28 BULLETIN 1084, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The Green Gage, Yellow Egg, and Damson plums are the principal 

 varieties canned. Plums are packed when fairly ripe and soft. On 

 account of the checking or cracking of the skins during processing 

 many canners hold the fruit for several days, allowing it to wilt, 

 which lessens the tearing of the skin and makes a more sightly pack. 

 The fruit is first run over a grader and separated into four sizes, "1, 

 1J, H, and If inches in diameter. 



After the plums have been washed, the imperfect and spotted fruit 

 is sorted out and the rest is packed in cans by hand. Plums are 

 not peeled. A hot sugar sirup or water is added, and the cans are 

 exhausted, capped, and processed in continuous cookers, for from 

 8 to 14 minutes, or in open cookers, for from 36 to 38 minutes, at 

 about 212° F. 



Plums follow the usual commercial grades for fruits and are 

 packed in No. 1, No. 2, No. 2J-, and No. 10 cans. 



PRUNES. 



While prunes are usually dried, a large quantity is also canned, 

 especially for shipping to the Tropics or to foreign countries. Us- 

 ually three grades are packed. The extra grade is packed in 30° 

 sirup, the standard grade in 20° sirup, and the lowest grade in water. 

 They are put up in No. 2J and No. 10 cans. 



VEGETABLES. 



ARTICHOKES. 



Artichokes are gathered by cutting off the bulb as close to the 

 head as possible and they are delivered to the canneries in crates. 

 Some canners use the whole artichoke ; others remove the outer scales 

 and often the tops of the inner leaves, leaving only the hearts. The 

 artichokes are allowed to stand for 48 hours in a solution consisting 

 of 5 per cent salt and one-half of 1 per cent citric acid in water. The 

 acid is added to prevent discoloration. Vinegar is sometimes used in 

 place of citric acid. The artichokes are next blanched for from 

 5 to 7 minutes in a hot, light brine solution, after which they are 

 drained and placed in cans with fresh brine. The filled cans are 

 exhausted, capped, and processed, as in the case of other vegetables. 

 The time of processing varies with the size of the cans. 



Three grades of trimmed artichokes are packed. The best con- 

 sists of the largest of the most tender heads, which are trimmed down 

 close and known as " baby hearts." The next grade includes the 

 smaller and less tender heads ; The third grade comprises all 'arti- 

 chokes unfit for the other grades. They are packed in No. 2, No. 2i, 

 and No. 10 cans. 



