Middletown transcript., 1898-02-05
OF Interest
to Farmers
AMERICAN CANNED GOODS.


The production OF American tin, the
American tin plate industry so called, has
increased 25 fold in seven years, and Incl.
dental to its development and expansion
there has been a large increase in the can
ming business of the United Stated, which
now amounts to $75 1000 900 in year, re-
quiring nearly 1900, 900 boxes of tin plate,
and keeping a: work more than 1000 can
neries throughout the country.
The sale Of canned goods is subdivided in
the United States into four branches. There
is, first, the canning of food preparations
Of ali kinds, except fish, fruits, vegetables
and oysters. In it are included meats GER
eals and soups, and this branch Of the
American canning business gives employ
ment to 5000 persons and represents cap
ital invested of some $7,000000. while the
business amounts in year to $l5.00O,000.
II is largest in New York State.
The fruit and vegetable canning business
of the United States is very much more
extensive, representing an invested capital
of SIS ,O00, 900, an annual trade of $50, 0,000,-
900. and employees to the number of more
than 60, 900. This branch Of the American
canning is carried on chiefly in two
States, Maryland and New York, and in re-
spect to the number of establishments
and the amount of business done, the ca pi-
tai invested and the number of employees,
Maryland is far ahead. The fish canning
business of the United States is carried on
at 100 establishments, in which more than
5, 500 persons are employed, and the out
put is 100000 year. The chief canned
product of the United States in fish, is sal
mon. and the chief state in the amount of
business done in this line is Oregon. In the
East there are more than $500 persons en-
ployed in the state of Maine iE fish can
ming, and 700 in Massachusetts,, and the
fish canned in both is a considerable item
of commerce. This is a line of commercial
endeavor in which New York is but scantily
interested, having but two fish canneries,
the same as New Jersey.
The oyster canning business ofthe United
States is limited to a very few establish
ments, less than 20 in all, but what they
lack in number they more than make in
the amount of their trade, which is between
s.. 600, 900 and "a 0OO, 900 year. There are
$500 persons employed in this branch OF
the business, more than 80 per cent. OF
them in one state-Maryland.
Though not directly corrected with the
business of canning sand, indeed, sepa-
rate branch of industry.-the trade of pre-
pairing and shipping pickles preserves and
sauces has increased greatly during the last
two years. For very long time English
manufacturers had general control of this
line of business. With an increased home
demand for such condiments and with an
adequate supply of home made tin, the
| American manu- facturers have been eX.
| tending their line and there are now nearly
400 factories engaged in this line, having an
annual product worth $10.000000. The
chief of the state in the extent Of the busi
ness done in this line is Pennsylvania, but
Louisiana does much of it.
The corn-packing states are New York,
Mains, Maryland, Illinois. Iowa and Kan
sas; in tomatoes, New Jersey. Maryland
Indiana. Virginia and Kentucky lead; O
canned fruit, Maryland, Delaware, Califor'
mia and Michigan have the largest product
and for oysters and fish, Maryland, Vir
ginia, North Carolina, Florida and Mississ
ippi are foremost.