Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1907-04-18
CORN CANNING INDUSTRY.
G.. n. Slack Tells Of the First Years
Experience in Randolph.

Through the Kindness OF the HERALD
AND NEWS, | take the opportunity Of
answering many questions asked BY our
townspeople concerning this valuable
industry.
The farmers of Randolph and adjoining
towns may feel proud TO know that the
quality aud flavor OF the corn produced
from this section has not only eqnailed,
nut surpassed, the expectations OF the
Demeritt a Palmer Packing Co. A
sample OF one hundred cases was sent 70
New York, aud carload after carload was
ordered until nearly one hundred thou
sand cans had been taken by one arm.
A few mistakes were innoeently made
by few OF the farmers last year. Some
OF the sweet corn was mixed with garden,
field and Sanford corn. Please be careful
about tnat this year. Have your sweet
corn In q separate tield, II possible. IL
obliged 10 have il adjacent To other
kinds, cut out all that Is liable to be
mixed. You can use II in the silo with
no loss while, II mixed, II makes trouble
at the factory. First the canning com
pany pays you for the weight OF the
mixed corn, pays for husking II and al,o
for help TO assert IL. II IL then consigned
TO the cob pile for the farmers TO take
home again. So do not bring any corn TO
the factory other than that which comes
from the seed furnished by the canning
company.
A few farmers complained that the
fodder "dried up in the silo; others that
the fodder did not yield. II. T.. Slack got
$50 for corn from Ihree-fourths OF an acre
and a heavy growth OF fodder equal TO
Sanford corn. This ground was heavily
MANFRED. Charles Hubert, from an old,
WORKOUT pasture, picked O. tons per
acre and had an extra heavy yield OF
fodder. This piece was heavily fertilizet
with stable manure. think II some OF
our farmers made their corn ground a
little richer and did more cultivating and
hand hoeing, the corn and fodder would
take care of itself. IL you plant over
three acres IL would be best to plant part
early, and the rest later. They would
rather have 1t that way at the factory, and
IL gives you more time To put your fodder
into tue silo while il is green than to cut
it down, so much at a time, giving it a
chance to dry up.
Nearly every farmer who raised corn
last year intends TO plant this year and
many new ones will be added to the corn
growers. The corn is now ready to be
delivered upon application to ii. w.
Vail or Mrs. Mary Jerd, at whose place it
is stored.
Allen Jones received the largest check
last season, nearly $40.
Machinery will be Installed for canning
string beans this season. The seed is
furnished by the company to all who
desire to raise them. II apples are canned
here this fall, only hard, firm apples are
desired. The Demeritt 4 Palmer Packing
Co. paid good wages to all OF their help.
Old men aud many women easily earned
from Il to S1.25 per day husking corn.
Their box makers earned from S1.50 to
2 per day. After getting accustomed TO
the work, ladies could earn from Toe. to
si.50 per day labelling cans. During the
bean picking season, which comes IN
August, the children had a chance to
earn money, which was much better
than "roaming the Streets" several
children earned from Soc. to 81 40 per day.
Probably not less than $50 acres of corn
will be planted this year and 1t Is ex-
pected that husking machine will be
used to help out during the crushing"
time. The four retorts, in which four
thousand cans OF corn are cooked per
hour, are s'slow" to such progressive men
as Messrs. Demeritt q Palmer and new
ones are expected to be installed, whereby
nearly one-half OF the time will be saved.
The canning company would like to add
new line of business which would
employ 10 to 10 men, thus utilizing their
power and building at other times than
during the csnning season, and any sug-
gestions in regard to a new line OF BUSH
ness in our village would be gladly re-
ceived.
Messrs. Demeritt & Palmer in their
dealings with the towDspeople have
shown their integrity and square dealing
While practicing economy on every hand,
vet they have not been ssmalr' but have
given the Todd change" 20 the other man
instead OF exacting 1t for themselves.
This canning factory is farmers
industry and the future welfare OF this
concern depends upon the farmer. You
cannot expect a superior article to be
sent from this fsctory unless you first
produce it, could tell our best farmers
by the corn they brought last season to
the factory-and / made no mistake, as
/ knew all of the farmers, and to those
of you who are to plant it this season for
the first time would say, do not "try 1t"
on some old, WORKOUT corner OF your
back lot-you know the result ERE you
begin-but give it your best corn land,
make the soil rich, then take care OF 1t
with frequent cultivating and hand
hoeing and when you have brought it to
the factory in prime condition, you have
done your part, and l can assure you that
the Demeritt & Palmer Packing Co will
send 1t all over the country, giving Ran
dolph and her sister towns such reputa-
tation for canning corn as our state has
for Vermont maple sugar.
G. H. SLACK.