50 Maine Agricultural Experiment Station. 1917. 



in a sanitary manner; the toilets kept in a cleanly condition, and 

 soap and a supply of clean towels always accesible. It was also 

 a regulation that particular care should be taken with the berries 

 before canning, in order that all foreign substances might be re- 

 moved — and upon the enforcement of this regulation rested the 

 greater responsibility. The inspector detailed for this work de- 

 voted his whole time to the blueberry industry, and was thus 

 able to give a part of every day to some one of the packers for 

 a few hours, at least. The result of this inspection work has 

 been most encouraging. 



A tour of inspection was also made by other inspectors dur- 

 ing the height of the season, when practically all the blueberry 

 canning factories in operation were visited. At this time it was 

 especially noted that the canners were entirely willing to 'accept 

 the recommendations made by the inspector, and avowed their 

 intentions to comply with the regulations with the idea of the 

 betterment of their product. In many cases it was found addi- 

 tional help had been put on for the express purpose of picking 

 the berries cleaner than they have ever done before, and this 

 will go a long way toward the general improvement of their 

 product. This seems to be the only way of insuring clean berries, 

 as no system of winnowing has yet been devised that will pro- 

 duce berries absolutely clean from sticks, leaves and other for- 

 eign sustances, in preparation for canning. During the busy 

 season — particularly on the old burns — that is, barrens where 

 it will be necessary to burn the following season — the fruit is 

 gathered by raking. The implement used for this purpose is 

 very similar to a cranberry rake, resembling a dust-pan, with 

 the bottom composed of stiff, parallel wire rods. The berries 

 may be gathered much more quickly and cheaply by this means, 

 but by the use of the rake the fruit is considerably mixed with 

 leaves, sticks, chokeberries, bunchberries, and other foreign sub- 

 stances. Before being crated for transportation to the factory, 

 they are passed through a fanning mill and then, again, at the 

 factory are submitted to another winnowing, but this is not all 

 that is necessary to insure a clean, attractive product ; an indi- 

 vidual picking is necessary and, to this end, the regulations re- 

 quiring particular care with this specific branch of the work have 

 been recommended. 



