INSPECTION OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CANNERIES. 21 



The fruit is washed, the pits are removed by hand, and the fruit is 

 graded as green, regular, and ripe. The green and regular grades 

 are further graded in 6 sizes by being passed over copper screens hav- 

 ing perforations which vary i inch in the different sizes. The largest 

 perforation is 1J inches in diameter and the smallest is If inches in 

 diameter. The smallest grade is made up of apricots that pass 

 through the If -inch screen, and the largest is composed of those that 

 pass over the IJ-inch screen. Fruit of each size is conveyed, usually 

 "by belt, to a packing table designated for that size, and clumped into 

 troughs containing clear, cold water. Pieces which are spotted or 

 rough or imperfect in shape are packed in separate cans as a rough 

 grade. As the ripe fruit is usually too soft to stand being passed 

 over the grader, it is graded and packed by hand. It brings a slightly 

 higher price than the other grades. 



The cans are next conveyed to the siruping machines, where they 

 are filled with sirup of the proper degree, ranging from 55° in the 

 highest grade to 10° in the lowest grade in which any sirup is used. 

 They are then exhausted, sealed, and cooked for the necessary period 

 of time. The water grade is packed in water. The pie grade, which 

 usually consists of overripe and broken pieces and any pieces unsuit- 

 able for the other grades, is packed in water. Some canners are now 

 putting up a " solid-pack " pie fruit, that is, apricots packed solid in 

 the can without the addition of water or sirup. A large pack of 

 apricots peeled by hot lye solution (p. 25) is also made. 



The inspector should give special attention to the water and pie 

 grades, making sure that no floor sweepings or decayed or wormy 

 fruit have entered the cans. Since apricots are handled a great many 

 times by hand, the cleanliness and health of the workers and the 

 sanitary conditions of the factory are important factors. 



BEKRIES. 



The principal berries canned are strawberries, loganberries, goose- 

 berries, and blueberries. There is a great variation in the grade of 

 berries. In some localities little grading is clone, and not more than 

 three grades are put up anywhere except in California, where some 

 canners use the following scheme of grading: Special extra, put up 

 in 60° to 70° sirup ; extra, put up in 40° sirup ; extra standard, put 

 up in 30° sirup; standard, put up in 20° sirup; seconds, put up in 

 10° sirup : and water or pie, packed in water. 



Strawberries. — Strawberries are usually delivered to the canneries 

 in shallow boxes or small baskets, dumped into small trays or pans, 

 and carried to tables where they are capped by hand and sorted into 

 three, four, or more grades according to the practice of the cannery. 

 As a general rule, three grades are packed, special extra, standard, 



