50 THE CANNING OF FOODS. 



through a fine sieve, thus removing all of the hull and giving much 

 the appearance of green corn meal. 



Field corn is not used in canning. Some of the sweet corn used 

 produces very large ears and coarse grains, which give rise to the 

 suspicion that field corn has been substituted. There has been a very 

 general improvement in sweet corn in the past 10 years, and it will 

 probably not be long before this coarser variety will give way to a 

 better and sweeter one. 



A can of fancy corn upon opening should be well filled (within 

 three-eighths of an inch of the top), should be absolutely young and 

 tender stock, medium moist, practically free from silk or bits of cob 

 or husk, only slightly darker than natural or of a light golden-brown 

 color, and have the distinctive young corn flavor. The weight of 

 the contents should be about 21 ounces. If put up in " Maryland 

 style," the kernels should be separate and the brine nearly clear and 

 the corn should weigh not less than 13.5 ounces, exclusive of the 

 liquor. 



A can of standard corn should be well filled, reasonably tender, 

 fairly bright color or slightly brown, and nearly free from silk, bits 

 of cob, or husk. The flavor should be characteristic of young sweet 

 corn. If put up in " Maryland style," a part of the kernels may be 

 somewhat hardened and the brine a little cloudy. 



PEAS (PISUM SATIVUM). 



The transition from growing a small patch of peas in the garden 

 to supply a few meals of a choice vegetable during the growing sea- 

 son to that of growing hundreds of acres to supply a canning factory 

 packing an article available at all seasons is but an incident in the 

 development of a great industry. The garden bed was spaded, raked, 

 and planted by hand. Brush was obtained from the orchard or wood 

 lot, and the rows " stuck " in order to insure the vines proper support. 

 When the green peas were picked and carefully prepared, they made 

 what was at one time styled a dainty dish. The fields are now cul- 

 tivated, sowed, and the crop harvested by machinery the same as any 

 farm crop. There are several factories which take the entire yield 

 from more than 1,000 acres. The plants selected have sufficient rigid- 

 ity, no added support being necessary. The whole plant is hauled to 

 the factory while fresh and green, the same as a load of hay. 



The canning of peas dates back to the beginning of canning, and 

 is one of the three large crops packed. In this country it is confined 

 largely to those States having a cool spring and plentiful rainfall. 

 The southern limit of successful growing seems to be from Maryland 

 west to Indiana and northwest to Minnesota. Some peas are also 

 grown on the highlands in Colorado and a few on the western coast. 

 Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, and Indiana lead in this crop. 



