The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-12-06
PEAS BY THE TRAiNlOAO.
Lonsmont, COL, Centre OF the Rails
ina and CANNING Industry.

The greatest pea beds in the world
are located in the immediate vicinity
of Longmont, Col, and trainloads OF
canned peas sent TO Eastern markets
from this place are ordinary occur
rences in the fall months. In Col
orado peas are moved by machine.
carried To the factories in hay racks
and thrashed like grain. Hundreds ot
men are employed in their cultivation
and gathering, and the remarkable
adaptability of the soil To this vege'
table is certain 10 make this part OF
the West centre for that industry.
After the ground has been prepared
in the spring the peas are sown In
vast beds just rs wheat Is. with ma
chimes similar 10 the drills employed
in the cereal planting. When the
vines are half foot high cultiva-
tor, like those used on corn. is run be,
tween the rows. doing the double du-
~ Of hilllng up the vines and form
ing little irrigation ditches, which are
supplied from the big channel
Peas are harvested in their order of
planting. In order that they may not
mature at the same time only a GER
tain number Of acres are planted each
day This enables the harvesting 10
be done lcisurcly. and just at the right
time. When the vines are ready Ia
be cut mowers are put in the fields.
Wagons with men armed with pitch
,,ly.s - Ia, lN
in short order the pea laden vines are
on the way TO tho cannery.
Here is located thresher that has
capacity of about fifty tons of vines
TO the hour. From the wagons the
vines are fed into big cylinder cover
ed with perforated rubber. Inside the
large cylinder is a small one, and the
revolution Of the machinery causes the
slapping Of the vines by rubber fingers
until the pods break and their con
tents rattle down through the thresh
or. II any are left unbroken they open
whom the rubber fingers automatically
grasp them. The pods containing the
tender peas are first TO break. and this
permits OF selection and grading.
Once separated from the peas the
vines are carried by belts TO stack
and from there either sold TO farmers
for onsilagc or sent To tho cattle feed
ing yards at Denver, whore they arc
used in place of hay for certain ra
tons
From the machine the peas are con
veyed into tank of running water
The whole ones at once sink To the
bottom, but all OF the broken ones
stems and leaves float and are skim
med Off. fAc good peas pass in turn
10 n cleaning and then weighing ma
chine.
Selection according 10 five distinct
sizes Is the next part OF the work
and machinery does this The first
| time they come in contact with hu
, man hands liz whom the peas are con
| veyed on bolts down between rows ol
girls who pick out the imperfect, hard
split or yellow ones.
The canning IL done entirely by ma
ohinery. The receptacles are brought
To the filling machine automatically
and just the right amount OF peas are
measured out. A girl puts cap on
the can and II is conveyed to the
soldering machine. where 900 cans
an hour are run through. In the
largest factory here 10000 cans an
hour can be filed. steel baskets next
convey the cans To iron retorts. where
the cooking is done by means OF
steam