The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-07-27
THIS YEARS CORN CROP IN MAINE.
What Portland Packers Have TO Say
Of the Outlook.
Seven Thousand Acres Of Corn Plant
cd for Portland Packers.
Corn Packing Machines That are
Made Here.

The corn packing industry Is one Of the
most extensive enterprise engaged in by
Portland business men. Last year there
were packed by Portland firms the enormous
amount of over 100000 cans of corn, and
this year. II August and September are IA
vorable corn-growing months, there will be
canned almost as much. The present out
look, notwithstanding the unfavorabe
weather of the early part Of the season, is
far from discouraging. A PRESS reporter
visited the different corn packers Of this city
and learned from them the following facts
concerning this years crop as compared
with that Of last:
BURNHAM q MORRILL,.
Last year Burnham & Morrill, packed 1S0,-
900 cans of corn from 110 acres, at their
Scarboro factory; 100000 cans from 255 acres
at the Denmark factory; 660,0o0 cans from
| 4l0 acres at the Harrison factory; 100000
| cans, from 200 acres, at the Caseo factory
| 100000 cans, from 2S5 acres, at Minot factory;
| 100000 cans, from 265 acres, at the Auburn
| factory; 100000 cans. from 800 acres. at the
Dixfeld factory; 10000 cans, from 95 acres,
at the Pennington factory, 10000 cans, from
800 acres, at the Norridgewock factory. and
10000 cans Of succotash, from $50 acres Of
corn and so acres of beans, at the South
Paris factory, making In all 4, $4,000 cans
from 2580 acres. Two thousand hands were
employed in packing the corn. At the office
Of this company the writer was told: "We
understand that the corn crop Is rather back
ward this season. but have not heard from
| our factories in different parts Of the State
| At the first Of the season we intended TO
have an acreage this year about the same as
A a q vu n n
state precisely how the acreage compares
| with last years. We use the early Crosby
seed. Besides corn, we will pack the same
goods that we did last year"
H. WEBB = co.
Last year this firm packed 5000 cases Of
excellent corn from GOO acres planted. This
year they have planted about 700 acres as
follows: In the vicinity of the Gray factory
2s5 acres, in the vicinity of the Rumford fac
tory 225 acres, and in the vicinity Of the
Leeds factory 175 acres, Concerning the
crop. this firm said; Although our acreage
| Is larger this year, we do not expect large
crop. The corn crop Is fully two weeks
backward. Owing, TO the cold spring, we
seed Is put in the ground the last Of May
The corn at present Is OF good color and
qcality, and If we could have real hot Au-
gust !. would help 1t very much, and possibly
OF until October, the crop will be all right.
September must be free from frost to enable
us to pack our corn. We generally begin to
pack the 25th Of August, but this year we
tember. 1t takes us abou. four weeks 10 |
pack our corn, and 1t will bringl
us to October, making the danger |
OF frost very great. The corn market is not |
so good this year as 1t was last. There is |
more corn in the hands of iobbers now
than there was year ago. Our pack, how
ever, for this year Is about all sold, all that
we dare to reckon on having been engaged. AT
our lobster factories at Cape Breton and Mag
dalene Islands, p. O., we have finished this
seasons pack, having canned 1000 cases, the
same amount put up last year."
wINsLow PACKING COMPANY.
The factories of this company have been
leased from the trustees Of the bondholders
to the foremen Of the factories. 1t was
stated at the Office Of the company: "The
corn crop Is about two weeks backward, but
it Is Of good color and very stocky. Our
acreage is nearly the same as that Of
last year, but the yield will fall short 10 TO is
per cent. The Early Crosby seed has been
planted at all the factories, and the Snow
iiake and the Globe, the usual brands. win
two weeks OF hot weather the corn crop
would recover itself, and II we have no Sep
tember frosts about the average yield may be- |
expected Last year this firm packed 63, 1856
cases OF the Snowflake brand, and 107, 700
cases of the Globe brand, making in ali g.
405, $40 cans.
PORTLAND PACKING COMPANY.
Last year the Portland Packing Company
packed 10000 cases of corn from 5000 acres
planted, and twenty lobster factories put up
5000 cases of Holsters. This year this old
and well established firm have an acreage
about the same as that of last year, the
Early Crosby seed having been planted.
With warm weather and a fair amount of
rain their corn crop, although two weeks
backward, will yield about an average
amount. Their corn is now of fine color and |
growing rapidly since the last rain; The
amount Of Holsters packed will fall short
about 20 per cent that of last year.
THOMPSON HALL.
Last year this well known firm planted 100 |
acres of corn and this year they have had |
planted about the same amount. The Early |
Crosby seed was used and since the last rain |
the crop has been growing rapidly. Their
factory Is located at Jay Bridge. Franklin
county. and they expect to pack 1000 cans
Of corn If the fall Is favorable for the crop.
Reports from Franklin county state that the /
corn In that region Is from ten days to two |
weeks backward, but is looking strong and /
growing well.
TwITcHELL & cHAMPLIN.
This enterprising firm have planted for /
them in the vicinity Of Portlend 70 acres Of Il
Early Crosby corn. which is an increase Of
ten acres over that Of last year, and next |
year they expect to plant even more. Their
corn came up well and although about two
promises fair yield il the fall is favorable. |
This firm is now building five story brick |
building 133x25 feet that will be devoted /
wholly to packing cork, beans, tomatoes,
squash, etc., and the making Of jellies and |
preserves: Their pack of beans, etc., this |
year will be about the same as that Of last |
year.
From what has been stated 1t will be OBJ |
served that all the Portland corn packing |
companies use the Early Crosby seed, and |
that this year, estimating Burnham & Nor |
rilPs ackerage to be equal to that OF last |
year, and not counting the acres that have /
been planted in the vicinity of the different |
factories formerly operated by the Wlnslow |
Packing Company. about 1000 acres Of corn
have been planted for Portland corn packers
Within the last dozen years the entire |
method Of packing corn has been reyolu- /
tionized., Instead of cutting the corn by |
hand with common corn knife, steam pow |
er cutters are now used that will cut from
l5O to 800 ears per minute. The old fashioned
way Of filling the can with corn by means Of |
a tunnel and wooden plunger or spoon has
been superseded by the perfect steam power
filler with capacity Of 10000 cans or more
per day. The steam power can washer, with
a capacity Of 10000 cans per day, has taken
the place of the dish cloth in the hands |
of the factory girl. In the best equipped |
factories Of today the services of half a dozen |
persons, whose duty II was to look over the /
corn after it was cut from the ear and re- /
move all silk and other foreign matter, are /
done away with by a single corn silkIng ma |
chine, which does the work thoroughly and |
rapidly. A husking machine, with capac- |
ity of ninety bushels per hour, has been in |
vented by Portland gentleman, and like |
wise In every department American inge-
nuity has made itself felt so that now |
bushel Of corn can be husked, cut, silked, put |
in the cans and made ready to be |
hermetically sealed in the brief period /
of three minutes. or In less /
time than is required to properly husk and /