. V\'hen preparing this for the table additional milk or water can be added in the quantity most desirable. 128 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS Clam Extract Of recent years it has been ■well establi'^hed that clams, both hard and soft, form one of the most nourishing and easily assimilated of all foods, especially when the hard indi- gestible poi'tions are eliminated. As a result clam juice or extract is now almost univer- sally employed as a food for invalids or convalescents. In preparing clam extract the uncooked clams are placed on open racks or gratings in a retort, which is air and steam-tight, and live steam is admitted for about 20 minutes. The heat causes the clam to open its shell, and the liquor drops into pans placed under the racks. The juice is then passed through a filter, and is then boiled to evaporate a l)art of the water and concentrate the extract, thus making a given quantity of it richer than it would otherwise be, the boiling preventing decompasilion when the product is exposed to the air. The liquid is finally ])ut, while hot or cold, into cans and hermetically sealed, the time of processing or cooking the cans so as to exclude the air and have it keep in any climate, varying as to whether the concentrated juice or extract is jtoured into the cans hot or cold. One-pound cans packed hot are usually jirocessed for 1 hour at a temperature of 240" F. Half-pound cans should be jirocessed for a little shorter time but at the same temperature. If packed cold tin' iinxluct should be exhausted about 10 minutes at a temperatui-e of 212° F. Amount of Meat in Can The U. S. Food and Drugs Board in Food Inspection Decision Xo. Ill rules that in canned food jirodncts the can serves not only as a container but also as an index of the quantity of food therein, and should be as full of food as practicable for packing and processing. Where the addition of brine or water is necessary for proper preparation, the can should contain only sufficient licpiid to fill the sjiace between the meat and cover the product, ilany canners of clams have asked the Board to rule regarding the weight of clams necessary to comply with Decision Xo. 111. As a result of investigations the lioard states its opinion that cans which contain the weights of drained clam meat shown below will fulfill the requirements. These w ights are "cut out" weights, i.e., the weight of meat left in the can after all free liquor has been drained oft. ■'Cut out" Weight Type of Can. Diameter. Heiglit. of Clams. No. 1 Regular or oyster 2fJ inches 4 inches 5 ounces No. 1 Maine style 3 Inches 4/,; inches 8 ounces No. 2 Short or picnic 3% inches 4 inches 8'4 ounces No. 2 Regular '. 3% inches ii'n inches 10 ounces When cans of other sizes are used, they should contain proportional weights of meat. It should be remembered, the Board states, that a loss of weight almost invariably occurs when clams are processed, and due allowance should be made for this loss in weigh- ing the clams into the can. It may be said that the investigations made in the Bureau indicate that the loss in weight in processing varies from about 5 to 15 per cent., the average loss being about 10 per cent, of the clams placed in the cans. The weights of drained clam meat should not fall below those given above, or, if a variation occurs, it should be as often above as below the weights sjiecifled. SEA MUSSELS Of the many neglected products of our saltwalers none can compare with the sea mvissel in abundance, nutritiousness and palatability. The Atlantic species (Mytilus rdiilifi) has a wide distribution, extending down our eastern coast to X'^orth Carolina, CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 129 while a closely related species [M. californiiuiiis) extends down the Pacific coast to San Francisco, Cal. It is extremely abundant in the shallow, sheltered bays along the coasts of New Jersey, Long Island, Rhode Island and Massachusetts on the Atlantic coast, and in the same class of bays in Oregon, Washington and Alaska on the Pacific coast. The mussel seems to grow equally well in shallow and deep water. The favorite habitat of the mollusk is where the water is slightly brackish, in shallow, i)rotected bays and estu- aries, on a bottom of mud rich in diatoms and covered more or less with stones or other solid objects to which it may attach by means of its byssal threads. The swift tideways of shallow inlets are also very good situations for the mussel. In these localities the animals thrive in enormous bodies. Other situations chosen by the mollusk are the piles and timbers of bridges, wharves, rocks and other objects. Despite the fact that the mus.sel was a favorite article of food with the aborigines, it has been sadly neglected by our people. In a few sections — Puget Sound and San Fran- cisco on the west coast, and New York on the east coast, mainly — it figures as an article of food. The mussel is as palatable as the oyster, much more nutritious and more digest- ible. It contains only half as much waste as the oyster, is more abundant, is more easily cultivated in that it requires less special conditions for growth, and it is adapted for making a greater variety of food preparations. Furthermore, it is in season for the table when the oyster is out of season. The only ditticulty in the marketing or canning of mussels fur food purposes is that / they spoil quickly after being removed from the water. It is necessary to use them within twenty-four hours after they are collected or ptomaine poisoning may result. To insure one's self against illness from eating them, the mus.sels must be taken from water that is ])ure and subject to the constant circulation of tidal currents. For the canner on the I'acific coast these conditions are easily comidied with as the coast itself is not so much built up as on the Atlantic. On the latter coast, however, suitable sites are very abundant. The sea mussel is of all shellfish jiarticularly adapted for canning. Unlike the oyster it remains tender and retains its full flavor when subjected to the high temperatures necessary to prepare it in this way. It also does not shrivel up like the oyster when cooked, thus presenting a far more sightly appearance when canned than the latter. There are three {ilants — one on the Atlantic and two on the Pacific — engaged in canning the mussel. The method in use in canning is either that devised by I>r. Irving A. Field ill his experimental work prosecuted under the auspices of the U. S. Bureau of P^'isheries, or slight modification of same. Dr. Field's method is as follows: "The mussels when taken from the collecting boats are rapidly picked over by hand to eliminate any dead or unhealthy ones which may be present, as well as the coarse adher- ing debris. Then they are placed in a cleaning apparatus, such as shown in Fig. 2. It consists of a rectangular box 2x2x3 feet, which revolves on its long axis. The ends of the box are of solid yellow pine and are firmly held in place by 4 pair of braces .1 feet long, 2 inches wide and lo inch thick. Three sides of the box are enclosed with -^-inch mesh galvanized wire netting. The fourth side has a door 8 inches wide, running the length of the box. The door is clamped firmly in place by means of a lever, which is swung over it. The rest of the side is filled in with parallel strips of wood jilaced i ^ inch apart. The projecting ends of the axis rest on the walls of a trough IX^ feet deep, in whicli there is running sea water. A crank at one end serves as a means to rotate the cage. "About one bushel of mussels is i)laced in this cleaning apparatus, which is set in rotation at the rate of 30 revolutions a minute for 15 minutes. The treatment cleans off from the shells all clinging sea weeds, sand and debris, besides i)reaking open the shells o CO CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 131 of (lead imissels and washing away the iiijuridus snbstance eoiitained within iheni. In the experimental work this method of cleaning mussels proved very effective. For clean- ing on a commercial scale the device may easily be constructed on larger dimensions and operated by means of steam or water power. "After this treatment the mussels are removed and rinsed otf with clean water. They are placed in a chest and subjected to live steam for from ."> to 1(1 minutes, or until the shells begin to open. They are next emptied out into shallow pans to cool and the natural liquor which has escaped into the chest is preser\ed in a sejiarate dish. As soon as they are cool enough to be handled the mussels are shucked and the horny "beard" removed, the meats and liquor being preserved in separate dishes. "^A'hile the liquor taken from the steam chest and that taken from the mussels dur- ing the process of shucking is filtering through a fine-meshed cloth, the mussel meats are packed in glass jars or bottles. The filtered liquor is brought to a boil and two ounces of salt are added for each gallon. The jars containing the meats are then tilled with the boiling liquid and sealed. To insure complete sterilization, the sealed jars are placed in a steam chest and subjected to 5 pounds pressure for 15 minutes. They are allowed to cool down slowly and when the temperature has fallen to about 100 degrees F. they are removed and set aside for future use."* Aside from the small (juantity now canned, itickling is the only form of preservation in use. As an article of trade they are known only to New York City and vicinity, one man supplying most of the demand. l>r. Field found the following an excellent method of pickling : ' "After thoroughly washing the mussel shells in the cleaning ajqiaratus already des- cribed, the mussels are placed in a steam cliest for about 10 minutes, or until the shells have opened. They are then shucked, the liquor and meats being preserved in separate vessels. Care should be taken to see that the horny filament or "beard" is removed from the base of the foot. For each quart of natural liquor there is added 1 pint of vine- gar, Vi ounce of allspice, i/o ounce of cinnamon, % ounce of cloves, V^ ounce of salt and 1 small red pepper. The mixture is allowed to simmer upon the stove for lo minutes and is then poured over the meats. After standing about twenty-four hours the meats are removed from the spiced liquor and are neatly packed in bottles or fruit jars. The liquor, after being filtered through a fine-meshed cloth to remove the undissolved sjiices and sediment that is formed, is heated to boiling and poured over the meats until the jars are brimming full. The jars are sealed airtight and placed in a steam chest, where they are subjected to 5 pounds steam pressure for 1.5 minutes."* After this treatment they will remain in a good state of ]ireservation for about two years. If the pickled mussels are desired for immediate consumption it is not necessary to seal them up; they may be kept a week or more in o|)en tubs without deteriorating. If kept much longer than this they graduall\- turn dark and fall to pieces. OYSTERS The oyster industry is the most imitortant prosecuted by the fishermen of this coun- trj'. It is carried on in every coastal state in the T'nion except New Hami)shire. There is but one species of oyster, Ostrca riniinicd. found upon the eastern coast of the United States. Upon the western coast there are two species which are of commercial import- ance, the native oyster fOstrra Iiiridn). found in all lluee states, and the eastern oyster, •"The Food Value of Sea Mussels," bv Ii-yius A. Fieki. Bull. U.S. Bureau o£ Fisheries. Vol. XXIX,. lOOn, pp. 111-13. • Uiiil, p. 114. 132 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS T. < O o ■3 X 2 C 3 a -3 . 9^ O ^ • o =* :• H ;z ^ CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 133 which w;is first plauted in San Francisco Bay about 1872, and since in other bays along the coast, its culture now forming the basis of a somewhat important industry. For some reason it generally does not propagate when transplanted to the Pacific coast, possibly due to the considerable difference in the temperature of the water on the two coasts, and the supply is kept up by the constant importation of new seed. A few years ago some beds of oysters which had grown from spat deposited by Eastern oysters were found in Willapa Harbor, Washington. Some of these were i and .5 years old. They were in such abundance that it is probable a hardy type has been evolved and it is pos- sible that within a short period of time the present costly method of bringing the seed from eastern beds can be given up. The native oyster is much smaller than the eastern and has a light, thin shell. It occurs in greatest abundance in the state of Washington. TU.MilXC (iVrillOKS i.\ INI-: (ili.F dl' Al lOX l( '( ), Tongs and dredges are practically the only forms of ajipaiatus used in the Atlantic fisheries, the former being used mainly in shallow waters and the latter in deep waters, On the Pacific coast, where the oyster beds are in quite shallow water, most of them being exposed at low tide, the dredge is not used, short tongs, and sometimes rakes, being the principal ajtparatus used. Jfany are ])icked up by hand when the ground is bare. When taken from the bottom oysiers ai" usually quite muddy and have to be washed. On the steam dredgers this is usually done by hauling the load close to the surface of the water, then dropjiing it a short distance, a friction clutch on the winch permitting of this, then raised again and dropped, until the mud has been washed out. The tongers and dredgers who operate on the natural reefs have to cull the catch there, and while culling they clean the oysters. 134 CANNING OP FISHERY PRODUCTS ^A'lieii the oysters are brought in from the grovinds they are tirst culled and sorted into the different grades that are required by the trade. For canning small oysters are generally employed, and as such are most abundant in the southern states, these have become almost the sole source of supply. For man,y years the business was most import- ant in Maryland, but Mississippi now leads in this respect. These goods are generally marketed under the trade name of "Cove Oysters.'' Several reasons ai'e given to account for the use of this name, the oldest being that the original "cove oysters" were found in coves on the west side of Chesapeake Bay, above the Potomac, and were famous for their size and quality. Mr. Hugh S. Orem states that its origin is far more prosaic and commoiijdaoe. "In those years (1865-70) 'Cove' Street, the identity of which is now entirely lost, was more an alley than a street, and ran east and west from the northern- most point of Baltimore's harbor, for the distance of three short blocks. Two 'oyster shops,' as they were then called, were located in one of these blocks, almost directly opposite. One was a shipper of oysters in the fresh, or raw state, the other a canner of hermetically sealed oysters. The canner used a label upon which was printed 'Fresh Chesapeake Oysters,' to which the 'raw' man demurred. Hence to differentiate between raw and cooked oysters, the term 'Cove Oysters' was decided upon. The name of a street supplied the title, and not any cove or other place in the Chesapeal-e Bay."'' The cannery should be located along the waterfront so that the oyster vessels can come alongside the dock. When taken from the vessels the oysters are placed in cars of DUMPING OYSTERS INTO CARS IN WHICH THEY ARE LATER STEAMED. iron framework, G or 8 feet long, with capacity for about liO bushels unshucked. These cars are run on a track into a steam-tight chest or box. At some canneries, before reaching the steam box they are stopped and two streams of water forced on top of the • "Baltimore. Master of the Art of Canning-." bv Hugli S. Orem, in a History of tiie Canning II., The Canning Trade. Baitimore, Md., Jan. 10, 1914. Vol. 37, No. 21. Industry, Part CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 135 car lor the purpose of washiii<;- the bivalves. The steam chest is a rectangiUar oak box, lij to 2U feet long, lined with sheet iron, fitted with appliances for turning on steam to any desired pressure, and with a door at each end which shuts closely and is so packed with felt or some other material as to make the joint between the door and box as nearly steanitight as practicable.. As soon as the car is in the steam chest the latter is closed up, steam admitted until the gauge marks 10 jjounds pressure, and maintained at this point S to 10 minutes; should Ihere be numerous mussels clinging to the oyster shells from o to .") minutes more will be required. The steam should then be exhausted, the doors opened liy releasing the clamps nearest the hinges first, and those opposite last, just the reverse of that followed in closing it. The door at the other end is then opened and the car run into the shucking room, to be succeeded in the steam chest by another full car. In the shucking room the cars are surrounded by the shuckers, each provided with a knife and a can arranged so as to hook to the upper bar of the iron framework of the car. The steaming causes the oyster shells to open moi-e or less widely, and the meat is readily removed. In Maryland the shucking is done in a cup known legally as the "oyster-gallon cup," which holds 9 pints, wine measure. The shuckers generally roughly sort the meats into two sizes, primes and selects. Each bushel yields about 50 ounces of "solid meats." After shucking the canners have been in the habit ol' washing the meats in cold water, but the U. S. Bureau of Chemistry now recommends as the most ])ractical and eftective method of cleaning shucked oysters, and removing any deleterious organisms they may have acquired during the i)rocess of shucking, is by mechanical agitation while washing them in a weak salt solution. In establishments which ai'e not equipped with mechanical means for agitating the oysters during washing, it is ad\isablc, according to the Bureau, to hose or spray them on the colander or skimmer and then to place the oysters in clean metal or enamel-lined tubs containing 1',' salt solution i a]q)r()ximately 2 jiounds and 1 ounce of salt to 2.") gallons of water i. The oysters should be thoroughly stii'red with a paddle for 2 or 3 minutes, then lightly hcsed or sprayed on the skimmer, carefully turned until they are dry, and then packed. The salt solution in the tubs should be fre- quently renewed. After being washed the oysters are transferred to the fillers' table, during which operation the broken, torn and discolored oysters should be removed as Ihey should not be canned. (The oysters are generally used as soon as shucked, but if for any reason it is neces- sary to carry these oysters over night they should be covered over with cold water in which has been dissolved one per cent, bicarbonate of soda.) Here the required amount of meats is weighed out and placed in the can, which is then filled up with hot brine, which is prepared in the proportion of 2i/o pounds of salt to 121 o gallons of water. The can is then capped, exhausted 10 minutes at 212°, the tip hole closed, after which the cans are placed in a cylindrical basket or crate and lowered into a large cylindrical kettle, called the process kettle or retort, which is partly filled with water, which is heated by live steam, and here they are processed, No. 1 cans 12 to 14 minutes and No. 2 cans 14 to 17 minutes, according to the weight of meat, at a tem- perature of 240° F. After this they are placed, crate and all, in a vat of cold water, this serving the double purposa of arresting the operation of cooking by cooling them and of testing for leaks. When sufficiently cool to be handled the cans are transferred to another department, labeled and packed in cases for shipment. 136 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS METHOD OF DIKING OYSTER GROUND EMPLOYED ON PUGET SOUND, WASH. At times il may be found necessary to can raw shucked oysters. These should first be well washed in cold water, given a bath in a 1 per cent, sdlnlion (it t)icarbonate of sdda, then plunged in boiling water until the gills curl, alter which they should be handlei] ihe same as steamed stock. ' Some years ago pickled oysters were quite popular in and about New York city, but the demand is but slight nowadays. The oysters, with their licjuor, are boiled in an open kettle for 5 to 30 minutes, according to the length of time it is intended to keep them. When boiled sufficiently the oysters and liquor are separated, the former spread on shelves to cool and the latter strained and mixed with sufficient vinegar to impart the flavor desired, to which may be added mace, lemon and other flavoring ingredients. \Vhen both the oysters and liquor are quite cool they ai'e combined and sealed up in glass jars or other suitable receptacles. One serious objection to these oysters is that the boil- ing shrivels them up and causes them to present a rather unsightly appearance. Oysters fried in crumbs have also been put in sealed cans, but the demand for these has never been of much importance. According t(t the V. S. I'ureau of Chemistry, Department of Agriculture, the follow- ing weights of drained meats taken from the can will meet with approval: Size of Can. Weight of Drained Diameter. Height. Oysters "Cut Out" 2^1; inches 2% inches 3 ounces 2\i inches 3% inches 4 ounces 2\i inches 4 inches No. 1 5 ounces 3ys inches 3JS inches 8 ounces 3% inches 41",; inches No. 2 10 ounces The procedure adopted by the Bureau for draining in order to determine the "cut- out" or drained weight is as follows: "Make a circular cut almost around the top of the can, push the cut top back into its original jiosition, invert, and allow the contents to drain through the circular open- ing for one iiiiinttc. Pour the liquid through a colander and return to the can any weigh- CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 137 able iiiuticles ol' solids which have been carried away by the liquid. The openings in the colander should not exceed 3-lG inch in diameter." rEUIWINKLES The periwinkle, or whelk (Litturiini littorcaj as it is sometimes called, is found in abundance on our coasts. On the Atlantic Biicciiiiim midatum is very common from Cape Cod iiorlhwards. In Bering; Sea, and probably other parts of the Pacific coast, is found liiicriiiiiiii (ilciiticinii. also T]i(ii>t hniiellosfi. In Europe related mollusks are a popular article of FimkI, but so far our jioiijiie have not seen fit to utilize them. The wri(('i- has rr('(|iu'ul ly enlcii fliciii in Alaska and can testily to llieir lastefulness. These mollusks could be canned, ])rol)ably by using the same process as is common with clams. After steaming or boiling, they can be easily removed from the shell by means of a sharji jioin.ted tool. PIDDOCKS Oil the Aflanlie coast, from Florida to Cajie Hatteras. in culonics 1(1 inches to a foot deep, in sandy mud, also in wood and rocks, is found the piddock, or angels' wings (Pholafi cofitiitd). The white valves conform strikingly in outline, color and sculpture to the conventional representation of angels' wings. The shells are 7 to 8 inches long. The meats are eaten, jiickled in vinegar, on the Normandy coast; they are also cooked with fine herbs and breadcrumbs. On this continent it is a staple article of food in the markets of Havana. If canned either whole or qs chowder, they could doubtless be pro cessed somewhat as clams are. SQUID S(|ni(l arc (|nilc abundant in our waters, especially in Ihe North Atlantic, where they are generally used as bait in the line and trawl fisheries. Many are also sold in San Francisco and Seattle markets. In Spain these mollusks are canned. As soon as landed they are thoroughly cleaned and washed, care being taken not to burst the little sack of black liquid they contain. The raw squid are then placed in layers in shallow tin cans similar in shape to those used for sardines, covered with olive oil and the top soldered on. The can is then cooked in boiling water for from 10 to 20 minutes, vented, tipped and processed for almost the same length of time. NATICA The moon shell (Natica) is found in abundance on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, where it is one of the worst enemies the clams have. On the Atlantic they are found from ]\Taine to New Jersey, while on the Pacific their habitat is from California to Alaska; they are especially abundant in Puget Sound. The former has a diameter of 3 to 4I/2 inches, and the latter from 3 to 5 inches. The animal's foot is a flattened pad of flesh three times as long as the shell's diameter and half as wide as long, the general shape being similar to that of the bottom of an old-fashioned flat iron. A fleshy band on top of the foot folds back over the head, protecting it as the burrowing foot drags the body rapidly after it through the wet sand. When a clam is met down comes the hood from over the head, the radnla it contains soon has a neat round hole drilled in the shell, through which the soft parts are extracted by the sucking mouth of the Natica. It would be a very easy matter to can this mollusk at the clam canneries, as large numbers are caught by the clanimers when digging clams. They could be steamed, 13S CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS removed from the shell, the juice being saved, the meat minced and then packed in cans with tlie juice and processed the same as clams. The foot is tough when cooked, but this would not be noticeable wlien minced. An idea has been prevalent in a few sections that the flesh of the natica is poison- ous, but this is nonsensical, as the shells are found by thousands in the Indian kitchen middens on the Pacific coast, showing that they formed a considerable part of the food of the aborigines. CRUSTACEANS CRABS THE crab flsberies aiv ul' great iiiipoi-taiK-e and are pi-osernleil in every coastal state except Maine and New Hampshire. In 1908 tlie crab lislieries of tbe United States produced ()(»,(!2fi,0()(( pounds, valued at |!)38,()00 to tlie tisliernien, nearly all of wbicb were edible. In Uritisli (V)lund)ia in 1915 the tishernieu caught .508,10(1 pounds, valued at 122,883. The most im[)ortaut branch of tlie industry is that for blue crab {Calliuectes sapi- dus). This crustacean is found in large nundiers along the Middle and South Atlantic and Gulf coasts, but the fishery is centered mainly in chesaiiealve Bay, which body of water fairly swarms with tlieni, ^laryland and ^'irgillia in 191 .5 ])roducing together 41,250,823 pounds of hard shell blue crabs, valued at |578,129, and 9,080,445 pounds of soft-shell bine crabs, valued at $403,678. The favorite haunt of the blue crab is in the waters of some bay or at the mouth of a river, and it prefers shallow water with mud bottom and abundance of vegetation, to that of much depth. In summer it lives close to the shore; in the winter it moves into deeper water. The bodies of all crustaceans are enclosed in a tough, unyielding shell, and in order that tlie animal may grow it is necessary for it to throw off, or moult, the old shell, which is re^jlaced by a hardening of the surface of the body. In the blue crab ihe moult- ing i)eriod occupies about two or three days, and at this time, when it is what is called a "soft shell," it is much more valuable to the fishermen than when a "hard shell." On Chesapeake Bay the crabbers classify a crab's life into si.x stages, as follows: First, the "hard crab," or one in its natural condition ; second, a "snot," or one that has just entered the moulting stage; third, a "peeler," when the old shell has begun to break; fourth, a "buster," when the new shell can be seen ; fifth, the "soft crab," when the old shell has Iteen thrown off; sixth, a "paper shell," or "buckram," when the new shell is beginning to harden. Several hours after moulting the crab reaches the "paper shell" stage, and within three days the hardening process is completed. The warmer the water the more rapidly do the changes take place. Blue-crabbing is usually divided into two branches, i.e., soft-crabbing and hard-crab- bing. In Chesapeake Bay (the seasons are a little earlier or a little later in other sec- tions, depending upon whether they are north or south of the bay) the soft-crab season extends from the first of May to the last of October, the season being at its height in June. Soft crabs are usually taken with scrapes, scoop nets and small seines. The scrapes are somewhat similar in design and method of operation to the oyster dredge, only much lighter. The hard-crab fishery is carried on during the whole year in the more southerly range of the crustaceans, and during the open season in its more northerly range, the larger part of the catch being obtained during the summer months. They are usually taken with trot lines, varying in length from 200 to l,t)00 yards. Some fishermen attach gangeons about 18 inches in length to the main line at intervals of 3 or 4 feet. Beef tripe and eels constitute the usual bait, although animal flesh of any sort will answer. and the lines ai-e usually baited but once a week. 139 THE COMMON CRAB fCancer ma(jister) OF THE PACIFIC COAST. FLOATS FOK UULDIXG LIVE CIJAI'.S (>.\ ( HKSAI'KAKK i;AV. 140 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 141 Every soft crabber has what is kuowu as a float, a rectangular box approximately 10 or 15 feet long, 4 feet wide and 2 feet deep, the sides and ends being constructed of laths, and the bottom of 6-inch planks. Extending around the float on the outside, mid- way of its heiglit, is a shelf about 7 inches wide, to prevent the float from sinking. The laths on the sides and ends are placed about one-fourth inch apart, to prevent minnows or other small enemies from getting at the crabs inside. These floats are used by the fishermen as a means of handling crabs that have entered upon the shedding process, but which have not yet reached the "peeler" or salable condition. The dealers use larger floats. The floats arc generally enclosed by a fence to prevent their being washed away by strong winds. At intervals part of the floats are hauled out to dry as otherwise they would soon get waterlogged. Dealers employ men to watch their floats constantly and remove the crabs from the water immediately after the shedding process, to prevent the hardening of the shell. In shipping the crabs are packed in shallow trays with wet seaweed or moss under and over them, with a layer of fine crushed ice on top. These trays are placed one on top of another in a box. The crabs can be kept alive from GO to 70 hours after leaving the water. Floats are not used by tlie hard crab fishermen, although the dealers use them. Live hard crabs are shipped in either barrels or boxes. On the Pacific coast the principal edible crab is Cancer magistcr, which is found from Lower California to Unalaska, in shallow water on exposed sandy beaches or in sandy bays. This crab is often found buried in the sand, from which it issues promptly when food appears. Its food consists chiefly of small fish, shrimps, small crabs, small clams, etc. Old individuals attain a considerable size. Males measuring 914 inches across the back, and females (which are never as large) of 71/0 inches in breadth, have been found. The writer weighed one in Eureka, Cal.. in March, 1010, and it weighed just 4 pounds after boiling. At the time one of the dealers stated that some time before he had received one which weighed G^A pounds. Although the range of this crab is so great, it is not everywhere an important fish- ery. This is due sometimes to a scarcity of crabs and at other times to weather and water conditions being such as to prevent boats from frequenting the spots where the crabs are abundant. There are long stretches on the Pacific coast where harbors are very infrequent, and the surf such as to prevent any kind of fishing At present the southern- most fishery of consequence is that at San Francisco. One of the most important, at present, is at Eureka, on Humboldt Bay. In Oregon they are fished at Coos Bay, Yaqnina, etc., and about the mouth of the Columbia, and will be found abundant in some of the other bays when transportation facilities to consuming markets have been devel- oped sufficiently to justify the fishermen in resorting to these places. An important fish- ery is carried on in and adjacent to Grays Harbor, Washington. On Puget Sound one of the earliest fisheries was at Dungeness, and in the Northwest it quite generally bears the name "Dungeness crab," but the fisheries about Anacortes and Neah Bay are now more important. In British Columbia the crab is extensively fished at Boundary Bay and at Prince Rupert, as well as locally at many other points. In time British Columbia will be an important producer of crabs. This crab is exceedingly abundant in Alaska, but the fishery has never been developed to any extent, chiefly through the lack of an adequate market. They are especially abundant in Kasaan Bay, around Wrangell Narrows, in Icy Straits and in Prince Wil- liam Sound (the last-named section is said to produce the largest crabs found on the 142 CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS coast), aud may be even more abundant elsewhere, althougli this has not been actually proven yet. At present the legal size is 7 inches in California, fiV- inches in Washington and G inches in Oregon and British Columbia. Alaska has no regulations whatever affecting crabs. In Oregon and Washington no crabs can be legally taken during the months of July, August and September, while in California the closed season comprises August, September, October and the first half of November. British Columbia has no closed season. Cancer iiiii(/i-