Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-03-29
How sardlnes are Prepared.

Inc American Sardlne Company
started the business of preparing sar-
dimes for sale about seven years ago, at
Port Monmouth, New Jersey. Some
idea of the extent of these works may
be gained from the fact that in 1873 the
company manufactured and sold 40, 900
cans, a quantity which was nearly
equal to the total Importation of foreign
sardines in 1870, the year when the
company was started. In 1875 the pro-
duction was equally large, but during
the last two seasons the catch has been
small, owing to the scarcity of the fish
which the company selected as substi-
tute for the sardine-the menhaden or
ocean trout, commonly called the moss
bunker Its color is silvery, spotted
with dark brown. These fish abound in
the bays and deep rivers which indent
the coasts of New Brunswick, New
foundland and Nova Scotia, and in the
spring and fall appear also in great
numbers along the New England coast
and in the Raritan Bay. Here during
the season they are caught by the
employees of the Sardine Company, who
begin operations about May l and con-
tinue the work until November1. The
flesh Of the menhaden is sweet and
nutritious and is by many preferred to
that Of the imported sardine, the only
defect being the unusual number of
bones. These, however, are now re-
moved by a mechanical process, for
which the company secured patent in
1872.
The menhaden is timid fish and
swims upon the surface. When at
early dawn a school is described by the
ripples on the surface, the small boats
are lowered from the sloops which have
been lying off the ground since Md
night, and long net about 700 feet in
length and descending twelve or thirteen
feet into the water is carried out on both
sides until the school is surrounded
The fish are then ladled out by the
fishermen with scoops" placed on
board the sloops, and brought to the
factory docks at Port Monmouth. In
the factory they are first brought to
the ''scaler," long shaft with twelve
revolving wheels filled with long blunt
teeth, which remove the scales. The
heads are then cut of, the entrails re-
moved, and the fishes are placed in
washing troughs, above which are cir
cular revolving brushes, by contact
with which the fishes are thoroughly
cleaned and the bones removed. They
are then put in picking watts for several
hours, until well sailed; from these
they are transferred to the cooking cans,
which are placed in the steaming tanks,
seven in number, each capable of hold
ing 1000 boxes. From the steaming
tanks they pass to long table, and are
finally packed in permanent cans. AZ
ter oil and spices have been placed in
the cans, they are sealed. The time
occupied in the whole process is about
three days.
Prior to 1874 the sales were confined
to this country, but during the last two
years large quantities have been ex-
ported to Russia, Germany, Australia,
England and South America. Last
year applications for agencies in France
were received, but as, owing to the
small yield last season, the existing
demand could not be supplied, it was
deemed unadvisable TO undertake new
contracts. The company now employ
about $50 men. An extensive catch is
expected during the coming season,
and preparations are making to enlarge
the works.
NEXT DooR.-About 9 O'Clock