18 THE CANNING OF PEAS. 



or " telephone peas." The sizes of these perforations are standard 

 and in general use. Some packers have attempted to make sizes of 

 their own by reaming out the holes, while others do not use all four 

 sieves, but group two sizes together; and some peas are ungraded. 



These sizes are so nearly standard for all pea packing that they 

 should be adhered to in the labeling. The term " early June " peas 

 as now used applies to a certain size and not to the season at which 

 the peas are picked, and the size larger, or " marrowfat," should not 

 be labeled " early June." " Extra early June " or " May pickings " 

 is not a proper designation for sifted peas. It is evident that the 

 standard terms used to designate size should be employed in labeling 

 if the proper meaning is to be conveyed to the purchaser. Com- 

 mercially, almost any size of pea may be found to be selling as " early 

 June " in the cheaper grades. The more expensive peas are usually 

 sold true to name, though it is not unusual to get smaller peas in the 

 high grades than is indicated upon the label. The terms " early 

 June," " May pickings," " extra early June," and others of that char- 

 acter could be advantageously supplanted by names more distinc- 

 tive of size, as the present terms conflict with the requirements of the 

 food and drugs act as to labeling, unless the product be actually 

 packed at the time indicated. 



The percentage of peas which go into the different sizes will vary 

 considerably with the time of harvesting, the variety, and the season. 

 One of the large factories furnishes the following figures upon the 

 crops for 1906 and 1907 : 



Percentage of different sizes in the crops of two years. 



It is not known how these figures will compare with the grading 

 for the entire country, as this is a matter which canners do not make 

 public. 



HAND PICKING. 



After the peas have been graded into sizes they are usually run in 

 thin layers over slowly moving belts, so that pieces of foreign ma- 

 terial, broken, fully matured, and defective peas may be seen easily 

 and removed. Low-grade peas are not so carefully picked over. 



In the section of the country where Canada thistles are abundant, 

 their separation is a difficult problem, as the thistle top is about the 



