The Washington herald., 1909-01-31
CANNED GOODS INDUSTRY
By FREDERIC J. HASKIN.
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

these, II approached. VIII give any infor-
nation necessary IN regard 10 the canned
meats they handle.
For the further enlightenment Of the
housewife entire pages of popular maya
zines are filed with attractive matter
showing the relative nutrition in that par
Sicu.ar canned goods in comparison with
other foods The street-car advertising
man IS furnished with cards that are
replicas Of paintings done by some artist
OF national fame for some souD OF meat OF
vegetable cannery- Free lectures and
demonstrations given in various cities BY
graduates Of domestic science schools are
part Of the wide educative programme.
Printed pages Of testimonials from chem
lists and officials Of note are sent to every
address that can be obtained And all
these are legitimate. clever, and con-
mendable measures for improving q big
national industry.
Canning. where fruit and vegetables srs
concerned, was once the work OF the
housewife in her own kitchen. Il Is. IN
many small instances, stiii a rural Indus
Try. where machinery has taken The
greater burden or the individual woman
and whore the plant in its perfection Of
fers labor 70 a gOOdly number OF the
neighborh0od population. Scores Of semi
rural communities IN the past five years
have established canneries 20 use tie
products from truck farms where shipping
facilities have rot proved adequate. The
canneries located on the Guif and on the
South Atlantic seabcard have advantages
that the more Northern ones have rot
They can put up packs Of oysters IN the
season and then hold the factories open
for the greater part Of the remaining
months by using The fruit and vegetables
OF the rich tideVzteT country Several
factories. led by one in Nississippi. have
undertaken this double duty
The art OF canning is q century old. yet
It's greatest impetus was received in the
past quarter century Il is an offspring
OF the first French republic prize vas
offered for the best method Of preserving
substances in a manner that
would not impair their favor OF detrsct
from their nourishing qualities. For years
Nicholas Appert experimental. and final
II succeeded IN the task The prize OF
1900 francs was bestowed on him by
Napoleon. After A long life OF picking.
preserving. and beer making. Appert died
in want and neglect. but the process he
discovered remains to-day as he found Il
and has been a boon 10 countless millions
Early in the nineteenth century Peter
Durand. Of England. took out patents for
Theoretically sealing Jars OF TN. glass.
and pottery. and FIVE years later Ezra
Daggett brought the knowledge OF the
process into New York. Some Of the
goods that Dagge1t put up in lS2 are stiII
in a perfect state OF preservation
Maryland leads IN the canning OF vegs-
tables. is second in the canning Of fruits,
but has been outdistanced by Mississippi
in the canning Of oysters. its pioneer
product. Mississippi more than doubled
its oyster cauneries in the period between
1900 and 1875. California leads IN canned
fruits This is fulfIlment in part Of the
prophecy made by Horace Greeley many
years ago. Fruit growing" he said is
destined 70 be the ultimate glory Of Cali
fornis- Between the years 1890 and 1875
California doubled its shipments OF canned
fruits, reaching over 7.7G0 carloads in the
latter year. Alaska leads in canned FISH.
though the salmon canning industry was
born in California Maine IS second in
FISH canning and was the first 70 put I'd
sugar corn New York canned tomatoes
in the days when they were known as
love apples.
q Even as Appert discovered the process
OF canning in answer 10 the French gov
ernment's offer Of q reward for a non
perishsble food for use in the navy. so
war has always given the greatest i'm
petUs 10 the industry The first canning
done In America on any considerable
scale was when Dr. Kane-s polar expe-
dition was being Outhtted in 1S4s. ana the
war. when large contracts were placed for
army use To-day canned goods is an in
tegral part Of the outfit Of miner. log
ger. soldier. OF sailor.
The method used by Appert is the same
IN principle that is used by all canning
Of to-day. The dscompo-
sition Of any food is due 10 the action Of
living organisms known as "ferment.'i
Appert heated the food he wished 20 pre-
serve TO temperature that was sufficient
to Kill all organisms then present and
sealed the jars hermetically 10 prevent
the entrance OF other germs that are
prevalent everywhere in the air Later
have used chemicals with
antispetjc properties 10 prevent the SPOIL
ing OF the contents Of the cans SaIicyIIc
and boraeic acids benzoate OF soda. and
other antissptics have been added 70 the
contents OF the cans. and 70 prevent this
PuTe-focd laws have been enacted. As
they are not necessary Tor the sterfIiza-
ton OF the food and DO not add to its uu-
tritlve properties. these antiseptics have
been declared uanecessary. Dr.. Wiley's
poison squad demonstrated 70 his salts
faction the deieterious effects OF such
adulterants on the health.
Copyright, lss. b Frederic J Haskirl
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