Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-06-03
PLANTS ARE
READYFORDICSASON
Local Firms Commence Can
ning Strawberries And
GOosebeIIies.

Today marks the opening Of the can
ming season in Salem, both the Hunt
Bros. and the Oregon Packing eompany
starting mp with crews Of about 100
each FOR the vanguard Of the 1919 crop
Of strawberries and gooseberrics. The
Hunt Bros. plant has been operating a
small crew during the past week to take
care of the early eonsignments of her
ries, which on account Of the eool
weather have been ripening slowly, al
though the continued moisture has given
them aldermanie proportions This
week they win begin to come in Sast
enough 50 that full crews can be worked
continuously II is expected.
Both the plants have been overhauled,
made immaculate with new paint, and
new equipment Installed. Tin cans and
berry boxes have been arriving eontinu.
|ally-earloads Of them, the latter com
ing largely from the Washington mills.
These boxes are packed flat in bales,
about half a million to ear. The ini-
tial outlay in money for these supplies
for all the plants will mount up to
staggering figures, especially as the
wartime prices continue this season.
The Salcm-Kings plant, which has
been running on part time during ths
past week will be able to operate with
fifty or sixty hands continuously here
after with the receipts of spinach and
early fruits. Although the weather has
been usually cool it has been favorable
for spinach and other vegetables con
tracted by the plant, which Will con
sumo thousands Of tons this season.
AT the Loiu plant on Commercial and
Trade, extensive alterations are being
made, along with additions to the equip
ment with a view to a vast increase in
the bottling capacity, while the same is
true of the jam and jelly plant of the
Northwest Products compny, where
preparations have been made for a
heavy output.
About fifty hands are caring for the
work there at present. Probably 25 car
loads of products are made up and
stored in the warehouse waiting the ar
rival of new labels, when the delicacles
win be scattered promiseuously over the
globe to remind the race how much Troy
are indebted to Salem and the William.
ette valley. When running at full ca.
pacity the plant will turn out something
like is tons Of jam and jelly per day.
Its vast utility in the fruit industry
may be eralized by the fact that great
quantities of fruit that may not be up
to standard canning or evaporating can
be used in making up Its product.
With regard to the crop prospects, the
cannery men are all optimistic to tho
iubilant stage, for never in recent FEARS
has there come into the marketsuch ele-
giant sonsignments of strawberries so
far as size is concerned. Many Of them
are little pale on the shady side, but q
few days of sunshine will remedy this.
Crates Of the Improved Oregon berry
coming into the stores this morning are
SO big that they have to be sliced up
like pineapple for table use. Tho
finer grades are retailing at $3.50 a
crate, and with very little prospect os
going cheaper, for the various plants
stand ready 70 take all offerings at not
less than 10 cents a pound From all
sections there are reports of fine crop
and for this season it looks as though
the strawberry would ocupy the contes
of the stage, at least until the logsE-
berry comes on.
Contract prices this year are ranging
even higher than last and the small
fruit grower is going TO have prosperity
thrust upon him. even If he has TO pay
war prices for piekers, who are now be.
ing called for By hundreds,