The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 1888. CANNED PROVISIONS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1782, 6 March 1888, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 1888. CANNED PROVISIONS.

Beading of the immense development of the canned provisions industry m. the United (States naturally gives rise to the reflection that it is quite possible that New Zealand should follow the example set by our go-ahead YaDkee cousins, and might open up a large and profitable trade with Australia, Jndia, and other countries. Writing of the enormous dimensions to which, the canning industry hao attained m America, the " Australasian and South American " of the 3rd nit. supplies Fome very remarkable figures. It says :— 11 »- ew persons outside of those engaged m the production and handling of canned goods have any adequate idea of the exteut of tjie business as carried on m this country, or of the vyide variety of articles canned or packed. From small beginnings, with a few varieties of meat and fish, this industry has grown to immense proportions, and now includes among the articles packed almost the entire range of eateables, beginning with the plain solids and taking m the choicest and most toothsome luxuries that grace the table of the mosfc exacting epicure. Indeed, one hardiy needs the services of a cook to provide food suffiicient m variety to satisfy the appetite of tb,e average human .eater. There are corned beef, boiled tongue, baked beans, fish of all kinds, corn m different forms, and a variety of other vegetables, including the ever popular tomato, shellfish of all kinds, squash, pumpkin, and the entire rhoice fruit family, from our universal friend, the apple, to the most delicate »nd luscious of plums and berries, besides canned chicken, turkey, mutton, roast beef, soups, etc. Canned clam chowder is also coming into general use ; the article has not been on the market to any great extent heretofore, but is now being called for and the demand is increasing. Over 1,000,000,000 cans are used annually by the canners of this dountry, and it is stated that the weight of metal used m their manufacture is about 110,000,000 pounds, casting some 45,000,0G0d015. . . . . . Canned goods have proved an important factor m our export trade, the process of canning having enabled so many American products to be sent m good order all over the world Out of seventy^-four foreign countries to which the United States exported directly m 1886, c»»»ecl goodp wept to jfoty-two, *

wide and generous distribution, which may yet be made wider and larger. Corn ranks foremost m the list of canned goods

put up for home consumption and export, j and Maine is the chief seat of the corn \ , canning industry. The total area of sweet corn planted m the State m 1887 was over 20,000 acres. The total pack is estimated to have been above twenty million cans. . . In addition to corn, however, an immense variety of other goods ere packed m Maine. In the sardine business, as m corn, the State leads, more being packed m Bastport alone than m all the rest of the country. Lima beans are being raised and packed here quite extensively, and command a higher price than those of any other packed m the country. , Apples have . bpen quite an item tor several years past, packed m gallon cans ; this year being a light crop, there was not probably over five to eight thousand cans packed m the State. Squash is very scarce and there has been but little packed ; it is the same all over the country. There was quite a pack of pumpkin. The canning of lobsters m Maine is becoming no inconsiderable rival of that of corn. For instance, twenty of the twenty-six lobster factories of the Portland Packing Company during the last year produced 1,680,000 cans, employing 2500 hands, and making a total sale of about 250,000d015. It required about 8,500,000 lobsters to fill all these cans. ... Clams are packed quite extensively, Scarboro and Deer Island being headquarters for packing ; several thousand dozen are packed each season and sent all over the country. Several factories are doing a good business m canning herring for the South and West ; there being few mackerel, herring are used as a substitute, and as the prices of herring are much under the prices of mackerel they are gaining favor m the South and West, and thus are opening up a new industry for Maine goods." Here is a long list of articles produced annually m enormous quantities, and for whicl there is an ever-widening market, and we believe that quite as many articles ol consumption could be produced m Ne^i Zealand with equal success. The canned mullet of Auckland has a deservedlj high reputation, and barracouta, oysters crayfish, and other New Zealand fisl could be turned to equally good account Then the tinning of rabbits might itsel be made a large industry, and there an numbers of fruits which grow m abnnd ance and could be readily put up it marketable form. All that is wantec is enterprise, energy, and push and tb< result wo'ild we feel persuadud be tin building up of a large and profitable export trade.