The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-20

has placed the subject of canning at home much to the front Advances of IS to 20 per cent have been made the past month or two, and now comes the an nouncement that the manufacturers of cans and accessories have withdrawn all sales from the market It is rumored that Uncle Sam needs the output for his soldier boys. And a soldier fights through his stomach according to reports from our allies across the big pond
 But No. cans at cents and No 3 at 61% or ' cents will be cheap next to prices for the finished products next season.
 The women of the south should see that every possible waste is stopped by the canning process
 The history of canning and preserving is interesting. About 100 ears ago, in France, a practical effort was made to give to the world in general the results of it's endeavors to find 8 better and more wholesome method of preserv- ing foods in manner as nearly fresh as possible; and 1t must be admitted by all that We owe the ongin of the canned goods business, as it is at present to the wisdom of the French government.
 Along in the year 1795, at the height of the reign of terror in France, the French government offered a large prize of F 900 francs for the best method of preserv- ing fruits, vegetables and other elemen- tary articles without picking or dessica- ton. One M. Nicholas Appert was award ed the 12,000 prize. This award was not made until 1S10 as 1t called for the recipient to furnish the government with a true and faithful copy In book form of the methods in full for the benefit of the world at large. Appert complied with all requirements and was re- warded.
 A FRENCH INVENTION
 While this is Branch invention and not an accidental discovery. the develop ments of it during the past century have tended to make it peculiarly an American industry and success. But it is true to- day that we have no men in our midst, nor in the best factories in the world, that we are aware of. who can do what this man Appert did with foods. One test of this matter is the preservation of eggs in a fresh condition. To keep eggs in dramatically sealed vessels. through the application of heat, is of so delicate nature that it must be possible, when the eggs are taken out of the vessel to make an omelet of them, which proves that they are of their original nature. And yet Appert had the time and method by which it could be done.
 And this great originator of the canning methods died pauper, having spent his large prize in experimenting further for the benefit of the world.
 About 1909 an English tin plate worker took out patent in England for a ves- sel of tin plate for use in the preserva- ton of dramatically sealed goods, and the fact is mentioned here, ,he connec- ton with the previous greater fact, be- cause today the canning industry is as much dependent upon the can, and. in fact, has taken it commercial name can ming" from it. as the can making indus try is dependent upon the dramatically sealing business,
 From this time on down through the years the method of canning has been improved and today we find it almost in a perfect shape.
 Only during the past five or six years has the canning industry, both on busi- ness and homemade scale, been pushed in the southland.
 It may not be generally known, but most of the trade journals of the north and east have eliminated advertisements of canning machinery from their southern editions This is claimed to have been the work of the canning trust" which has grown rich from the south, which was the largest and most lucrative part of their business. The industry was dis couraged by travelling representa- tives for years, who would go into communities where prospective canneries were about to be started and give the proposition a 'black eye,' so to speak. But the south has awakened on this subject as on many others, and great strides are being made in all lines which conserve the waste of the farm and home garden.