New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1911-08-12
THE ENTERPRISE AND
Observer. Consolidated
N. ". FISHER, Editor and Proprietor
CANNING INDUSTRY IS IN
INFANCY IN LOUISIANA,
SAYS MIR. BRADY.

|CANNING INDUSTRY IS IN
INFANCY IN LOUISIANA,
SAYS MIR. BRADY.
E. P. Brady. president Of the
J Alluvial Land Purchase Company,
! Inc. recently has been making IN
yestigations into the possibilities
If the canning industry in Louisl-
ana. He states that the canning
industry Of fruits and vegetables
remains practically a virgin field
| in Louisiana. Few plants have
succeeded other than those can
ming oysters and shrimp.
A canning company near Lake
Borgne Canal recently has been
successful in canning Okra, tOma-
toes. corn. peas and other staple
crops. The management stated
that they had met considerable
difficulty in the canning Of corn.
but eventually succeeded by en-
ploying an expert from one OF the
Northern canneries, who discover
ed that the cause for failure was
the attempt to can corn without
having it sufficiently cooked.
Once overcoming this trouble.
they have been extraordinarily
successful This company was
originally engaged in packing oys-
ters and shrimp. and branched out
in the vegetable industry merely
to keep theil forces employed in
the off-season. With conditions
as they are now, it will be but a
short time when their oyster and
shrimp business will become a side
line, and the canning Of fruits and
Vegetables their chief business.
GA staple crop, and one that is
capable Of large development for
canning purposes. which has long
been neglected. is the sweet pota-
to-" Mr.. Brady said. "There is
nothing in Louisiana that can be
raised cheaper, easier or more
profitably. or that makes a better
canning product. We have OBJ
tained $50 to 200 bushes Of sweet
pota:bes per acre from our New
Hermitage farm. adjoining the
town of St. Elmo.
"The process of planting and
raising the sweet potato is simple.
First, in the selection of the seed.
The most common varieties Of Lou
isana are the California, Virginia
Red. Pumpkin Yam and Dooley
Yam. Of these. the most prolific
and valuable are the Pumpkin
Yam and Dooley Yam.
"In planting sweet potatoes it
is customary to set out what is
known as a bed, which is simply
young potatoes planted in row
long about the last Of February
or the first of March. In ordinary
planting, scarcely more than
row is used. because one acre
planted in the bed would probably
plant 200 acres. After bedding
out, the vines are taken from this
'ed and planted in rows about
three feet apart. Sweet potato
vines can be planted any time
from the 1st of May to the 1st OF
August, and the potatoes will ma
ture in about four months after
planting; but for canning pur-
poses, it is found best to set out
the vines during the months OF
June, letting them mature the lat
ter part Of October.
"For the canning industry, the
Pumpkin Yam or the Dooley Yam
lis considered the sweetest and
choicest variety.
"From actual figures, We find
that the cost of cans. labor at
tached to the cooking and canning,
casing and preparing the potatoes
ready for shipment, packed IN
three-pound cans, two dozen to a
case. if forty-eight to fifty cents
per dozen. The potatoes are sell
ling wholesale to-day at 81 a doz-
en-. which would leave 100 per cent
profit; but, under normal condi-
tions. the market price should be
about seventy-five cents per doz-
en-, making aprofit Of about so
per cent.
Figures show the following
result: The farmer who will
plant one acre of Pumpkin Vans
or Dooley Vans at a cost, includ-
ing labor and digging, Of about
|$15 per acre. will harvest per acre
from Is to 200 bushels average
yield, 100 bushels); market price,
rs cents to 81 per bushel; net
profit per acre from $50 to $50.
"The St. Elmo Canning Com
pany can afford to pay 81 per
bushel for choice sweet potatoes,
and will encourage Hhe farmer to
plant the choicest varieties, allow
ing the farmer to make profit OF
from $50 to $50 per acre. The ST.
Elmo Company will can these po-
tatoes and make profit of from.
SO to 100 per cent. This shows
what can be done with one Of Lou
isiana's natural crops now much
neglected.
"An acre of cane, our standard
crop, costs bout $50 to 800 to
raise and market, and will not net
Ia large revenue than from $25 to
$50 per acre net profit, as against
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