Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-01-05
THE CANNING BUSINESS.
Shall the Fruits and Vegetables of Texas
be Canned at Home9
Some Valuable Information Furnished by FL,
tracts From the Texas Journal of Hortt-
culture of Tyler, Texas.
The following correspondence explains

Major J. P. Douglas, Tyler, Tex
DEAR SIR-In the light of the present
agitation at several points in Texas of the
subject of building new canning establish
ments and the general interest manifested
therein in some sections of the state, we
have concluded to ask you, as the pioneer
Texas Gamer, and one having large ex-
perience in the business, to give for pub
hcation, your views upon the conditions OF
the canned goods trade as affecting us,
and upon the prospects for such enter
prises. Yours respectfully,
Texas JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE
TYLER, TEX, Dec. 26, 1888.
Editor Journal of Horticulture:
In response to yours of Goth inst, l
recognize the right that the horticultur-
lists have to inquire into the Gamers
affairs in Texas at this time. The plant
ing of orchards of trees involves expenses
which can bring no returns for several
wears: and when done, should be based
on an almost certain calculation of good
profits at the maturity of the fruit. The
ultimate success of the orchardist in East
Texas is not wholly dependent on the
canning business, but the success OF
fruit canning will greatly aid the fruit
grower. Inc cOUUlIlOH VI Guo
interests in East Texas at this time pre-
sents a rather mixed picture. 1t has its
lights and its shades It's future, viewed
from one standpoint, is full of promise;
while with other lights thrown upon it !,
there are darker shades brought TO view.
At this time, there are thirteen small
canning factories in East Texas, most Of
which were started last summer. The
condition of the trade is such that
none of these concerns will earn any
profits on the investments this year.
There has been large increase through
out the United States in the number of
factories. as well as in the output of the
old concerns, within the last twelve
months and the consequence is that the
pack of some leading articles has been
so large as to send prices down to point
below the cost of production. This is the
case with sugar corn and string beans,
while tomatoes are selling at about what
it requires TO grow and pack them, leav-
ing no profit TO anyone. English peas
are about the only leading vegetable in
tin which is selling at paying prices.
The articles most depended upon in
Texas for profits is the peach. The past
season has experienced almost univer-
sal crop of rather ordinary quality of this
most excellent of all fruits. Maryland
and Delaware, where most peaches are
packed, grew one of the largest crops had
for many years, but the quality was very
door This has stocked the market up
with cheap standard and pie peaches,
carrying the price down 20 per cent be-
low last season S quotations.
In view of these facts the infant indus
try in Texas will receive but little
strength from this years operations.
Some of the Gamers will probably aban-
don the business, while others will per-
sist in the ENTERPRISE.
1t has always occurred to this writer
that there was not much profit in the
canning business in Texas except in the
single article Of peaches. East Texas is
peculiarly peach country. Our fruit
attains much greater perfection than at
any point north of us, while our expert
ence is that orchards favorably located
here seldom ever fail to yield a crop,
while failure is rather the rule than the
exception IN most states, and the crop is
now considered a failure over large
portion of the United States. These adj
vantages will ultimately give success to
the peach Gamer in Texas. The LeCOnte
pear also promises to be a success in tin.
It is an excellent Gamer, and may be
grown with great success for this purpose.
Blackberries will prove winning card
also in the Gamers hands. The canning
company which can secure q great abun-
dance Of fine peaches, pears and black
berries at a moderate price will sue
coed, but all those establishments which
depend on the growth of sugar corn,
tomatoes, snap beans, etc. for a bust
ness will fail. These are successfully
grown IN every county of every state in
the Union, and the markets will be kept
well supplied. One thing which faYoPs
East Texas in canning vegetables is the
great excellence of her products in this
line. Sugar corn grown on our sandy
loans attains great sweetness and a fine
favor. The tomato is a semi-tropical
plant, and while large crops are grown in
Northern states the fruit is much more
acid than the Southern article. To-
matoes grown and packed in Texas car
~ much larger percentage of sugar
and are of better flavor. They are, in
this respect, like the peach grown III
the climate which nature intended for it
they reach there the highest perfection
After the growth and preparation of
all these articles for market, there is still
q grave question to be considered. That
question is one of commerce. How shall
these goods be placed in the hands of
consumers? AT present, the canning in
QuSUfy IS DeSeI WIN grave QlInculIleS. at
this point. Four fifths Of the whole
sale grocery trade of Texas is controlled
by the commercial tourists from st.
Louis, Chicago and New Orleans, while
only one-fourth or less is done by the
wholesale dealers of our larger Texas
towns. If it be granted that we can sell
reasonable amount of our products to these
wholesale men, still we have no means of
reaching the other three fourths of the
consumers of our state, unless we sell our
goods TO the st, Louis dealer and ship
them thither, to pay freight both ways.
This condition is of such Importance that
it viii drive US out of the market, except
in small way, with our corn, tomatoes,
etc, which are more cheaply grown and
packed in the neighborhood of those
large cities north of US.
These are some of the lights and shades
of the canning business in Texas. u
J. P. d.
THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL MEETING |
IN TEXAS.
GREENCAsTLE, IND, Dec. q, 1883.
Editor Journal OF Horticulture:
/ am glad TO note your favorable refer
ence TO the coming of the A. H. s. to |