, 1881-03-18
Canned Goods.

had, like many other great ideas. very
small beginning. 1t was first tried IN
the kitchen of a private house, by man
who was working on the theory that fruits
could be preserved by Theoretically seal
ing them IN air-tight cans. His calcula-
tons We're found TO be correct, and for
some years he kept his secret to himself,
amassing thereby large fortune, until
finally the process became generally
known, and began 10 be adopted all
through the country. 1t was first intend
ed only for the preservation of fruits,
but it was found that other articles could
be kept equally as we'll, and so from this
experiment has grown one of the largest
industries of the country, representing
millions of dollars in capital and en-
ploying thousands of people OF
both sexes in Kissing and pra-
thus preserved. The business is now
but is carried on in all parts of the
United States, as we'll as IN the different
countries of Europe 1t would be impos-
sible to go into minute detail concerning
so extensive an industry; but brief his
tory of its origin and growth, together
with something of its present tiOurishing
condition, may serve to give our readers
some idea of its magnitude and i'm
pOrtance.
The bsssinsSs l. entirely an american
idea, and originated in the city of Balti
more some fOrty-tive years ago. The
gold fever of lS49 in California gave to
it its first impetus in the large quanti-
ties of canned goods sent west for the
use OF the miners. The war of the
rebellion largely increased the sale of
these goods, but it is only within the
past four or five years that the business
has extended so largely. Goods are
now canned in almost every large city of
the United States. though the bulk of the
trade is confined to eight, Baltimore tax
ing the lead So extensive has this in
dustry become that 1t would be impos-
sible to give any estimate OF the amount
produced, but an idea may be formed
concerning it from the fact that some
5000, 900 cans, to be used for this pur-
pose, were manufactured III Boston alone
during the past year. Some establish
ments, which can vegetables and the like
employ thousands of both sexes in pre-
pairing the different articles during the
producing season, and in the winter are
engaged in the manufacture of cans
themselves. Probably no business has
become aS widespread III 81 SIlOIb IL
period as that of canning fruits, for it
is now carried on all over the county,
and is continually increasing. In the
past year, Baltimore, which seems to be
so located as to obtain the largest and
readiest supply of fruits and vegetables
at a less expense than other cities, put
up last year some five million cans of
peaches, tomatoes and corn, ten million
cans of fruit, and nine million cans of
vegetables, besides immense quantities
of fish, oysters, and other shellfsh, the
season for these latter articles ending
Just as the vegetable time begins.
The goods now canned are numberleSs,
from the primary idea of simply preserv-
ing fruit, almost every conceivable arti-
bile of food is treated in the same man
ner. Oysters, CLANS, Holsters, soft and
hard shelled crabs are now universally
canned, while amoug the newer articles
in the vegetable line are string beans,
pumpkins, squashes, suecCtash, pineap-
pies and the like which keep all their
original fiavors, and can scarcely be dis
tinguished from the. article taken freshly
from the ground. Salmon and mack
erel, chickens, turkeys and other fowls
are also kept for long time in this man
ner, though they are more perishable
than fruits Shell fish canning has been
in operation for many years, and is now
carried on extensively, there being
nearly 300 establishments in the city of
Baltimore alone engaged exclusively in
packing and handling oysters, CLANS and
the like.
In the line of fruits there are blueber-
ries, strawberries, raspberries, blaekber-
ries, cherries, damson plums, ounces,
grapes, apricots, &c. These goods are
generally put up with two dozen cans in
a case, and the number of different
brands is surprising. There are fifteen
trademarks in peaches, three of cherries,
four of tomatoes, three Of pears, five or
six of corn, and so on. There is also an
extensive sale of Boston baked beans.
which are sent away in a semi-cooked
state, and although inferior to the genu-
inc New England article, fresh from the
oven, are very palatable, and enormous
quantities are sent west. and, in fact, to
all parts OF the world Besides those
above mentioned are numerous fancy
goods, such as plum-puddings, sar-
dressing, soups, &c, an assortment of
which Is found on the shelves of
every large grocery establishment. The
prices of canned goods naturally fuc-
tuate with the supply and demand, but,
all things considered, they are compar-
atively low at COST Some of the recent
quotations show the price of peaches at
Sl:20 per case for two-pound cans, each
case containing two dozen cans; tomatoes
rs cents for the same weight cans; corn,
81 '75, while different kinds of fruit
range in price from 80 cents to So per
case.
In the vicinity of Boston there are nu-
merous establishments devoted to the
canning of green corn, and, as this
process is similar to that to which all
articles of preserved food are subjected,
description of the method Will serve as
an example for the rest. The corn is
planted expressly for this purpose, and
when il is in condition to can it is
stripped of its husks, after which it is
thoroughly wiped to remove the silks.
1t is then moved along to another set of
hands. who, with knives used for this
purpose, cut off the kernels from the
cob. This work is done over q large
wooden hopper, there being generally
four hands at work at one machine, and
the corn is allowed to drop through into
tub. When this is full it is taken to
another room, where it is weighed out in
small quantities, each amount just