The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-30
MONEY IN CANNED GOODS.
MIR Calhoun of Baltimore Figures Gu t
the Canning Factory Question.

MIR. Calhoun of Baltimore Figures Gu
the Canning Factory Question.
Editor HOrning Ne,CS: As my article on
the canning industry has awakened such
interest, and your people solicit further in
formation, | herewith submit estimate of
cost of outfit and the necessary articles of
machinery for canning 1000 three-pouni
cans per day, or 2, $50 two-pound cans, to be
used in connection with steam or set IN
brick: Process, exhaust and scaldtny ket-
tics. two sets CRATE bars, two furnace doors,
two Seeding baskets, two each exhaust and
process cages, crane castings, two firepots,
two Gaping machines, two Gaping cop
pers. two tipping coppers, one forging
stake, two pair can tongs, one wise, ham
mer, etc.
This outfit can be purchased in Baltimore
for 500. fob. The purchaser can, by The
instructions sent with the outfit, put up and
operate it without the aid of skilled help.
1t would require the aid of fifteen hands to
successfully operate it, as follows: One
professor, one capper, one Upper, twelve
peelers and packers. The latter could be
done by women. boys, and girls. In Mary
land professors, cappers and tippe receive
from 81 to 81. 80 per day, but often farmers
do their own processing, which could be
done in this case; thus the farmer could
supervise over the capper and Upper. Tui3
labor being simple it could be had for 81
per day. The labor necessary for packing
the above number of cans would consist of !:
One professor GARNER himself). .........S 50
One capper and one Upper, at 81 each o.. %
Twelve hands lpeelers and packers ........ g 90
$40 SO
Figure the cost of raw material cans,
cases, labels, etc, required for p cking
1000 cans (three-pouud) per day. Toma-
toes. for example, 100 bushels VIII be re-
qulred to fill these 1900 three-poand cans.
Thus we have:
100 bushels tomatoes, at zoe. per bushel. $40 90
2,OJO caus .............. ...-,...,... 10 &c
Labor lin packing. Observation-Disclosures. 10 80
Cases containing "a cans to the caseJ . %
s85 a
Eighty-seven dollars and fOrty-two cents
is what it cost to pack 1000 3 pound cans If
tomatoes per day Qabor aud MATERIAL.
This includes pay for the farmer at So 80
per day, also $50 is included for his raw
material. We now markej the 1000 cens,
consisting of SO cases, and receive 81 65 per
case, the present market price. Thus we
have $l36 %, on a profit Of $40 50.
A pretty good showing for one days
work. When one has wood and coal
to buy it would reduce these figures, but
profit Of $40 per day can be counted on even
where one has to furnish all labor and buy
his raw material and wood and coal. |
would advise farmers to plant their own
crop, and not depend entirely Oh Others for
supplies The farmer can then realize a
profit on bis product in two ways. | would
not lvise farmers to pack corn. The labor
and expense attached to packing this arti-
Gle is SO much that they could not compete
with western packers. 1t requires ex-
pensive machinery for silking aud removing
the corn from the cob and the western con-
cerus have every facility, and pack nothing
else to any great extent. There would not
be as much money in it as there would be
in utilizing the same acreage for tomatoes
or other vegetables. We will take the profits
on one acre of tomatoes grown for canning
purposes; in the first place, the giants can be
set out after all danger from frost is over
The farmer can obtain seed that will yield
him 800 to 700 bushels per acre, for an aver
age say $50 bushels; he disposes of his pro.
duct either by packing. it in cans him
self, or selling TO his neighbors at
20 cents per bushel, and thus
realizes 800 per acre, runs 10 risk
from early planting, and is sure of getting
his money; quite different from the present
mode of dlsposing of his produce. Some
times he does, and again he does not, but
more often finds himself in debt. He can
ship as long as he finds 1t possible to realize
profit, then when it does not pay to ship,
the surplus can be canned. As to capital
one has to have in order to undertake the
can ing business, / will say that the cost
is in the cans, not the outfit. Figure ON the
Gnount necessary for one to have.
Cost of outfit ................. ........Sl50 90
Freight about ....... .... ..... 90
Brick work, etc. 80 90
1000 labels 10 START .................. 45 90
Total ..........,..... .................S 1888 90
The cans can be purchased on six months
time, where parties can Ose account with
approved paper bearing six per cent. in
terest. This allows one to dispose of his en-
tire pack, and pay his note without any
Inconvenience Whatever. | know of no
business where SO small an investment will
yield SUCH satisfactory results. If your
people wish information as to outfit they
can address me, aud | Will turn the letter
over TO the manufacturers IN person.
j. II. CALHOUN.
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