The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-03-22
HOW sARDNEs ARE PREPARED.

Menhaden Used in this Country-How the
Fish is Got Ready for Market-Great In
crease in the Trade during the Last Seven
Years.
The American Sardine Company start
ed the business of preparing sardines for
sale about seven years ago, at Port Mon
mouth, N. j. Some idea of the extent
of these works may be gained from the
fact that in 1873 the company manufac-
tured and sold 470, 600 cans. q quantity
which was nearly equal to the total i'm
portation of foreign sardines in 1870, the
year when the company was started In
1874 the production 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
substitute 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
lndent the coasts of New Brunswick,
Newfoundland 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 en-
ployees of the sardine company, who
begin operations about May first and
continue the work until November first.
The flesh of the menhaden is sweet and
nutritious and is by many preferred to
that of the imported sardine, the only de-
feet being the unusual number of bones.
These, however, are now removed by O
mechanical process, for which the COM
pany secured patent in 1879
The president of the company recent
ly gave Tribune reporter the following
information rs to the manner of catching
the fish and the process of manufacture
The menhaden is timid fish and swims
upon the surface. When at early dawn q
school is deserted by the ripples on the
surface, the small boats are lowered from
the sloops which have been living off tho
ground since midnight, and q 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 re-
volving wheels filed with long blunt
teeth, which removed the scales. The
heads are then cut off, the entrails re-
moved, and the fishes are placed in wash
ing troughs, above which are circular re-
volving brushes, by contact with which
the fishes are thoroughly cleaned, and
the bones removed. They are then put
Ill picking watts for several hours. until
well salted; from these they are trans
ferred to the cooking cans, which ore
placed i'll the steaming tanks, seven in
each capable of holding 1000
boxes. From the steaming tanks they
pass to long table, and are finally pack
ed III permanent cans. After 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 export
ed to Russia, Germany, Australia, Eng
land and South America. Last year ap-
plication 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 inadvisa-
BILE to undertake new contracts. The
company now employ $50 men. An ex-
tenslve catch is expected during the COM
ing season, and preparations are making
to enlarge the works.