\i oi i \i. 57 



The potatoes are washed and the skins removed by running them 

 through a potato parer or abrading machine such as is used in hotels, 

 by dipping in a hot, weak lye, or by boiling until the skin can be 

 scraped off easily. If they are not large in diameter, the cooking may 

 be continued until they are tender to the center or two-thirds cooked. 

 If they are large, it may be better to cook first until the skin can be 

 removed and then give a second cooking, either in boiling water or in 

 a >team retort, until they are about three-fourths done. They are 

 packed in the cans as closely as possible without mashing and pref- 

 erably without the addition of water. They may also be grated or 

 mashed, and in this form are offered for sweet-potato pies. They are 

 then thoroughly exhausted and processed for 70 minutes at 240 F. 

 or for 3 hours in boiling water. 



TOMATOES (LYCOPERSICUM ESCULENTUM). 



The time is easily within the memory of many persons when toma- 

 toes were thought to be poisonous. A few persons in the Eastern 

 States used them 70 years ago, but they did not become common until 

 a much later period. In the West the prejudice against them per- 

 sisted until less than 40 years ago. The first record of canning 

 tomatoes is that of the work done by Harrison W. Chrosby in 1847 

 at Jamesburg, N. J. Tomatoes are now used in enormous quantities 

 in the fresh state and head the list of all vegetables as a canned prod- 

 uct. Thousands of bushels are also used in the manufacture of 

 ketchups, chili sauce, and soups. The tomato is produced over a 

 larger part of the United States than any other vegetable. It may 

 be handled with few and simple appliances, and may therefore be 

 canned in the home and in small factories where little capital is re- 

 quired, as well as in the large factories. 



The development of a tomato suitable for canning purposes has 

 been a specialty in itself. For this purpose the fruit should be 

 moderately large, smooth, so that it will peel readily, ripened evenly 

 to the stem, of a clear, red color, and having a large proportion of 

 solid meat of good flavor. Varieties which ripen unevenly or are 

 irregular in outline are difficult to peel and the percentage of waste 

 is too high. Tomatoes which are yellow or purple do not have an 

 attractive appearance on opening, and those with excessive seed cells 

 or which are soft and watery will give the can the appearance of be- 

 ing slack filled or packed with water. A good pack is therefore 

 dependent upon having a variety possessing the right qualities. The 

 canner can not accept tomatoes of a half dozen or more varieties and 

 get good results. He must therefore specify the variety grown or 

 furnish the plants for his growers. The production of plants in hot- 

 beds and cold frames to supply several hundred acres is of itself a 

 very large task. The plants are grown in the field, the same as 



