Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-22
CANNING SUGAR CORN
An Insight Into the Process of Pack
ing the Succulent Edible.
ORIGIN OF A GREAT INDUSTRY.
A Stroll Through and About Maine Corn
Canning Factory
READY MONEY FOR THE POOR FARMER
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE D1srAroH.l

|
nual corn-canning industry may be had
from the fact that the tin required for an
average seasons pack would cover 140 acres
with sheets, and the cans, if placed
lengthwise in continuous line, would reach
$50 miles.
In 1886, which was a representative year,
there were packed in Maine not less that
II, LAG, ,s72 cans. In 1887, which was more
than an average season, the increase was
about 25 per cent, making in round numbers
not far from IA, 600, 900 cans. In 1888, which
was a poor season, owing to early frosts,
I there was marked falling off from the pack
of the preceding season. In 1886, which,
as we have said, was an average year, the
grand total of cans put up in the United
States was 4O,193,640 Maine, as usual,
took the lead, packing 2,65O,772 more cans
than Maryland, the next State in amount,
and T. 941, ,272 and 9, 1894. S4S more cans than
the great States of New York and Ohio re-
| spectively. This, however, does not represent
the maximum yield, as there were number
of the smaller packing factories unreported.
Last year the sweet corn plant throughout
the State was upward of 16, 900 acres, or 25
square miles, and the product of this area
was used in about 80 factories, of which 20
new ones were started. This season there is
promise of a good yield.
In packing, the corn is put up in tin cans
AZ inches long, 81 inches in diameter,
weighing when filled, q ounces. They are
then encased in wrappers, are placed in
square wooden boxes, or leases" two dozen
cans to the case, and are shipped not only
to various points throughout the United
States, the Ganadas, Central America. etc.,
but to almost every other habltable portion
of the globe. 1t is
AVAILABLE IN ALL CLIMATES,
opening equally we'll in the arctic regions
and the tropics. In one instance it goes to
a missionary post in Africa, where it is
transported by negroes on foot !, 900 miles
from the point of unloading.
In the great centers of the South and
West are seen the familiar cases, which bear
on their illumined label the inscriptions of
'tMaine's world-renowned sweet corn. !"
Names sweet corn is, indeed, the best in
the world, and commands the highest price
of any in the markets. Some of the West
ern States produce quite good canned corn,
but no other State than Maine furnishes it
as nutritious, sweet and tender. Her soil
and atmosphere are peculiarly adapted to
the growth of sugar corn, which is dwarf
variety. A few years ago chemical analysis
was made of corn packed in Maine, Mary
land and Iowa, as representative geograph-
ical points, which showed the following as
to the food value of the three lots: Maine
corn, 4567 z; Iowa corn, 350.7; Maryland corn,
3O3.7. By this it is seen that the Maine
oIa %HoT To- or1
so per cent above the Maryland in food
value; or, if Maryland corn is worth 80cents
per dozen cans and Iowa 81, the Maine corn
is worth 81 %.
The evolution of the sweet-corn industry
is one of notable character. About the year
1872 Isaac W1nslow, of Portland, Me-, at
that time sojourning in France, conceived
the idea of preserving green vegetables by
Theoretically sealing them in cans. He
communicated his plans to his brother
Nathan in Portland, who soon began series
of experiments. From the shortness of the
season in which they could be conducted, it
took long time before practical results
were reached.
THE FIRST CANNED CORN.
He began canning in 1852, in the town of
Westbrook, adjoining Portland. In that
wear, when Mr.. Winslow had produced q
complete outfit, sufficient for the primitive
methods of that period, his annual packing
was only 80, 900 cans, and until the begin
ming of the war was seldom, if ever, more
than 1000 cans annually. Now, almost
any one of the many factories puts up from
twice to five times that number.
The Bridgton factory, situated in great
complaining center, is one of the best rep
resentatives of its kind in the State. Here
the process of packing sweet corn, like
many other manufacturing industries, has
undergone a complete revolution within a
few wears by reason of the introduction of
improved machinery. At this factory In
the fall of 1869, in which an unusually
large acreage was planted, there were en-
ployed 300 hands, OF whom 100 were huskers
and 375 cutters; 600,0 900 cans, the product
of 834 acres, were put up. Since then hand
labor has given place to machinery, except
in husking, which is still done by busy
brigade OF men and boys, from the old man
of so to the S-year-old lad, seated on stools,
and filling bushel baskets as fast as they
can cut off the butts and strip the husks
from the ear. But this picturesque autumn
spectacle is doomed soon to be a thing of the
past, as even now an ingenious husking ma
chine is nearly perfected, and. in fact is in
practical operation by some of the smaller
firms.
INTRODUCING MACHINERY.
Up to the year 1874 the corn was cut from
the cob by hand with small bent knife
with gauge, with which the manipulation
rapidly pared OF the corn by downward
strokes, with the other hand steadying and
turning the ear against the inside of long
tray. Now a machine does the work as
well, one man turning out as much as
twelve men could by hand. The ear is
placed in position by the left hand, while
by an immediate lever-stroke by the right
it is forced through an ingenious arrange
ment of knives and longitudinal scrapers,
which in an instant cut of the kernels
clean, and, what was the most difficult Oh
stacle to overcome, removes all the juice
without taking any of the hull; feat not
always accomplished by new or careless
operators by hand under the old system.
This season couple of steam corn-cutting
machines are also used in the Bridgton
factory. Likewise new machine termed a
"killer," which, on the plan of coarse
sieve, separates the kernels from the silk or
other extraneous substances.
The fact that only five or six weeks out of
the year are available for experimenting
explains why it has taken so long time to
perfect tine cutting and other corn packing
machinery.
pressing" follows. This is measuring
and filling the can with certain amount of
corn through the hole in the upper end,
preparatory to sealing" Two kinds of
machinery have lately come into use for
this, each of which does three-fold work over
hand. With the machine in use at tine
Bridgton factory, an ordinary workman
can press go cans a minute, or sc, 900 IN ten
hours, which is more than three times as
much ms CON ha done with the old and Draeu