FRUITS. 39 



GOOSEBERRIES (Rusus UBOSSULARIA ) . 



l-'ew goosel>errie- are canned, and these are largely used for p'n-. 

 The berries are gathered when nearly ripe and are handled in bas- 

 kets and shallow boxes. The first operation at the factory is to re- 

 move the stems and brown blossom ends. This was done formerly 

 by running them over a vibrating screen upon which was directed a 

 strong blast of air. This removed part of the blossoms and stems, 

 and the remainder were either rubbed off by hand or were passed with 

 l lie fruit. An improved gooseberry cleaner consists of a slitted disk, 

 below which parallel knives revolve. The berries are poured above 

 the disk and made to roll over and over by light dragging chains. 

 This causes the stem or blossom to fall into the slits, where they are 

 cut off close to the berry. The berries are then washed and filled 

 into cans by weight. Those intended for pie making usually have 

 only water added, while those for the general trade have a sirup. 

 The filling, exhausting^ and capping are the same as for other berries. 



GRAPES (ViTis VINIFEBA). 



Grapes have not been used very extensively for canning purposes, 

 but there has been a noticeable increase in the past few years. In 

 the East the white variety is used almost exclusively, but on the 

 west coast both the white and the colored grapes are canned. Thej 

 are gathered when the flavor is fully developed, but the f rhifc-is firm. 

 The bunches are hand picked, washed, and put in cans to within one- 

 fourth of an inch from the top. A hot sirup is added, the cans are 

 exhausted, and then closed. The process is about 14 minutes at 

 212 F. for a No. 2J can. In California the grapes are also graded 

 by size, being run over screens having holes twenty, twenty-two, 

 twenty-four, and twenty-six thirty-seconds of an inch in diameter. 

 The sizes thus separated are not indicated on the label and the con- 

 sumer is unaware of this refinement except as it is indicated by the 

 price. 



PEACHES (PRUNUS PERSICA). 



The peach is one of the most popular fruits canned and the quan- 

 tity so used is enormous. It leads all other fruits in value. The 

 principal packing is done in California, New York, and Michigan. 

 In California the lemon cling, or some one of its varieties, is the 

 favorite, while in New York and Michigan the freestone variety is 

 preferred. The growing, picking, and handling are the same as for 

 the market; that is, they are hand picked just before turning soft 

 and handled in crates or baskets. 



The conditions for growing peaches are so favorable in California 

 and they acquire such size that they are purchased on the basis of 

 being 2J inches or more in diameter, those below that size being re- 

 ceived at a reduced price. The eastern packers can not make such 



