The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1888-03-02
3 + L A H, M d.
Friday Morning, March 2, 1888.
The Outlook for the Packing Interests.

The Outlook for the Packing Interests
The packing of canned vegetables, cspe
cially Of corn and tomatoes, is the most i'm
poriant industry ever developed in Hartford
county, our county Icing, in TACT, one of the
largest producers of canned goods in the
country. While the d,mand for canned
goods is no doubt incr' asing with the growth
of the country, the nciiiy with which vege.
tables can be packed makes over-production
easily possible, and this point should be
guarded against, OF loss will result Owing
10 the scant s ock in the hands of dealers a,
the beginning of the year 1887 and the sub.
stquent failure of the tomato crop in the
Western States, fairly remuneralve prices
were obtained for both corn and tomatoes
Under the stimulus of this slight prosperity
the probability is that more factories will be
in operation this year than ever before and
there is great danger that prices will be de,
pressed and many failures result.
In this condition of affairs it would there
for be prudent for packers who are thinking
about charging their business operations
md those who are preparing 10 venture
upon nm untried field, TO examine closely
the situation and shape their course accord
ingly, so that our county mny maintain her
position as one of the chief packing centres
OF the county, while at the same time avoid
ing the widespread disaster which will
surely result from over.production and ina
blity TO handle the pack, such as overlook
our packers in 1884.
The fact should not be lost sight of that
disaster TO the packer is followed by loss to
the farmer who raised the produce and in
many cases loss to the laborer, also, who
was employed to pack il. Consequently, the
packer and the farmer are both Interested, In
the beginning of the season, in considering
whether it will be prudent or not to venture
more largely into business in which failure
from over-production must seriously affect
many persons besides those who are appar.
emily alone concerned.
While the season of 1887 was moderately
profitable to the packer, the grower and the
laborer, 1t would be well to compare the out
look now with that which existed this time
last year.
The situation on the 1st of January, 1887,
may be summarized as follows:
LIST. The markets were entirely bare OF
canned vegetables of all kinds in first hands
and the retailers feared their stock on hand
would not hold until the new pack came in.
Therefore the packer could rely upon the
certainty that tue market could not be de-
moralized by old stock carried over, and
there was an assurance of large demand
and Of sales at remunerative prices.
I'd. The tin market was overstocked and
cans were lower than was ever known in the
history of the packing business.
3D.. The failure of several attempts at COM
bination among the box-makers was follow
edbya war of rates in these articles, and
boxes were lower in prices than ever before
or than they will ever be again.
4lh. The farmer, having learned by dear
bought experience, was careful to whom he
sold his produce, and the experienced pack
err only offered such prices as the market at the
time justified and that he was reasonably
certain he would be able TO pay. Conse-
quently oil bills for produce were paid and
the farmer made fair profit on what he
raised.
9Th. Labor, having suffered before, was
careful to demand prompt payment and was
willing TO accept fair remuneration. Con-
sequently, all were pail and were apparent.
ly content.
Now contrast this with the outlook now,
at the beginning of the year 1888:
LIST. The market Is well supplied with all
kinds Of canned vegetables, with prospect
of more or less surplus to carry over. This
surplus would have crushed many of our
packers had it not been for the failure of the
Western pack. Future Sales therefore, will
probably be difficult to make by old packers
and almost impossible to be made iudicous-
ly by new and inexperienced packers.
Cd. The tin market is higher than it was
ever known to be in the history of this in
dustry and cans, 1t is believed, will be 25 per
cent. higher in price than last year.
3D.. The box makers, having all lost
money last year, by reason of their disagree
ment upon standard of prices, have now
entered into strong combination, with cash
deposit made by each member, which Is to be
forfeited by any one who violates the terms
of the combination. In accordance with this
arrangement they have advanced the prices
of boxes twenty per cent.
4th. The farmer, believing that the pack.
ers made immense profits last year, are now
looking forward to higher prices for their
produce. Ifthe experienced packer declines
to pay moro than he feels the outlook will
justify, tue new packer, expecting large
profits, may make contracts at the prices
which may be demanded, thereby helping to
increase apack which promises to be the larg.
est ever made. The result will inevitably be
a fall In prices and much loss to the farmer
as well as to the packer.
9th. Canning house labor has also caught
the infection and believing that large profits
were made last season, Is naturally look
ing forward to larger pay for work. In this
state Of mind many laborers will be found
willing to risk all in the hope of sharing in
the prospective profits of the man who prom.
ises to pay the most.
9th. The Eastern packer must now make
up his mind to give up the Western market,
since 1t is known that the West is now pie
pared to pack all the canned vegetables need
ed to supply the wants of their own section,
and Eastern packers will be fortunate if they
can keep Western packed goods out of their
own home markets. Consequently, the de.
mand for Eastern packed goods will dimin-
ish from year to year, just in proportion as
they are driven out of the Western markets,
and one good crop in the West is likely to
accomplish that result. Eastern packers
cannot compete with their Western brethren,
who buy corn ut SO per ton and tomatoes
ut 81 per ton, and get cans, cases and labor
as low as they can be had in the East, while
our packers must pay from 81 to $12 pc
tom f,r corn a nd from, CO IN az M, 49,, 60,