The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-06-02
How Sardines Are Prepared.

The American Sardine Company
started the business of preparing sar-
dimes for sale about seven years ago, at
Port Monmouth, NJ. Some idea of the
extent of these works may be gained
from the fact that in 1878 the company
manufactured and sold 470, 900 cans, a
quantity which was nearly equal to the
total importation of foreign sardines in
1870, the year when the company 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 a
substitute for the sardine-the menhaden
or ocean trout, commonly called the
"moss bunker" Its color is silvery,
spotted with dark brown The fish
abound in the bays and deep rivers which
ndent the coast 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-
ployes of the sardine company, who be-
gin operations about May and continue
the work until Nov /. The flesh of the
menhaden is sweet and nutritious and is
by many preferred to that of the i'm
ported sardine, the only defect being the
unusual number Of bones. These, how
ever, are now removed by mechanical
process.
Mr.. Beals, the President of the COM
pany, recently gave a reporter the fol-
Ia inf TO bo 5,f
catching the fish and the process of man
ufacture The menhaden is timid fish
and swims upon the surface. When at
early dawn a school is deserted by the
rippes on the surface, the small boats
are lowered from the sloOps which have
been lying off the ground since midnight,
and 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 scatter" a long shaft
with twelve revolving wheels filled with
long, blunt teeth, which remove the
scales. The heads are then cut off, the
entrails removed, 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 holding 200
boxes. From the steaming tanks they
pass to a long table, and are finally
packed in 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 exported
to Russia, Germany, Australia, England
and South America. Last year applica-
tions for agencies in France were re-
ceived, but as, owing to the small yield
last season, the existing demand could
not be supplied, it was deemed unadyisa
Bile 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.-N. Y
Tribune.