CANNING AND PRESERVING. 



THE QUESTION FROM THE GROWER S STANDPOINT- 

 OPINIONS AND 

 Fifth 



5 STATED previousl}' (p. 151), 

 the problem of ways and means 

 in fruit growing, so far as its 

 solving is to be done by canning 

 and preserving, demands more 

 consideration in the hands of 

 those who should be the most 

 interested, the growers themselves. 



We have gone over the ground of production, 

 marketing and competition, and have come to the 

 logical conclusion that no escape from the ills that 

 beset us can be found through the channels with 

 which we are familiar. As a most natural sequence, 

 then, we must search out new methods of work and 

 disposition in the hope of finding the most profitable 

 way out of the dilemma. 



Unquestionably there are advantages in the alli- 

 ance of the canner and preserver with the fruit 

 grower that should not be overlooked ; but can any 

 methods be introduced which will materially increase 

 these advantages ? Again, are there no means with- 

 in our reach whereby we can find a promising solu- 

 tion to the alleged over-production diiificulty ? To 

 this end the writer addressed the following questions 

 to residents of Connecticut, New Jersey and New 

 York who had grown fruits and vegetables for many 

 years, both for markets and factories, and who were 

 in a position, we believed, to know something of the 

 subject in which we are interested. 



1. Do you grow fruits and vegetables for canning or 

 preserving factories •' 



2. What kinds and in what quantities ? 



3. Do you find it profitable ? In other words, can 

 you make more money growing for the factories on con- 

 tract than you can putting the same kinds and quantities 

 on the general market at current prices ? 



4. In your opinion, are growers paid a fair price for 

 the produce sold to canners and preservers ? 



5. What proportion of your arable land is devoted to 

 growing produce for factories ? 



6. Are you located near a market where a fair price 

 is paid for produce ' 



7. Do you divide your produce between the markets 

 and the factories ? If so, do you consider it more profit- 

 able than selling to either one exclusively ? 



8. What advantages, if any, accrue to you by reason 

 of the location of a factory in your vicinity ? 



—DO CANNERS PAY A FAIR PRICE FOR PRODUCE ? 



SUGGESTIONS. 



Paper. 



g. What would \ou do with your produce, supposing 

 no factory was near you ? 



10. Do you think you would change your crops ? 

 That is. are you of the opinion that you would grow a 

 different line of things if you could not reach a factory ? 



1 1 . What plan, in your opinion, would give you higher 

 prices for your products — a plan at once effective and 

 equitable ? 



12. Can you see any relief from the prevailing low 

 prices for such products as you raise ? What is it, and 

 how can it be carried into effect ' 



13. What is the future outlook for your business, pre- 

 suming that you supply both canners and the general 

 markets, or either. 



It will be observed that these questions seek to 

 cover the ground again over which we have already 

 gone. It is but just to say that, so far as the writer 

 is aware, none of those who replied to these ques- 

 tions had seen The American Garden, and conse- 

 quently were not familiar with the line of research 

 on which we had worked. So many of the replies 

 were similar in purpert that we have embodied them 

 in the general text which follows, without regard to 

 the locality from whence they came. 



Questions one and two are largely introductory, 

 and have no especial bearing on the subject under 

 discussion. 



In reply to question three, the opinions of those 

 who answered were largely in the affirmative, al- 

 though it should be noted that those who were in- 

 clined to favor the markets in preference to the 

 factories were located near good markets. One man 

 replied thus: " My products I consider too good for 

 any market hut the best. I ship to a select trade, 

 and hence have no use for canning factories or the 

 ordinary market." Our friend is advantageously 

 situated, and we can leave him out of the question 

 at issue. 



puestion four brought out wide differences of 

 opinion, and had the replies not been from men 

 whom we had every reason to believe were capable 

 fruit and vegetable growers, we should incline to the 

 opinion that their views were "growls of discon- 

 tent " from morbid, dissatisfied men. The general 

 impression prevailed that the grower was not paid 

 a fair price for his products by the factory owners. 



