The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1910-07-29
PRESERVING PEACHES
IN THE ORCHARD.

taxes care OF MS frult without cooking
1t IN sugar and how the peaches are
disposed OF without wasting even the
seed.
The captain of this industry
marshals his forces and concentrates
them under a big roof that stands like
a generals tent near the orchard which
represents the army to be captured.
10 be sure this is bold smile to use
when you reflect that the said army
consists of half mile of young peach
trees so loaded with fruit they could
not escape attack by running even il
they had feet instead OF buried roots.
This tent is open on all sides but
mas an upper story under the center OF
the roof where the empty cans are
stored and the various baskets and
crates are packed under it. These
have come from Baltimore, Savannah,
Macon and Bridgeport Ala.
Mr.. Flam, veteran of forty years in
the canning industry, hats from
Baltimore, but the troupe of profes.
sional packers is always en- tour from
orange grove to peach orchard, berry
fields or tomato gardens. The privates
in this industrial army are recruited
from farms near by and consist OF
men, women, girls in their teens with
4 rIIhhor oflnvyac &ho.r LnN
small, active boys and few strong
cOlored men to handle the steaming
cans and do other heavy work. There
is big engine in one corner of this
shed that supplies steam for cooking
the fruit and its fuel is dried peach
seed. But this is going backward in
telling my story.
When you step into this shed from
the highway you are in the midst of a
company OF subdued captives, brought
in baskets from the standing army
near by. A cool breeze floats through
the shed and the fragrance Of alberta s
balmy breath seems like sigh Of
resignation to her unknown fate.
The basket of peaches are sorted by
women into number of wide, shallow
pockets in wooden frames from which
the men packers on the opposite side
fill baskets and arrange them in crates
for shipping. The fruit rejected by
these adept packers is returned to the
baskets and carried to the canning
side of the big shed which has a con-
crete floor and gasoline heaters along
one side where the caps are soldered
on,
These peaches are packed in tin cans
and sold to the pie bakeries in large
cities. The cans full of raw halved
peaches are placed in wire holders in
a vessel of boiling water until there is
no air in the cans but enough hot
water to keep the fruit juicy. They
are taken out by negro men, placed
on table, and a young lady rubs off
the dampness with a sponge and delft
ly fits the small caps ready for
soldering. About three dozen of these
cans are arranged in a round iron
cage and three cages at once are
lowered into steam retort over which
Mr.. Flam stands guard with clock and
thermometer. The degree of heat is
so intense the peaches are cooked in
three minutes.
While we stood about watching the
workers busy at various tasks, a loud
whistle came from the engine to an
nounce dinner. Every one enjoys
this meal picnic fashion and we motor
ed over to the orchard while people and
peaches rested.
The season of preserving fruit in the
two Cobb County orchards of Mr.. E P.
Dobbs requires as many as three
hundred workers at the busiest time.
The women earn dollar day at least
and some a little more. 1t is not
difficult and is pleasant change from
the routine of household duties. The
| WI hCAo NOHAC III NdSOhS anu OuSSACo
miles from the orchard, the manager
lives there and the owner fits out in
his auto every day as often as he likes.
Mr. Dobbs says the secret of profit
able peach growing is in not wasting
a crop-that is to say, preserving it at
the orchard 30 it will be safe from de-
L l..
tribulations, markets over-full and de-
lays in shipping.
These canned peaches are sold in
card-Ioad lots and never retailed. The
fruit is handled 80 rapidly from trees
to pie bakeries and is go sure to keep
it is a profitable industry especially as
a "side line" A. L. G.