592 Neio Modes of Disposing of Fruit and Vegetables. 
on to a station where the holes in the caps are stopped with solder. 
Again the cans are put into boiling water for a few minutes to 
destroy any germs within them that might cause fermentation. 
They are then labelled and packed for delivery. In some of the 
larger factories the cans are made by machinery in the upper part 
of the building, and are rolled do.vn a track in a continuous stream 
to the stage where the fruits and vegetables are prepared. 
Syrup is added just in sufficient proportion to make the fruit 
pleasant to the taste, and not with any idea of preserving it. To 
pears and apples from five to six ounces are given per quart can ; to 
peaches and apricots from three to four ounces per quart can ; goose- 
berries, blackberries, currants, cherries, and plums take from six to 
seven ounces per quart can. 
With regard to vegetables, the same process is adopted, but, of 
course, no sugar is added, and the cans are filled two-thirds full of 
water. The vegetables are prepared as for cooking, and they must 
be boiled much longer than fruits. Tomatoes are canned most 
extensively, and retain their fine flavour and agreeable qualities for 
long periods. Green peas, French beans, asparagus, and young carrots 
are peculiarly suited for this process. 
Glass jars are being used for preservung fruit and vegetables in 
the United States to a considerable extent, as they have many 
advantages over tin cans, which are supposed in some slight degree 
to communicate unpleasant flavour and unwholesome quality by the 
acids of the fruit and vegetables acting upon the metal. Besides, 
cans are not so economical, as they only serve one turn. Glass jars 
do not communicate any flavour or taint to their contents if well 
Avashed, and are useable again and again. The glass jars that are 
used in the United States are shown by the figures A and B, given 
on p. 593, and have metal lids which are screwed on. These are 
termed “Lightning” and “Mason’s” respectively, and vary in 
capacity from one pint to two quarts. 
The Queensland Department of Agriculture is advocating the 
adoption of canning and preserving fruit by these American modes. 
In a painphlet Avritten by Mr. Shelton, Instructor in Agriculture, 
issued by the Queensland Agricultural Department, it is pointed 
out that fruit and A’egetables in their natural state Avill not keep for 
any length of time ; also that Queensland, with its suitable soil and 
climate, produces fruits and vegetables in great quantity and of fine 
quality. Mr. Shelton says : “ Fruit properly canned will keep for 
an indefinite period in any climate, and canned fruit, more nearly 
than that preserved by any other method, resembles in flavour and 
texture the natural article. These d priori reasons why canned 
fruit should be popularly sought after in Queensland are amply 
reinforced by facts, showing that it is consumed in large quantities. 
There are no figures showing how much of home-made preserA^es, 
canned fruits, Ac., are used in Queensland, but in 1890 Ave imported 
from all the ends of the world 37,793 quarts of canned fruit, worth 
16,000^., and of dried fruit, not including currants and raisins, 
497,1271b., of a A alue of 8,126/. The total, 24,127/., paid in. one year 
