The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-05-12
Fruit and Vegetable Canning.

That excellent paper, the Culpeper Times
in urging upon the citizens of Culpeper the
necessity OF manufactures, gives some inter
esting facts with reference to a fruit and vege-
table canning establishment 1t has collected
| from various sources statistics &c. bearing up
on the subject, and they are well worth con-
slderation by the people of the Valley The
soil OF this section is particularly suited to the
growth of fruits and vegetables, and it requires
but comparatively small outlay of capital
for the erection of building necessary to con-
vertthese products into marketable shape. That
our people may see the result of some practical
experiments,wea avail ourselves of the Times en-
! terprise and reproduce some of the articles it
publishes.
| "a canning factory is now being built at
Hagerstown Md, which was procured by
little hberality onthe part of the business men
Of that aourishing little city. A lot was do
mated for the purpose. The sum of $50
was raised by subscription among the citizens
to defray the expenses ofstarting the business,
erecting buildings sc. This sum will be Sc
cured by a mortgage on the whole property of
the concern. The business will consist OF the
canning of vegetables, such as corn, tomatoes
&c, for market, the preparation of which by
peeling, asserting, ETC., viii give employment
to large number of persons. The Herald and
Torch Light, published at that city, says:
much inquiry has been made concerning
the profit in growing vegetables for canning
establishments and a gentleman who has been
in the business for number of years gives the
| following facts An acre of sugar corn plant
ed three feet apart, will contain 1910 hills;
three and a half feet apart 1856 hills, and four
feet apart 2, 722 hills. The first plan is in com
mon use, and 1t is a fair average to say that
there will be too ears TO the hill, which at five
cents per dozen, will yield $4,000 per acre
Extra early peas will yield go bushels per acre
and generally sell at 81 per bushel Marrow
fat peas will yield $50 bushels per acre, worth
60 cents per bushel. Tomatoes will yield from
| 10 to Is tons per acre, and readily sell at 25
cents per bushel, or from Sc to 81 per ton: 1t
seems to us, at these prices, cultiyating vege-
tables will pay larger profit than growing
wheat or corn, especially to those who own
small farms. 1t is becoming more and more
apparent to the careful observer that eastern
farmers cannot compete with the great West.
Our cultivation must become more diversified
in order to make it profitable. and the sooner
our people realize that fact the better it will be
| for them.
"a writer in the Rochdale Enterprise publish
ed at the Shenandoah Iron Works, Page coun-
ty, Va, furnishes that sprightly paper with
an interesting article on the subject of fruit
canning in the South. We extract from it as
| follows
probably the largest canning establishment
in the South is that at Frederick City, Mary
land, where during the busy season, 1900
hands are keep constantly employed.
while at Cloverdale, Botetourt county Va,
a short time since, the writer had occasion to
visit the factory of Mr.. J. c. Moomaw, whose
justly celebrated Cloverdale brand is known
in every section Of the South. His large force
of hands were then busily employed in manu-
| featuring cans, which they were turning out
at the rate OF three thousand per day. In the
packing house were stored $4,000, reaching
from sill to rafter.
"Only few years ago Mr.. Moomaw, COM
menced canning fruit on small scale but by
energy and perseverance, has so increased his
business that he now frequently employs 500
hands, and this season proposes putting up
half a million cans.
Having erected new building, he has large
ly increased his canning facilities, and !
understand is even now unable to supply the
demand for his goods Several others in the
county are following the example of MIR
Moomaw, convinced that their capital may be
proftabiy invested in fruit canning estab
lishment. To start this business successfully
capital is not necessary condition to it, Tho
profits are remunerative, and it possesses the
marked advantage of giving profitable EN-
pioyment to numbers OF women and children
who are thus enabled to earn good liveli
mood for themselves and at the same tim,
develop most important agricultural indus
try. Success to the enterprising gentleman
whose progressive ideas have tended to de
yeiop this new and important source o