ELEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 167 



How to Attain Success in Canning and Presefving Fruits. 



By Mr. Charles E. Steele of Nezv Britain. 



]\Ir. Steele: Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen — I think I talked 

 to yon two years ago on this subject, and I told the Secretary, 

 when he asked me to prepare a paper for this meeting, that we 

 ahvavs learned something new in relation to this subject, and 

 that I would be perfectly willing to say what I had in two or 

 three points, and then be willing to answer any questions you 

 might wish to ask. I have wished very much that somebody 

 might represent the great interest of tin-canning here, because 

 the firm with which I am connected only cans in glass, and 

 there is such a vast amount of fruit that goes to waste in the 

 orchards in our State, and as there is a great deal of it that is 

 of value, it has always seemed to me a shame that it could not 

 be properly preserved. I have hoped very much that some- 

 body would put in a tin-canning plant of their own so that 

 which is now going to waste could be saved. I hoped that a 

 company might do that. I think that every great orchard 

 region should have not only an evaporating plant, but a preserv- 

 ing plant in tin or glass, or both. 



And I want to say further, that the interest which was shown 

 at the recent fall meeting of the Society in New Britain, in this 

 line, was so great, and the exhibits were so beautiful, that I 

 think it shows that a great deal of thought is being given to 

 preserving in glass. I venture to say that you can look the 

 country over and you cannot find any handsomer goods than 

 were exhibited at New Britain. The ladies who exhibited there 

 were the most experienced ladies we have, and they deserve a 

 great deal of credit for the appearance of their goods. It is 

 such an attractive business in itself that it is a hard thing to 

 find a market for the highest class of goods when packed in 

 glass. Every lady is putting up her own fruit, and I am rather 

 glad of it, because it is for the general interest of the fruit busi- 

 ness, and it makes for the health of the people. I thoroughly 

 believe with my friend, Mr. Hale, that the fruit business ought 

 to be so encouraged that everybody could have all they wanted, 

 and in a great many cases it would be a great boon to health. 

 A friend of mine, and a very valuable friend, said to me a little 

 while ago, that he had been in poor health, and hardly able to 



