The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-12-07
CANNING FACTORIES,
HOW THEY ARE OPERATED
IN MISSOURI.

Some Interesting Facts Concern
ing the Fruit Canning Industry
---Suggestions From Which
Our People May Profit.
The following article is taken from
a recent number of the Schuyler
county, New York, Free Press, a
copy of which our friend Mr.. M. B.
Prince was kind enough to hand U.S.
As it may be of interest and value to
our readers we take pleasure in pub
fishing the article which explains it.
self:
The following interesting sketch of
a canning factory was sent to the
Schuyler County Farmers Club by H.
Wickham, of Carthage, Mo-, and read
at its last meeting:
Believing that the members of the
Farmers Club of Schuyler county and
the people of Watkins and vicinity are
somewhat interested in establishing a
canning factory, l send a sketch of
one here.
1t has been an unfavorable year here
for canning factory as the early
frosts in the spring SO injured fruit that
there was little for canning purposes.
The only surplus was in strawberries,
and they were shipped to Omaha and
Denver at prices that would not pay
to can, consequently many of the can
ming products were vegetables, begin
ming with peas the first of June, corn
the first of August and tomatoes soon
after then beets and pumpkins, and
FINALLY chickens come last in Decem-
Der.
Contracts are made with the growers
the fall or winter previous to the grow
ing Of the crop, for the products of a
certain number of acres, seed being
supplied by the canning factory SO as
to insure good quality in products.
No home grown seed is used the
subject of your discussion.) The peas
are from Canada, the corn from Maine
and the tomato seed from Ohio. Mr..
Livingston, of Canton, Ohio, is man
whom they trust, in preference to any
wholesale seed house. All growers
products are bought and measured by
weight to save time and troble, at the
rate of 40 cents per bushel for peas,
10 cents for tomatoes, SO per ton for
green, unhusked corn of good quality
and 81 to Sc per ton for pumpkins,
according to scarcity. The rates on
chickens have not yet been established
at the factory, but for New York ship
ping buyers are now paying six cents
per pound. They are shipped from
here by carload lots, same as stock
from Watkins. This factory is now
canning its third years products and
is growing in favor with the public,
its reputation being we'll established
with growers, employees and whole
sale houses. This seasons product
was all sold in advance to one Kansas
City firm.
The increase in favor with growers
is illustrated in the increased acreage
of tomatoes. The first year they
canned the product of 60 acres, last
year 100, this year 900 and peas and
corn in proportion. The daily capa-
city for canning is 800 bushels ofpeas,
20 tons of corn and 1000 bushels of
tomatoes.
The peas are shelled by huller,
run over three screens and put up in
three qualities. The corn is husked
by one set of hands, silked by another,
assorted by experts, put in the. cutters
by the single ear, run thence into a
steam cylinder, where it is cooked on
its way through to the other end, and
there received in cans as fast as
they can be handled which are i'm
mediately sealed and cooled.
The growers here many of them use
the same ground for peas and toma-
toes, setting the tomato plants as soon
as the early peas are gathered. A fair
crop of peas yields from 100 to 125
bushels to the acre, and from $50 to
800 of tomatoes, owing to the fertility
of the soil and dryness of the season.
The canning factory is teaching
valuable lessons on how to save and
ure homemade fertilizers.
The factory is not able to secure all
products needed for canning within
hauling distance, SO portion is ship
ped in on cars, they having special
switch to ship in cans, box material
and products. The cans are made in
Chicago and the box lumber (whi,e
pine all cut for mailing, is from Wis
consin.
The employees are about one-third
men, who do the heavy work, and the
rest women and boys, the force of help
varying according to the rush of the
season.
The early dry season retarded the
growth of tomatoes and the later rains
make rush OF them now. The low
price of farm products has caused a
large increase of patrons for the fac
tory.
They now have contracted for mex,
season within hauling distance 2oc
acres of tomatoes, $50 of corn and
200 of peas. The proprietors of the
factory intend to raise their own
beets.
In addition, Sarcoxie, a town Is
miles distant, has contracted for 2oc
acres of tomatoes; one man has &C
acres, and other places have $50 acre:
of corn and 100 Of peas. The grow.
ers under contract have the privilege
of supplying the vegetable dealers and
grocers with the earliest products a,
much increased prices.
With fair crops the above acreage
will make 900 cars OF canned goods
To meet the increased business, the
c. -, addition