278 



ORNAMENTAL AND PRACTICAL GARDENING. 



preparing green corn for use outside of its ordinary 

 period of growth. This branch is now a very large one, 

 and factories are to be found in very many sections of 

 the country where the sweet varieties of maize are grown. 

 The principle packing districts are in Maine, New York, 

 and the Atlantic coast as far south as Virginia, although 

 in the central west, where the surplus corn which sup- 

 pMes commercial demand is grown, it is rapidly assum- 

 ing importance. 



'The reputation of this class of our canned-goods 

 product is attested by the steady and rapid increase of 

 the amount consumed by our own people, Americans 

 are very particular, not to say fastidious, in their diet, 

 and the popular taste for delicacies and preparations of 

 standard varieties of food requires an intelligent and pro- 

 gressive study of methods by packers that insures con- 

 stant elevation of the standard of quality. A careful 

 investigation of methods used by canners shows that they 

 are prompt to accept all the latest improvements which 

 tend to a betterment of product, and that there is a con- 

 stant striving to attain perfection in quality and methods 

 of packing goods." 



The figures which show the pack of canned corn 

 between 18S5 and i8gi, inclusive, are interesting : 



The total pack in 1891 was 2,799.453 cases. 



" " " " 1890 " 1,588,860 " 



" " " " 1889 " 1,760,300 " 



' 1888 " 3,491,474 " 



" " 1887 " 2,311,424 " 



1886 " 1,704,735 " 



' 1885 " 1,082,174 " 



They show us how the gradually growing demand and 

 the over-anxiety of canners to meet it resulted in the 

 over-production of 1888, which again brought a reaction 

 almost disastrous to the whole industry, until the rapidly 

 growing consumption caught up with the diminished pro- 

 duction. This year (1892) we have little reason to doubt 



that consumption will equal a production like that of 

 1888, then far ahead of the demand. The enormous 

 pack of that year also shows us how little difficulty will 

 be e.\perienced in extending the pack to keep pace with 

 the increase of consumption, no matter how rapid this 

 may be. On the whole, it would appear from trust- 

 worthy indications that the coming season seems to have 

 bright prospects for the canners. 



In regard to tomatoes, it appears that the pack of last 

 year was the largest on record, but that it exceeded the 

 pack of 1890 only a little, and that the annual product is 

 so nearly stationary that it is only 263,000 cases above 

 the average pack of the four previous years. New Jersey 

 leads in production, the present season showing an 

 increase of sixteen per cent, over that of the previous 

 year. Maryland stands second, but shows a product con- 

 siderably smaller than that of 1890. This is explained 

 by the fact that in Hartford county, where the greater 

 number of canneries are located, the crop was poor and 

 many factories did not go into active operations. The 

 pack by the leading states in 1891 was as follows ; New 

 Jersey, 950,833 cases, against 815,485 in 1890 ; Maryland, 

 744,010 cases, against 949,157 in 1890; Indiana, 341,217 

 cases, against 243,920 in 1890; Delaware, 264,950 cases, 

 against 230.025 in 1890; California, 218,311 cases, 

 against 222,173 in 1890; New York, 114,774 cases, 

 against 101,952 in 1890, etc. 



The figures for the pack of canned tomatoes during the 

 last six seasons are as follows ; 



The total pack in 1891 was 3,405,365 cases. 



" " " " 1890 " 3,166.177 " 



1889 " ..... 2,976,765 " 



1868 " 3,343,137 " 



" 1887 " 2,817,048 " 



" " " 1886 " 2,363,760 " 



As in the case of the corn pack, we think this season's 

 outlook for the commercial tomato-canner is encouraging. 



ORNAMENTAL AND PRACTICAL GARDENING 



ON THE EDITOR S GROUNDS. 



GROUP OF IRISES.— A large as- 

 sortment of hardy perennials suited 

 to this climate lends beauty to our 

 grounds. There is no one class 

 among them that gives greater satis- 

 faction than the iris family, compris- 

 ing, as it does, a larger number of species and 

 varieties than any other in our garden. Some 

 good qualities of the iris, not possessed in like 

 degree by any other hardy plant, are ease of cul- 

 ture in any soil, neatness of habit (with no tendency to 

 weediness), grace in outline and delicacy of coloring. 

 " Poor man's orchid " is a term that seems well applied 

 when we consider that the plants are so cheap to buy and 

 so easy to grow, and that their bloom rivals the orchid in 

 grotesqueness and exquisite delicacy of form, as well as 

 in singularly beautiful combinations of color. 



Of the various species now in cultivation, gathered 

 from many lands, for common use none can excel that 

 old favorite, the German iris (/. Gei-manica). A number 

 of charming varieties have sprung from this type. Some 

 recent varieties that have flowered here, surpassing our 

 ideals of a few years ago, are named below as worthy of 

 special notice : 



Madame Chereau (shown life-size in the engraving on 

 next page). Color white, delicately edged and feathered 

 with violet. The white falls, or outer drooping petals, 

 are tinged with yellow ; standards, or inner erect petals, 

 of a bluish cast. A vigorous grower and free bloomer. 



Acteon. — Standards yellow ; falls white, with crimson 

 veins. 



Bridesmaid. — Standards pale lavender; falls white, 

 reticulated with lavender : very fine. 



Flavescens. — Primrose-yellow, almost white ; fine. 



