24 BULLETIX 1084, TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



according to the grade, the cans are exhausted for from 3 to 5 min- 

 utes, capped, and processed in open or continuous cookers for from 

 20 to 25 minutes, after which they are cooled. in a water bath. 



The inspector should watch out for an excessively large number 

 of pits in canned cherries. 



Figs are sorted by size. No definite grades for them have been 

 established. After the rough portion of the skin is removed, the 

 figs are heated with sugar in jacketed kettles, so that the sirup be- 

 comes so heavy that they are nearly a preserve. They are packed in 

 4-ounce, No. 1, No. 2, and No. 10 cans, and in individual glass 

 containers. 



GRAPES. 



Two varieties of grapes are principally used for canning, the Mus- 

 cat in the west and the Niagara in the east. Only a comparatively 

 small quantity of grapes is canned, and that chiefly for use as pie 

 fruit. The grapes are stemmed by hand, machine graded to size, 

 washed, and placed in cans. After the addition of hot sugar sirup 

 or water, the cans are capped and processed for about 14 minutes at 

 212° F. in open or continuous cookers. The bulk of the pack is 

 water or pie grades, although small quantities of the other com- 

 mercial grades are put up by a few canneries. 



OLIVES, RIPE. 



The canning of ripe olives is confined almost exclusively to Cali- 

 fornia, although small quantities are put up in Arizona. The olives 

 are usually graded in five or more sizes, those smaller than 9/16 inch 

 in diameter generally being used for making oil. The size gradu- 

 ations are usually made on a difference of about 2/16 inch. The 

 California Olive Association has adopted the following grades: 



Olives to the pound. Grade. 



120-135 Standard 



105-120 Medium 



90-105 Large 



75- 90 Extra large 



Olives to the pound. Grade. 



65-75 Mammoth 



55-65 Giant 



45-55 Jumbo 



35-45 Colossal 



The olives are first taken to pickling vats, where a quantity of 1J 

 to 2 per cent caustic soda solution, in weight about 5 times that of the 

 olives, is poured over the fruit, and allowed to stand for from 6 to 8" 

 hours with frequent stirring. This liquor is then drained off and the 

 olives are exposed to the air for 24 hours, with occasional stirring. 

 More of the same or a weaker solution is applied for an equal length 

 of time and again run off and the fruit aerated. This operation is 

 performed a third time, or until the caustic reaches the pit, as indi- 

 cated by a darkening of the flesh. The lye solution is then run off 



