The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-02-02
For Low Prices
On Lime, Laths, Shingles,
Doors and Windows, call on
John B. WATKINS.
THE CANNING FACTORY.
Some Timely Suggestions From
a Disinterested Source.

Disinterested Source.
BALTIMORE, Jau. 20, 1893.
EDITOR GOLD Leaf see from the
GOLD LEAF that you are going to start
Packing house in Henderson. I am
glad to know it, as, if properly man.
aged, it will prove a profitable venture
and will at the same time give employ
ment to many Of your women and chill
dren in and around Henderson who are
not strong enough for other labor. 1 am
anxious to have your people make a
success of the enterprise and therefore
am going to take the liberty of giving
you few practical points that you will
do we'll to follow. | speak from facts
afforded me by practical Gamers. To
start with do not attempt to make your
own cans, they can be bought by q per-
son who is posted at this season for q
very little more than cost. Get your
tomato seed here. have never seen any
tomatoes to equal those grown around
Baltimore. They cut as solid as q piece
oil beef, which is a great advantage, there
being less juice and the fruit packs much
more solid and better. Let your toma-
toes be thoroughly ripe before they are
pulled as to pack them when there is q
little green at the bottom of the fruit will
| cause them to be classed as seconds" or
off goods.
Have your cans made with what are
known to the trade as pine apple holes,
not as is usually the case, with peach
holes. My reason for this is that you
can put the fruit whole in the first
named without MASKING it and it is diff
cult to do in thelatter. Tomatoes packed
as nearly whole as possible and weighing
40 ounces per can bring a better price
and usually find quicker market. Cans
weighing from 36 to SO ounces are usu-
ally called light weights and bring less
money. Your company should adopt
some nice, snowy label that will look well
on the store shelves. Take some name
for your goods and keep to it as to name
and grade. | would suggest "Carolina
Belle as a good one. 1t is the name OF
once famous snuff made in my old
town and one that made great deal of
money for j. NJ. Venable & Co. back in
the fifties.
Now for your corn. Get the best sugar
corn seed for planting that you can find,
as it is very important that it should be
genuine; otherwise it is liable to be too
large and course and will not bring as
good price. think our people around
here get seed that is grown up in New
York state. You know the farther North
you get your seed the quicker it will ma
ture with you. can find out the name
and price of the best for you. dare say
your farmers know very little about
growing sugar corn, therefore they
should consult those who are familiar
with it. Your company should pack
early June peas. They are the first to
come in and if properly handled bring
good prices.
Now having told you about the grow
ing OF the crops and the kind let me sug-
gest to you to be more than particular
in getting thoroughly reliable man as
professor, as on his work depends your
success or failure. While there is no par
ticular secret about processing, still it
requires practical knowledge. You can
not afford to experiment. You may put
a bright fellow with him this season and
he may learn. I do not know q good
man at this writing, but could look out
for one for you. In buying tomatoes
here they are usually sold by the ton as
you are then sure to get all that belongs
to you, and those people who prefer to
raise open or hollow tomatoes pay for it,
as they do not weigh so much to the
bushel. You should be able to get black
and whortle ("huckle') berries in any
quantity in your section. They are good
stock to pack if bought low enough.
GRANVILLE.