The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-10-22
The Canning
Factory Proposition
An Enterprise of This Sort
is Needed to Provide Market
For Farm Products

Editor Daily Item:
am very glad indeed TO read
Your news item in this afternoon
issue regarding the proposed can
ming factory in Sumter and to see
that you have put the matter be-
fore the general public.
Most of the people in this COM
munity are pretty well convinced
that cotton as a chief money crop
has about ceased to be a good risk
! for either credit advances or the
necessary investment to grow the
crop under boil weevil conditions
for profitable return.
We all know that it is going to
be somewhat difficult to convert
the farming interest Of this sec
ton to the growing, harvesting
| and marketing Of other crops on
! profitable basis, but we do realize
that other sections have done so,
and still other sections that are
not near so fortunate as to labor,
soil and climatic conditions are
successful in growing other money
crops and we can grow pretty well
anything that any other section OF
the country can groy.,
One of our chief troubles is the
proper methods of harvesting and
marketing Of our products and
right here let me state that this
problem is as much the farmers
problem as it is anybody else's.
The proposed establishment of
canning factory, would in a small
way be Of great benefit to the
farmers of all classes throughout
the county, for the reason that they
do know how to grow vegetables
and fruits and could do SO without
discarding their present labor and
equipment and, without additional
equipment Or expense (other than
/ the setting Of orchards and the eX-
D. nse of carrying them Until they
prcduce) and would give them a
ready market for their produce
/ and a source of income leven
though it be smalD at a season CT
! the year when they need it most
and at the same time would start
lots of farmers to producing suff1-
cient quantities of fruits and vcge-
tables for his home consumption
through the fall and winter.
The public will probably recall
that during last spring and sum-
mer (when money was scarce)
there could be seen during the
carly morning hours many wagons
and buggies driving through the
residential sections of the city,
making a house to house canvas
with produce of all kinds, very Of
ten coming very early in order to
sell and get back home to do
days work.
At best the city of Sumter can
only use a limited amount of green
produce, a great part of which is
raised in the gardens Of the city
and the cost Of the system Of dis
tribution is used by the producers
is high, in most cases if the time
Of the producer and of his stock
were taken into account the cost
Of selling by the methods used,
would amount to more than the
produce brings.
A canning factory with the prop
er management and sufficient cap
ital could buy the produce direct
from the producers, sell to the con-
suners in town and ship certain
quantities of the green produce to
other markets and pack the re-
mainder.
Another fact to be taken into
consideration is that even under
past conditions, each season there
has been large quantities of pro-
duce wasted for the want of a mar
net for same. For instance, one Of
the greatest wastes that we have is
! the sweet potato, a nutritious food
product that can be eaten three
times a day. We have never yet
! had satisfactory ma -ket for the
sweet potato and any farmer will
. tell YOU he would be only too glad
/ to contract to grow sweet potatoes
/ for from so cents to rs cents per
! bushcl and bushel of sweet po-
tatoes will pack 15 three-pound
cans, which are sold to the Jobbers
| and Wholesale grocers at around
S2.25 per dozen. and In turn sold
to the consumer at 80 cents per
/ can. I have been informed by a
j packer that about The same mar
gin aof gross profits are made out
of the other products.
Recently l was told by a lady
! who resides in Sumter county that
kshe had made an approximate net
profit of $500 per bushel on pre-
served figs, and Of course we ali
know there is nothing nicer than
preserved ngs.
Another product that can be
grown in large quantities at rea-
sonable profit is syrup and l think
could be handled in the same plant
as tie numerous other vegetables
and fruits.
The eGuirlct Mt as used in a can
nin3 laCio,y 50 far as have been
! allie 20 asc.,tt in is very simple and
/ inexpensive and :: large per centage
Of the labor used is inexpensive. or
course the superintendent or as 20
! is called in the plants, proc' 5s
man would have to be man
of experience and ability and nee
! essa,ily would have to be gotten
! from some other canning factory.
W-o all know when the farmers