The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1891-01-09
The Canned Goods Trade.

We are indebted to the american Grocer
Of New York, for advance sheets of its sum
mary of the tomato pack Of 1890.
The pack of the past year exceeded the
average of the three preceding years by
189,412 cases. In many States the pack was
less than usual but in Maryland alone it ex-
ceeded that of 1889 by 277, 1924 cases. "This
increase" says the Grocer, sis largely due to
the action of the Baltimore packers, who,
finding that the peach crop was failure
utilized the cans made for peach packing for
the putting up of tomatoes. Early in Sep
TENDER the tomato crop yielded very heavily.
and at several points packers were liable to
take care of the supply, there being dsas-
trous glut. There was also scarcity of
cans, which caused such an active demand
upon the can-makers, that prices were rapid
ly advanced, but, unfortunately for the pack
er, there was no corresponding advance in
the price of canned tomatoes"
The Grocer adds,
"In Hartford county work commenced from
the 10th to the Goth of August and closed at
various dates ranging from the 18th of Septem-
Der to the middle of October. 1t was our sad
duty to announce during the year the de-
cease of the Hon. Benjamin Silver, Jr., of Glen
willie, Hartford county, one OF the most popular
and highly respected gentlemen connected with
the trade, and whose sudden death brought out
many kindly expressions of sympathy and re-
gret.n
ssWe are of the opinion" says our cotempo-
rary, "that the low price Of canned corn, string
beans, lima beans and peas has, to some extent,
restricted the demand for tomatoes, 30 thatwith
pack Of 5000 600 cases the country will not
absorb II 90 readily as ii did years ago, when we
had larger pack, and with corn, beans and
peas selling at prices far above those obtained
for their old competitor, the tomato. 1t is idle
to make any attempt to forecast the future.
The variations in climatic conditions are 30
great that while in one section there may be
weather unfavorable to the development of the
crop, in others it may be exceedingly propi-
tious and the crop enormous. 1t is for this
reason that packers should be very careful in
selling for future delivery. We had last year q
forcible illustration of how Gamers can throw
away all the benefits arising from exceptional
favorable conditions and close up the season,
either with o loss or very meagre results, in the
position occupied by the California packers.
The game was in their own hand so far as the
crops of fruit were concerned. They enjoyed a
demand that was enormous, sufficient to alb
sorb the entire canned product of the State, at
splendid prices But the packers forestalled
their market and sold for future delivery before
the outcome Of the peach and other fruit crops
In the Eastern States had been determined.
1--WE again emphasize the fact that there is an
unsatisfied demand for fine goods, so great in
fact as to maintain very wide difference be-
tween the price Of standards and well-known
brands Of reliable and uniform quality. We
believe that there is in the situation abundant
encouragement to the packers of choice goods
2r those who make quality and not quantity the
scpnsideration.