No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 267 



LOCATION OF CANNING FACTORIES. 



Thei-e are several important considerations that determine the 

 proper location of a factory. While there are a number of large 

 factories in the principal cities, the great majority of them are in 

 the small towns scattered over the country districts. Here the 

 canner is in close proximity to the vegetables or fruits which he cal- 

 culates to pack, aod he may have them delivered at his factory in 

 the freshest possible condition. Too much stress cannot be laid 

 upon this consideration, for the quality of canned goods depends 

 largely upon the condition of the raw material at the time of canniog. 

 If fruits and vegetables must be bruised and heated by much hand- 

 liog and close packing for transportation, they cannot be expected 

 to turn out of the cans with as fine an appearance and flavor as the 

 goods that does not suffer such injury. The many establishments 

 in the cities take advantage of the great surplus of vegetables and 

 fruits that constantly pour into the markets and being perishable 

 must be sold at any price. 



If a locality possesses a soil aod climate adapted to the growing 

 of such vegetables and fruits that it is desired to possess, it is a 

 simple matter to induce the farmers of the region to plant and grow 

 them when a profitable market is in sight. The farmers of Pennsyl- 

 vania have long felt that they must find a crop to take the place of 

 so much wheat, which it is no longer profitable for them to grow. 

 Wherever factories have been successfully conducted, the farmers 

 have been pleased with their experience in growing and supplying 

 the raw materials, and they have profited greatly by the changes 

 brought about by the establishing of a canning factory. The two 

 vegetables most extensively canned are tomatoes and sweet corn, 

 and neither is very exacting as to the character of its soil, therefore, 

 one needs not travel far to find a suitable locality for a factory so far 

 as the soil is concerned. 



Tran^'portat^ on Facilities. — The facilities for carrying goods to the 

 centres of trade have much to do with the success of a canning 

 business. Therefore it is desirable to choose a location with railroad 

 and telegraph or telephone cummunications. Without railroads a 

 canning factory cannot draw the raw materials more than a few 

 miles and its possible output would be exceedingly limited, and the 

 marketing of its goods very expensive. On the other hand, with rail- 

 road facilities the raw materials may be drawn from a much larger 

 territory, and the cased goods can be placed in the markets at the 

 least expense. If a private side track of railroad can be placed 

 close to the factory, much time and labor may be economized in the 

 loading and unloading of materials shipped and received. The wai-e- 



