The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-12-11
COST OF
An Interesting Estimate of the Expen-
ses Necessary to Establish and
Operate a Cannery.


Operate a Cannery.
The following information was sup
piled in response to In inquiry adj
dressed to the Lynchburg "Vir
ginian," and which was forwarded to
the writer:,
In response to your correspondent,
D. L. T., Of Amherst, [ am enabled,
after some unavoidable delay, to furn-
ish the following information as guide
to anyone who proposes to embark in
the business of canning fruits and veg
eatables. The capacity of fixtures
herein described, is adapted, as your
correspondent desired, to a "small can
merry" The boiler, with one kettle
would prepare enough of tomatoes,
etc., to ELL daily $500 cans, or three
times this number of peaches or apples.
Every additional kettle would proper
tionately increase the capacity.
The cost of a boiler of twelve-horse
power is 1920. Kettle, open, ST. to
$25. This will do for tomatoes, apples,
peaches and all kinds of berries.
If corn or peas are to be canned, a
patent process kettle will be necessary.
This will cost 1925. With this kettle
you will have a set Of crates.
Leaving out this we have the follow
ing additional items: Open kettles and
crates, extra, cost Sc to So; exhaust
box, SIT; crane to hoist crates out of
kettle, $l3; air pump, Sc; oil tank, SIS
to $25; fire pots, So to $40; Debow
Gaping tools, So each. Two of these
will be necessary for each man, but
one "capper" is sufficient in a small
cannery.
The prices Of cans, if they are
bought at the right time, are, for two
pound cans Sl.7S cents per hundred;
for three pound cans, $2.45 to $500
per hundred.
The cases or boxes in which the
can are packed for shipment, and
which hold two dozen cans, cost, for
cases that hold twenty-four two
pound cans, seven cents each; for cases
that hold twenty-four three pound cans
nine cents each.
The price paid for Smelling peas is
five cents per gallon; for peeling toma-
toes n cent per bucket, that is, the
common wooden bucket for peeling
and seeding peaches twelve cents per
bushel; peeling apples, ten cents per
bushel. These are the prices when the
hands are boarded at the cannery. If
they board themselves fifteen cents
per day is allowed.
Mr.. @. Debow, the ~"processor" at
the cannery of J. @. Moomaw & Co.,
Cloverdale, Botetourt county, Vir-
ginia, will furnish further information
to any who may write to him, and
will sell his receipt for processing"
to those may desire to purchase. He
is the inventor of a "patent improved
adjustable soldering TOOL" and can
give information as to the purchase of
cans and cases.
In the foregoing statement of expen-
ses of starting a cannery, nothing is
said about a house to cover the ma
chinery and operations. This may be
a very plain, cheap shed, or a more
costly building, or some old building
may be adapted to the purpose. A
house with an area of floor equivalent
to rs by 40 feet would be sufficient.
Leaving out the cost of the house and
of the process kettle, necessary, if corn
and peas are to be canned, the sum of
1925, will, [ am informed, cover the
expenses of starting a cannery for to-
matoes, peaches, apples, and all kinds
of berries.
In several communications on the
canning business | have aimed at the
strictest accuracy, because it was prob
able that these statements would be
relied upon by persons desiring to en-
gage in the business, and because
"booms" so-called, which are not
based upon facts are doing infinite in
jury to our State. In order to avoid
a false impression as to the value Of
the tomatoes which may be produced