The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-07-05
MARYLAND Canneries.

The Census Office has issued lengthy
bulletin giving particulars Of the canning
industry of the country The report shows
that Maryland easily leads in the number
of pounds of canned vegetables and that
Baltimore leads in the value Of the pro-
ducts canned. Maryland is second in the
canning of fruits, ranking next to Cali
fornia. Maryland leads in the canning of
tomatoes, is fourth in the canning Of corn,
second in the canning of peas, first In
canning beans, second in canning apples
and second in canning blackberries, straw
berries and raspberries, and stood third in
the increase of establishments in the past
decade.
The State leads in the number of wage
earners employed in canning factories.
Baltimore, the cradle of the canning in
dustry of the country, maintained her pre-
eminence, and the State, in addition to
being among the first in the canning OF
fruits and vegetables, leads in oyster can
ming.
The greatest increase in the number OF
active canning establishments was in Mary
land, which reported an increase OF :, or
an even 100 per cent.
The States generally reported sub
stantial increase in the number Of establish
ments, capital and value of products.
MARYLAND, however, although showing
twice as many establishments in 1900 as
in 1890, showed considerable decrease
in both the capital and value of products,
owing to the fact that a number of small
establishments have engaged in the in
dustry since 1890, while several OF the
large factories, on the other hand, had be-
come interested principally in the canning
and preserving of fruits and vegetables,
and were so classified by this office, ac-
cording to the rule adopted to classify ac-
cording to the predominating product.
As in the case of the other industries
treated in this report, the canning of oys-
tiers is localized in points nearest the sup
ply of oysters. Maryland, which is in
proximity to the famous oyster beds, not
withstanding the apparent decrease which
is above accounted for, led in both years
in the number of establishments, in capital
and in the value Of products. The value
of products for the census year Tor this
State was 50, 417,33l, or 65.9 per cent.
of the total value Of products of this in
dustry Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida,
which were supplied by the oyster beds of
the Gulf of Mexico, followed Maryland In
the order named.
Maryland was the only State having es-
adjustments employing over 500 wage
earners, but in this State the largest num-
Der of establishments employed from Il to
80 wage -earners Florida reported 3 es-
adjustments employing over 100 wage
earners, and Maryland and Mississippi each
reported , in this class
Figures on oysters, canning and preserv-
ing show the quantity and value Of pro-
ducts to be:
Per ct. of total
Pounds. Value. Pounds. Value
Maryland ai!Sa Ies7'55 ,S5 i,sis5 Sig SIS
Quite naturally, Maryland, the home of
the famous cove oyster, took first rank
in this industry, and the quantity and
value Of oysters canned in that State form
ed over so per cent. Of the totals for the
country. Mississippi followed Maryland
with product about half as large, or APP
proximately % per cent. of the total for
the United States. Florida and Louisiana
followed Mississippi in the order named,
the combined totals for these States CON
shutting nearly 8 per cent. of the total.
The oysters canned in Mississippi, Florida
and Louisiana are received from the Gulf
of Mexico The industry is also carried
on to limited extent in Washington and
Oregon.
In the total number Of pounds of canned
vegetables Maryland easily led, reporting
307, 247, 293 pounds, or 1852 per cent. of
the total number The other leading
States, in the order named with the mum
Der of pounds reported by each, were:
New York, 1875, 1872, 524; Indiana, 81,
566, 6S4; Illinois, 80, PA, 1884, and Cali
fornia, 62, 553, 100 The total number
of pounds of canned and preserved vege-
tables reported by these five states was
GU, Oh, 645, or over 80 per cent. of the
total number Of pounds reported for the
entire country
In the canning of the different varieties
of fruits California ranked first, with ! g.
190,3S2 pounds, or 53.7 per cent, Of the
total. The other five leading States,
ranked according to the number of pounds,
were: Maryland, Sc, 1872, $50; New York,
Al, 241, 240; Michigan, 9,6O3, $50; Del
aware, 1886, 704, and New Jersey, g.
224,512. The total number of pounds of
canned fruits returned by these six States
was 279, 179, 375, or 90 per cent. of
the entire number of pounds reported for
the country.