THE SKILL REQUIRED IN CANNING - METHODS OF EVAPORATING-----COST OF EVAPORATORS - QUALITY OF STOCK USED--THE CO-OPERATIVE PLAN.

Fourth Paper.

PREVIOUSpapershave dealt more largely with canners than with any other branch of the allied industries. This seemed to the writer expedient in view of the fact that canning demands more workers to properly conduct it, than do the other branches of the work. As a matter of fact, evaporating employs considerable help, but not for so long a period as canning, and the processes of canning require that the majority of the help shall be skilled in their work. Take, for example, the heating of the pulp in the manufacture of tomato ketchup; this process requires one or more men who, from long practice, can tell at a glance whether the pulp has reached the proper condition for further manipulation. So are there other branches in this line of work, the lack of proper help to manage which would result in serious losses.

The primary object in preparing these papers has been to answer inquiries which have been put to The American Garden regarding the practicability of certain growers in several localities establishing and managing canning and preserving factories, with a view to finding a way out of the difficulties arising from the overproduction alleged to exist in these localities. Having such a purpose in view, it is but just to the inquirers that we tell of the discouragements as well as the encouragements to be found in this business. In the canning of corn and other vegetables it is largely a matter of complaint that the industry is declining, owing, as a rule, to sharp competition; but it is certainly worthy of note that where the decline may be traced to this particular source, it is almost wholly with inferior goods. True, there is strong competition among the manufacturers of superior products, yet the price netted is sufficiently large to give a fair profit. The cause has been given as low prices, caused by competition; yet after careful investigation, we are of the opinion that the real cause is nearer the inferiority of the goods than anything else.

As evidence, it may be stated that but little of this inferior product of the canning factory is sold, compared with the quantities placed on the market. The reason for this is easy to see ; that portion of the consuming public who buy canned goods are heartily tired of eating field corn, unripe tomatoes; field peas, etc., and prefer to pay a higher price for canned goods, or stop using them. This is an encouraging state of affairs in so far as it shows a knowledge, on the part of the public, of better things, a point of education brought about by the producers of and dealers in superior products. There can be but two endings to this state of affairs, and they are practically the same. Either the people who put this inferior class of goods on the market will be driven out of the business from lack of trade, or they will be compelled to put honest goods upon the market at reasonable prices. Either of these results can but be welcomed by the consumer.

The evaporating of fruits now demands our attention. This industry has not as yet reached the proportions of canning, nor is it likely to, because of the apparent dislike of the public for evaporated fruits. This dislike is perhaps natural, when we consider that the flies found in dried currants are not at all desirable as an article of food. Then, too, most of us know that the quality of fruits which are evaporated is not usually of the best. For example, large quantities of apples which were formerly considered the lawful prey of the "still" are now evaporated with all their imperfections.

As noted in a previous paper (page 436, December), questions 12 to 18 referred exclusively to evaporating.

12. Do you evaporate fruits ?

13. Does this process give the grower a better price for his products than any other ?

14. What is the capacity of, say, a $5,000 evaporating plant ?

15. Have you tried evaporating or canning on the co-operative plan, i. e. making the grower a sharer with you in the profits of the business ?

16. Has it paid you ?

17. Has it paid the grower ?

18. Is it mutually satisfactory in every sense ?

Of these questions the most satisfactory replies were received from Western New York, largely Wayne county, which is widely known for its evaporating establishments. We say satisfactory, and mean so in the sense of showing intelligence and thoroughly understanding the situation from a commercial point of view.

Richardson Brothers, of E. Williamson, Wayne county New York, cover the questions in a general letter as follows :

"Our county probably stands at the head in the production of evaporated raspberries and apples. The proportion of canning factories to evaporating establishments in our county is about one of the former to 500 of the latter.

"It is generally believed, taking one year with another losses by fire considered (for most insurance companies refuse risks on evaporators),* that there is little or no profit in the business of evaporating apples, as the season is short and expenses of running extreme-\y heavy ; it requires no less than 80 or 90 hands to produce 500 bushels of evaporated apples per day.

"In this county the producer generally converts his green apples into evaporated stock.

Many of the evaporators who answered the pre-ceding questions also touched upon those already given in previous papers, and in every case took similar positions to those already cited. The replies as a whole are as satisfactory to the position we have taken on the subject, as were those from the canners. They write us that with the possible exception of canning, evaporating pays the grower better prices for his products than any other method of disposing of them. The average estimate of the capacity of an evaporating plant of $5,000 value is 800 bushels in 24 hours. Several have tried the co-operative plan, and in all cases it has paid both them and the grower, the combination being extremely satisfactory in every sense.

It will be understood that these cases are not offered as evidence of the value or desirability of partnerships of this sort; for, while it so happens they have been satisfactory in the cases cited, it is by no means invariably so.

A modification of the partnership plan is frequently successfully carried out in districts where milk is a staple product, which might and probably would work well for the disposition of the produce of the farm and orchard. Creameries are built, run and managed by the owners of the stock producing the milk, the expenses and profits being of course divided pro rata in proportion to the amounts of both money invested and milk turned in at the factory. As a matter of course the prices paid at evaporating establishments vary with circumstances. The average prices range from 20 to 30 cents a bushel as they run, including cider apples. Naturally, unless the grower is extremely progressive the proportion of cider apples to those of the best quality is largely in favor of the former. Indeed, many managers of evaporating establishments complain that the first and second grades of apples are marketed through commission men and the inferior stock taken to the evaporators.

*Here is a point worthy of the thoughtful consideration of those who contemplate engaging in evaporating fruits on a large scale. They must be prepared with an abundance of capital to take the risks of fire which, as insurance companies refuse to issue policies, must be great. - Editor American Garden.

We come again to the question whether the deductions gathered from the experiences of the people interviewed on the subject are to be considered as beyond all question, and, too, whether these means of escape from the stagnation of prices in farm, garden and orchard products are the best to be had, or whether others equally as good exist or may be found. As stated in our last paper we will soon show the opinions of growers on this same subject, and by comparisons between their opinions and those of the canner and evaporator, both, we must consider, gleaned from experience, we may find the happy mean which shall place us on a safer, surer footing in the near future.

[to be continued].