Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1915-01-06
sARp,NE INDUSTRY.
Government Experts Talk TO Maine
Packers.

lBa~sor Nsws.
american sardine factory owners, pack
ers and superintendents from numbers OF
the eastern Maine coast towns gathered
in Eastport recently and attended the I'M
teresting and instructive meeting at the
Star theatre which was presided over ~
DR.. f. G. Weber, who has been in charge
OF the local laboratory OF the U. s. bureau
| OF chemistry OF the department Of sgricul-
ture which was esta blished in Eastport
two years ago to investigate the American
sardine situation, with view OF bettering
the former conditions and helping the
many sardine Gamers ON the Maine coast
to produce . better quality OF canned fish,
and to instruct them in the methods OF
using to their advantage much Of the
former waste OF herring.
To make the educational talk moro
interesting and convincing number Of
sctual photos taken at different sardine
factories, showing the good and bad feat
ures Of sardine canning, the right and
wrong methods Of handling the herring,
from the water until canned In the tins;
and also sanitary conditions about the
plants, were shown. Together with
1900 feet OF moving pictures Aims that
had been taken during the past season BY
two government men from the depart
ment who spent more than . week In that
city and section and had opportunity OF
securing every department Of the canning
industry from the time the herring ara
caught in the weirs until they are placed in
the tin cana, packed into the wooden cases
to be sent out to all parts Of the world ~
American sardines.
The subject Of the afternoons meeting
was in regard to the Gamers making .
better pack OF sardines and to discuss
more particularly on the investigating Of
former waste products, or the amount Of
fish thrown away in most Of the coast
factories every season. With view Of
utilizing this enormous waste which has
always been the custom in the sardine
canning industry, and turning It into .
profita BILE, clean and wholesome food pro-
duct has been the aim Of this department
OF the government. Careful and painstak-
ing experiments have been conducted At
the callsboratory during the two seasons
BY experts 30 that the average canner and
owner Of American sardines might profit
by the Investigations and better the
former conditions in ell departments Of
the industry.
During some parts Of the canning
season when large fish had been caught
body bad been lost in the cutting to pre-
pare it for packing into the limited sized
cans, and the need Of new sized time can,
slightly longer than those in general use
during the past quarter Of century Of the
industry, was shown and suggested, 80
that the large herring could be cut to
more advantage and 1t better profit to
all concerned, and thus eliminating much
Of the former waste. =
In taking up another product that could
be proftably and successfully handled it
was suggested that . sardine- paste could
be manufactured from the waste fish, and
it was urged on the packers to put mp .
neat and attractive food Of this descrip-
tion which would ind ready market IL
properly canned and prepared with neat
ness and care.
The addition OF suitable "pounds" to
the many fab weirs that are scattered all
along the eastern Maine coast and about
the Canadian shores near this section was
advocated ~ the proper methods OF taking
care of the obnoxious fred feed" that has
for some weeks past caused such trouble
for many OF the packers Of sardines, and
not only q loss to the weirmen and boat
men but also to the packers OF the fish
who are always reluctant to take ssfeed"
fish for canning into. sardines. This so
called s.red-feed" seems to be the natural
food Of the herring, and fish which have
fed upon this. will, il kept impounded,
completely digest it in from II to "a hours
from their stomschs, and then are In good
condition to be brought to the factories.
By constructing these pounds to the wsirs
the fishermen will have solved difficulty
and will aid the Gamers in securing fish
that will make better brand Of sardines.
Photos showing the strong action OF the
red feed in the small fish when 1t bseomes
decomposed, up to the time the supplies
are ready for placing in the cans with oil
were shown to those present. Every
canner is familiar with these conditions,
and not many sardine packers with
reputation At stake for putting out clean
and neatly packed product care to handle
fish containing red feed even ut time
whom NO other CATCHES are to be secured.
When the first American sardines were
canned in Eastport, more than thirty-five
yearaago, olive oil from France was used
for 4 fav aea anns huf hn,nU tor, ~xv,.~.;r.