52 THE CANNING OF FOODS. 



and give the following sizes in the peas: Petit pois, extra sifted, 

 sifted, Early June, marrowfat, and, in the case of late peas, the tele- 

 phone. If the peas are properly labeled, they should be uniform in 

 size. Some manufacturers, instead of turning out all these sizes, 

 combine two sizes in one. A few peas are sold ungraded or with 

 only the first and second size taken out. The petits pois should pass 

 through an eighteen sixty-fourths inch hole ; the extra sifted, or extra 

 fine, through a twenty sixty-fourths inch hole; the sifted, or fine, 

 through a twenty-two sixty-fourths inch hole; Early June, through 

 a twenty-four sixty-fourths inch hole; while the marrowfats pass 

 over the ends of the screens. With sweet wrinkled peas, a twenty- 

 six sixty-fourths inch screen is used to separate the marrowfats and 

 those remaining above pass over as telephone size. These desig- 

 nations, which were partially adopted from the French, have been 

 in use for a long time, and refer to size and not to variety nor 

 to time of gathering, as would be inferred from the name "Early 

 June." The term " Early June " has, in recent years, come to have 

 another meaning, that of including all of the smooth or Alaska group 

 of peas in distinction from the sweet wrinkled varieties. We there- 

 fore find smallest-sifted Early June, extra-sifted Early June, and 

 sifted Early June, as distinguished from the same names applied 

 to sweets. The trade terms have little meaning to the consumer and 

 could be supplanted by proper descriptive terms to the advantage of 

 all concerned. 



Peas are also graded for quality, those being small, young, and 

 tender, so they will crush easily between the thumb and finger are 

 considered to be the highest grade, while those which have a consid- 

 erable percentage hard, turn brown upon processing, or cause clouded 

 liquor in the can, are of a lower grade. The grading is done largely 

 upon the judgment of the inspector as the peas arrive, and later by 

 the superintendent. 



The peas may be mechanically graded for quality before, but 

 preferably after, grading for size. This is done on the basis that 

 the old or hard peas are heavier than the younger and more tender 

 ones. Peas will not all mature alike on the same vine, nor in the 

 same field, so that it is not possible to cut them to secure absolute 

 uniformity. The more slowly the peas mature under fairly cool 

 moist conditions, the tenderer they will be, so that in some sections 

 the necessity for grading for quality is less than in others. This 

 grading is effected by means of brine, which is made to a strength 

 that will float those that are tender, the harder ones sinking. The 

 first quality can be skimmed off, and those that sink again separated 

 in another and heavier solution, giving a second and third grade. 

 The first grade will be lighter in color, softer on pressure, and give 

 a clear liquor on canning; the second grade will be slightly darker, 

 and the liquor cloudy; while in the third grade, the size will be 



