CANNING INDUSTRY IN CALIFORNIA 



159 



has grown his own fmit, but he has usually bought 

 from year to year according to the crop and mar- 

 ket conditions, or has entered into a term contract 

 with growers for a period of years to buy fruit of 

 a size, quality and condition suitable for canning, 

 at an agreed price or scale of prices. Through 

 such term contracts the canner has exercised a 

 beneficial influence. It has been to his interest to 

 see that only the most improved varieties of fruit 

 are grown ; that the orchard is properly pruned, 

 plowed, cultivated and protected against pests of 

 every kind ; that the crop is thinned when neces- 

 sary and that it is harvested properly. Operating 

 under such contracts, orchardists have been 

 brought to see the benefit of intelligent and busi- 

 ness-like farming. Information from the best 

 authorities, relating to preferred varieties of fruits, 

 methods of cultivation, pruning and fighting of 

 • pests, harvesting and the like, has been distributed 

 to the growers through the agency of the canners, 

 and the latter have frequently pioneered some sug- 

 gestion of the State College of Agriculture or of 

 the United States Department of Agriculture, 

 looking to improved conditions of horticulture. 



Fie. 232. 



Hauling peaches to the canneiy. 

 Placer county, California. 



Fenuryn, 



In the growing of vegetables, canners have 

 appeared even more prominently in bettering the 

 conditions surrounding the growth of canning 

 products. From the very limited acreage of aspara- 

 gus grown for the local produce trade, has devel- 

 oped a great industry, thousands of acres now 

 being grown for the exclusive purpose of canning. 

 When this industry was threatened by the para- 

 sitic rust, canners were the first to propose and con- 

 tribute to a fund handled by the College of Agri- 

 culture of the University of California in making 

 scientific investigation, which promises to be of 

 lasting benefit. SimUaur conditions have arisen in 

 connection with the growing of peas, tomatoes 

 and string beans. Sweet com has not been grown 

 to good advantage in California, and practically 

 none has been canned. The worm which almost 

 invariably appears in each ear of com has made 

 it impossible for canners to operate with any 

 profit. The past season, through means provided by 

 the canning interest, the College of Agriculture 

 has had the opportunity of experimenting on sev- 

 eral hundred acres of corn. While the results have 

 not seemed to justify development in this business, 

 a distinct advance has been made. 



The season begins in March with the canning of 

 asparagus, the better packs being made in the 

 peculiar peaty soil found in a few favored locali- 

 ties. Fig. 233 shows a small part of an asparagus 



Fig. 233. Cuttmg asparagus foi canning. 



field of 1,000 acres grown exclusively for canning 

 purposes. The light loose soil is built up over the 

 root crowns to a considerable depth, so that the 

 shoots can grow without resistance during the 

 time of harvesting. During the height of the sea- 

 son the entire acreage must be cut daily, as the 

 asparagus is not allowed to grow above the sur- 

 face, and each spear is cut as rapidly as the point 

 is exposed to the air. In this way, the white as- 

 paragus, so much preferred, is secured. If exposed, 

 the point turns first to a purple then to a green 

 color. 



Sugar peas are handled extensively under what 

 is known as the " viner system," the vines being 

 mown at the harvest time and hauled in hayricks 

 to the cannery, which is located close to the field 

 where the peas are grown. The vines are put into 

 viners or threshers, as indicated in Fig. 234. This 

 method is in general use throughout the country 

 and is not peculiar to California. 



Tomatoes are contracted for delivery in early 



Fig, 



Pea-field, vinei and canneiy. 



September after the rush of the fruit season. They 

 are usually safe from frost until the middle of 

 November. Frequent crops of fifteen tons to the 

 acre are secured. Fig. 235 shows tomato vines 



