New-York tribune., 1903-07-05
HOW PEAS ARE CANNED.
Processes in Large Factory Up the State.

Rome N Y July 4 (SpeciaD.-The season of
canning activity at the plants in this city and
in others in surrounding villages is now in good
earnest and from this time till the cold weather
of the approaching fall there will be cessation.
The season for opening is about fortnight earlier
than that of last year.
Peas are the first crop to mature and the early
varieties, commonly known June peas. are OF a
quality seldom equalied. and the indications are
for a good yield. Central New-York might well be
called the home of the canning industry of the
Empire State from the number OF factories here.
One of the largest. and perhaps the largest, is on
the banks of the Black River Canal about half
mile north of it's junction with the Erie Canal. In
connection with the factory there is large farm,
where are grown some of the products put up in
cans while the farmers round about furnish the
rest contracts for acreage In the course of the
busy season many men. women and young people
find employment, and many family's little store
of money is materially increased.
The industry of putting up canned goods is rapid
ly growing, and the processes by which the differ
ent crops are made ready for the market form an
interesting sight 1t is hardly possible to conceive
the rapidity with which the work is carried on and
the important part played by machinery. Take, for
instance the canning of peas, where the vines are
cut in the field by a moving machine and loaded
on the wagons the same as is done with hay. Ar
irving at the sheds of the factory as wanted they
are placed on an endless chain and carried over
head to the workmen who tend the machine known
SAN
fashioned revolving squirrel cage, in which are
paddles which beat the pods and allow the peas TO
fall out through the meshes of the cage, Wnne the
vines and pods are carried by the endIess GIldlI 9
the silo some distance away. AS some pieces OF
Vines and pods pass through with the peas, tney
causes the peas to be separated from the other
substances, when they pass out OF II INTO Trays.
Passing onward the peas are next P&Tuee1f & fanpne n
machine reminding one Of the OLD tlne tamHtns <1ta
cleaned before passing through into the gTaueI, g
which is another cylinder in which there are are seV %
1reI ffrT1G x1Th
peTotS % them to fall tbrongh All the while they
are in this cage dropping water is washing them
and carrying out the dirt that may be on them
Each size is now labelled and kept separate. -
The ''blancher," as it is called. is trough OF
boiling water, through which the trays OF Penf Peaf
ten minutes TO pass twentv-fve feet AS some OF
In+ @ h A 1iTen O ne - the meas they move on to the
second series Of squirrel cages. where the reyoIvlg
continually dripping into the cage and on Ihei. EN-
Now they pass out on to belt ABOUT 'LgS ro ie of
women, whose business it is to pick out yj any Iag
from this table into trays they are carried by
men to the filler. 1t is the machine which auto, auto
through tubes from the storeroom above When
the can falls into position on the moving Ch to II
is carried under the spout which Is then aulo e
matically opened. allowing the same quanuty OF
eighty cans a minute The movement is so weH
timed that its place IS taken BY an emPty fb % tba
hot liquid is automatically measured ana poured poured
into it. The can now swings on IT'S fQutsec W eenn5 e
and any surplus on top brushed off. Two boys now
place caps on the cans as they move along pas pas
them to the soldering machine, with Whlch Is COM
bned the acder, which prepares it It for rs2 taxing ing
the solder After they come out OF there they are
branded with the quality and grade while on the
way to the "dotter," who soldiers the httie @ hoe
in the centre of each cap. me HlSpeGtQpL. tht
takes his turn. and if the cans are all right they
are soon the end Of their first journey as they
pass on to table, whence they are removed al9
put large steel crates. preparatory to a seoon1
tourney of $50 to 200 feet under GROUND on On
endless chain reach the building where the
cookers - -
on to a slowly moving chain, which takes apout
half an hour to pass through the channel OF @ SoI0
water $50 feet long to the storeroom, Where they
are cool enough to handle. Later In the season,
when the labelling is done machinery again taxes
Among the products of this plant are canned
peas beans, succotash, pork and beans pumpkins
tomatoes and beets