al crop as by the weight hauled to the factory. The prices paid
by the factories for the past 10 years run from 10 to 25 cents a bushel,
while canning tomatoes in the open market for the same period have
brought from 8 to 50 cents a bushel, which, however, are exceptional
prices. In all but two of the past 10 years uncontracted tomatoes could
generally be sold, in most sections, for more than was paid on contract.
I have given the price a bushel, though canning tomatoes are usually
sold by the ton. The cost of the product of a well-equipped cannery is
divided about as follows: fruit, 30 per cent.; handling, preparing and
processing the fruit, 18 per cent.; cost of cans, labels, cases, etc.,
43 per cent.; labeling, packing and selling, 0.035 per cent.;
incidentals, 0.055 per cent.

=Canning on the farm.=--While as a general proposition such work as
canning tomatoes can usually be done at less cost in a central plant,
yet in many cases the grower can profitably do this on the farm, thus
saving not only the expense of delivery at the factory, but the
dissatisfaction with weights credited and delays in receiving the fruit.
But very little special apparatus or machinery (more than some form of
boiler for supplying steam) is needed, and this and the cans can be
readily obtained of dealers in canners' supplies. In Maryland and
neighboring states many dealers furnish all necessary machinery, cans
and other requisites and contract for the crop delivered in cans.

Canning on the farm where the fruit is grown would be more generally
practiced except for the popular demand that the canned product shall be
brighter colored than it is possible to produce from fruit alone, and
the necessary dyeing and other doctoring can be more easily and
skilfully done at a central factory, though it is always at the
sacrifice of flavor and healthfulness for the sake of appearance.
Another advantage of canning on the farm is that it can be done with
less waste of fruit. The hauling to the factory and delay in working the
fruit result in a great deal of waste. The average cannery does not
obtain more than 1,200 pounds of product from a ton of fruit, there
being 800 pounds of waste, while with sound, ripe, perfectly fresh
fruit, it is entirely practical to secure from 1,600 to 1,800 pounds of
canned goods from a ton, and this saving in waste would more than
counterbalance the gain from the use of the better machinery possible in
the factory.

=The