The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-06-04
PIONEER IN FRUIT SAVING
Peaches Not the Only Growth That
Gives Good Return.
Augusta Man Tells How He Has
Found Fruit Canning a Profit
able Engagement.

Augusta, Ga, June 2.-(Special(-
most competent authority in Georgia on
the subject of canning fruit is WiIiiam
NJ. Rowland. of this city.
The firm of Rowland & Co. of when
Mr.. Rowland is the active partner. owns
the Rowland Canning Company, located
at Athens. where Mr.. Rowland did busi-
ness until his firm transferred the buSl-
ness to Augusta last September. Mr.
Rowland is president of the Rowland
Canning Company. now probably the larS-
est Gamers OF peaches sorth of Baltimore
as with their doubled capacity TINS sea
son thay expect 10 an a carload, OF pe-
tween 400 and $50 bushels, each twenty
four hours during the height OF the SEA
son.
Mr.. Rowland was asked what would DC
the extent Of the peach canning business
IN Georgia this season. and now EAR IL
would $50 toward consuming the surplus
of the shipping crou. lie replied that,
while peach canning would be greater
than any previous year. influenced Dy the
tremendous crop in sight, IL would De Ut
terry inadequate 20 sake care OF the sur
plus. That i'm 1895. when we las mad 4
peach crop. the Rowland Canning |oh-
pany refused more peaches tnah IL
bought, ana quantities of the finest fruit
many sections Of the peach growing te.t'
and he thought the same unfortunate
condition won.d apply again this season.
Mr.. Rowland was ;hen asked what was
being done toward extending The canning
interests in the state.
lie replied that this was a subject when
various papers in the state have been asl-
tating the past TWO months. ana The Al
lanta Constitution and Other papers have
u. hon
The subject The trend OF these articles
mas been that canning factories would De
/ profitable enterprises. that they could DC
| easily erected ana equlpped. and that lhey
/ should be Dudt at once IN order TO care
! 10. the great peach crop in sight.
/ Il 10 lot diner with them" ne said. "as
/ TO peach Canning BENG u prohtaole busl-
/ ness when properly Conducted, t"ou5h my
experience docs not sustain the published
/ statements as to the number OF thou mas
I of cans th;.L can b. packed on limited
/ investment"
well, Mr.. Rowland. YOU say peach can
/ ming is profitable, why are not more peach
tanEeries being built, or why are you not
/ extending your own interests?'
From June !. 1885. 10 June l. 1850.
/ period OF two years said Mr.. Rowland,
! the Rowland Canning Company has hau
| Il peach canning lua Of six weeks and
/ do not suppose any other peach canntry
/ mas done more than this. Unless by few
days. Six weeks in two years! ms Is
! my answer 10 your inquiry. This is the
! one weak spot IN the peach canning. The
! peach crop failed IN 1898. and, of course.
! there Was no canning. TINS is Why 80
/ few, If any, new cannCries are being punt
/ and why Georgia is streWn with ina
/ wrecks u canneIlcS that have gone 20 the
| wall"
! Cannot you can something else besides
! peaches, and run several months IN me
/ year, As the Maryland Gamers dor
Yes. II we could sec something to can
/ But / 10 not know oil Il thing We can Bel
IN quantity except peaches.
What could you can. Mr.. RoWlandf
We could, successfully ana 1 think
! pronta5ly, can amons tnin65 that could
I be raised In Richmond county, asparagus,
/ peas. strawberries. string Deans, black
berries or any other berry thal gsoWs
acre; plums, pears, tomatoes, okrd, Out
Ter or ANA beans. pampAns and apples.
How DO Georgia canned goods compare
with those vi otnor sections
selling is the best test and I have
I never heard OF a southern Gamer but %ho
nad Il good demand Tor eve ythne he
/ could can OF staple BoodS We have al
ways had a demand Tor more peaches
than We could can. and that. too when
our canning company was new al the
business and our gouds were aOt packed
.ls re- diary $ tney Will 10 in tho III
| lure"
where do you sell them. MIR Row
land?'
prom Virginia to the Mississippi river.
/ We prefer 90 sell them tnoueh IN our
home markets ana nope TO supply our
/ augusta houses Nl.h most u ,hc.r stocA
! TINS season. We wA4 cndravor 10 40 this
oOln as IL matter OF pride aad because tAe
reputation Nc nopc 10 sct es.aD'4shcu Id
the BRANDS Nc drc Aoi.s - pa az TINS
season NOu.u mean 4ilosc ~ Is hctc tiI"li
abroad. Nc nave 90 sen "a aug dslti1
tuOusu. at mucn less prIces thstA IA many
Otucr IarSct markets, uue 10 ner very 10"
al water rate from tne etse. WINCH 10
.ihe, Is a AnocK-aoWu afsu hieA1 u tHv al
vantage 70 August OIL lhe S@N"lli4'H
r4Net.
with all these advantages. why cannot
our truckers. farmers ana lFull growers
RAISE the canning products You nave lileA-
Toned. as Is done in the Maryland ami
virginia sections!
Il cannot answer you said Mr.. Row
land, "for While i am accounted good
gatdencr.l have never had the opportunity
OF testing the raising OF these vegetables
and fruits by the acre ana especially III
our Augusta territory"
III they could be raised. would you
agree TO contract FOR these products ahd
erect 4 Cannery here|
Yes" said Mr. Rowland. Il have said
this 10 numbers Of peach growers who
have urged us to build cdnnerY mere
pointing out the many advantages Au-
gUsta has. all Of which VIC admit
What would you pay for the fruits ana
vegetables you could CAM
Il cannot answer this at first blush.
sand Mir Rowland. but / Will say what
have said before, that l would be perfect
ly willing to pay 20 Richmond county
growers whatever the Baltimore Gamers
pay 10 the Maryland ana Virginia grow
ers.
Cannot our Richmond county truckers
ana farmers grow these things as prOht-
ably as the grower In Maryla or Nlr-
siua?'
or some Of your many SUBSCRIBERS VINO
are trucking and farming within twenty
miles of Augusta.
The future OF the canning industry in
Georgia is not I'm the hands OF the peach
grower. he has done his part: II IS NOT IN
The hands Of the Gamer; he stands ready
to do his part, but it is solely in the
hands Of the berry and vegetable grower
If they can and will do their part as well
as the Maryland and Virginia growers
canning in Georgia viii be lust as Drotit-
able compared with canning in Maryland
as cotton factories are in Georgia, COM
pared with cotton factories in New Eng
land.
Mr. Rowland says there Is no danger of
injury from competing plants and there
can he abundant work for all canneries
during the rush of the peach season. The
way to make n CanncrV pay IS not to con-
fine its work to peaches. but to can VeSe-
tables. berries, etc. For this purpose large
acreage must be devoted TO growing veSe-
tables for the cannerv. There must he a
STIMULATED contract price at which grow
or, will Furnish their surplus products to