COMMERCIAL CANNING OF FOODS. 61 



definite size, or through cylinders, with sections having perforations corresponding 

 to those in the screens. The perforations are standard and give the following sizes 

 in the peas: Petits pois, extra sifted, sifted, early June, marrowfat, and, in the case 

 of late peas, the telephone. If the peas are properly labeled, they should be uniform 

 ia 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 18 sixty-fourths inch hole; the extra sifted, or 

 extra fine, through a 20 sixty-fourths inch hole; the sifted, or fine, through a 22 sixty- 

 fourths inch hole; early June, through a 24 sixty-fourths inch hole; while the marrow- 

 fats pass over the ends of the screens. With sweet wi'inkled peas, a 26 sixty-fourths 

 inch screen is used to separate the marrowfats, and those remaining above pass over 

 as telephone size. These designations, 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 therefore 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 descrip- 

 tive terms to the advantage of all concerned. 



Peas are also graded for quality. Those that are small, young, and tender, so that 

 they will crush easily between the thumb and finger, are considered to be the highest 

 grade, while those that have a considerable percentage hard, turn brown upon pro- 

 cessing, 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 possible because the old or hard peas are heavier than the 

 younger and more tender ones. As peas will not all mature alike on the same vine, 

 nor in the same field, it is not possible to cut them so as 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 can be again separated in another and heavier solu- 

 tion, giving a second and third grade. The first grade will be lighter in color and softer 

 on pressure, and will 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 uneven, the 

 peas dark and hard, and the liquor very cloudy and thick. In dry seasons the grading 

 will not be ho good, as there is less difference in the weight of the peas. It is possible 

 to get 15 grades of peas, depending upon size and quality, from the same load, the 

 difference being sufficient to ho easily distinguisliable in the finished product. 



When the peas leave the graders they pass over slowly moving belts in a single layer, 

 and thoHC which are split, off color, or defective are picked out. This is the only opera- 

 tion in which it is necessary to touch the peas with the hands. 



The peas arc blanched, or more properly parboiled. They are boiled just long 

 enough to soften them uniformly and to remove tin; mucous substanco on the outside. 

 The lime for the blanching will vary from one-lialf minnte for the very tender small 

 \HiaiiU> 15 minutes for the ovennatured large ones, some variation being necessary for 

 cof.h hv/a: and degret; ui liarrln<;HH. Most of the blanching rcqiiinw from 1 to 4 minutes. 



The matter of hlancliing is excet-dingly imporUmt, for upon it dctpends in a largo 

 df-^ree the a|)i)faran(e of (he jxfiw and tin; fharactr-r of the li(|uor. Th(;r(! arc H(!V(!ral 

 iiiffen-nt Hlyl'*H of apparatuH in use for blarK-liing, the siniplcst being a large trough con- 

 tainiog Hculding water in wliich wire baskets holding the peas are ijlaccd lor Lho ro- 



