The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-03-06
A NEGLECTED INDUSTRY.
Thousands OF Dollars Wasted by Caroline
Truck Farmers.

Thousands OF Dollars Wasted by Carolina
Truck Farmers.
To the Editor Of the Ne,us and Courier !:
+ wrote an article last week on the pick
ling business, which WAS largely copied
throughout the South. In consequence |
have been overrun with inquiries from
your section from persons who wished to
know further regarding the business of
canning and picking. For the benefit
of those interested l will enter more fully
into the details of the business. have
travelled South, and it was indeed sur
prisipg that one sees large quantities of
canned goods sold in the South, and
with but few exceptions they are packed
by Northern packing houses. This has
heretofore been the case, but with the
go.ahead spirit of the New South it de-
mands reform, and in few years hence
this industry will be found thriving
everywhere in the Southern States, and
the Northern packer will be forced to
seek other markets.
UTILIZING TIE LATE TRUCK.
Your farmers, more especially your
truckers, have been satisfied with large
profits realized by early shipments, but
when the Virginia and Maryland pro.
duct came in market it did not further
pay your truckers to ship, consequently
thousands of acres of prime stock for
canning and picking purposes has been
allowed to waste for want of some means
of utilizing it; the same can be said of
your fruits. The South raises large
quantities of fruits, which but little is
realized on, and the bulk of the crop is
allowed to decay for want Of canning
facilities. These fruits and vegetables
you hare allowed to waste could be put
up in your market and handsome profits
realized; but instead the South depends
on the North to supply her with the very
articles she has thrown away. In Mary
land and elsewhere farmers do not enjoy
the advantages realized by the Southern
trucker. The Southern farmer has been
we'll paid, and his profits have been large
for the produce; be has shipped to early
markets, consequently when the product
from Maryland comes in the prices are
down, and we are compelled to sell in
competition with the Southern product.
The Souther farmer can, therefore, real.
ize on his early shipments, and after it
does not pay to ship the surplus can be
utilized for canning purposes.
THE FARMERS CHANCE FOR a SURPLUS.
We have thousands of farmers in Ma
ryland who plant their crops for this
purpose alone. They cure their own
crops and will perhaps in addition buy
up their neighbours, and at the close Of
the season have a thousand or two dol.
lars to add to the profit OF the farm ac-
count. Because the Southern trucker
has already realized profit is no reason
Why be should abandon his surplus. 1t
would give employment to numbers of
persons during the canning season. Here
in Maryland thousands depend on this
industry for living. Large numbers
are given employment in the factories
the year round canning fruits, vegetables,
fish, oysters, etc, which could be done in
your section to greater profit. Labor is
cheap and plentiful and you enjoy every
advantage of q good market, with an
abundance Of fruit, vegetables, fish and
oysters. Your lands are rich, and your
climate adopted to vegetable culture. As
regards operating canning factory: the
Southern farmer hss been under the i'm
preston that it required large capital,
combined with long business experience,
but they are now beginning to realize
that they can operate this canningsand
picking factory in addition to their
other duties. A farm hand can learn the
process in one day, as no previous knowl.
edge is necessary. have had numerous
inquiries from persons who wished to
start in small way; others in large
way. The process of putting up pickles
is very simple, and start can be made
on very few dollars that would keep
several persons busy for six months in
the year. 1t would pay to combine the
picking business with that of canning,
as the same machinery will answer for
both purposes.
COST OF AN OUTFIT.
An outfit that will can 1000 3-pound
cans per day will cost complete $3.50 !;
that of 5000 8 pound can outfit will
cost complete S225. The cans will cost
for pound, S24O or less per hundred ;
2.pound, s1.S0 per hundred; for pickles
the bottles can be had very cheap.
Pickles can also be put in barrels and
kegs, in bulk, both plain and with mus
tord, spices, etc; but when put up in
bottles, nicely labelled, they command a
ready sale at paying prices. A canning
outfit can be put up by the most inexpe.
rienced person-used with steam power,
or can be put in brick the same as sugar
boilers. When steam is already used on
a farm for other purposes it can be easily
attached to your canning machinery, but
it answers the same purpose to simply
set in brick, as described above. The
canning business is O clean. profitable