Appertizing, or, The art of canning : its history and development / by A.W. Bitting.

  • Bitting, A. W. (Arvill Wayne), 1870-1946.
Date:
1937
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Appertizing, or, The art of canning : its history and development / by A.W. Bitting. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    163/870 (page 159)
    Blueberries Vacciiiimu coryDibosum, V. pcnnsylvauicuin These two species of shru1)s are native to this country, the former being known commonly as the marsh or swamp l)hieherry, hncklel)erry, or whortleberry, and the latter as the dry-land hlneherry. They are found growing in swamps and low sandy lands, and one s]:)ecies on dry land from well u]) in Canada, south to \drginia, and westward to the Great Lakes, ddie princi])al ])roduction of the fruit is in Maine, Canada, and Michigan, and almost wholly from the wild hushes, for little attention has been given to cultivation, ddie marsh type of bush grows from 4 to 10 feet in height while the other on dry soil grows from 1 ^ to 4 feet in height. Roth require an acid soil, and ])referably one mixed with peat. The fruit is a small berry produced in clusters and ranges from one- fourth inch to iiearly a half inch in diameter. They are dark blue with a lighter bloom on the surface, and on the inside, the pulp is bluish red, and the filtered juice a stronger red. The berries are globular with a prominent remnant of the blossom persisting. They have a very pleasing sweet flavor that is ])ractically the same in the two species. They were used by the Indians before the arrival of the white man, and the latter and his suc¬ cessors have been fond of them, though it seems strange that they are not more extensively cultivated. Nearly the entire crop is absorbed by the fresh market and for home canning. Credit for pioneering in the com¬ mercial canning of this fruit is due to A. L. Stewart, Cherryfield, Maine, who began packing in 1868, and the work has been continued each season at the same place and by the same family. According to the American Grocer, the Portland Packing Com])any practically controlled the indus¬ try in 1875, ])roducing from 16,000 to 20,000 cans daily. The industry at present has a value of about $1,000,000 annually, al)out 80 per cent of the packing being done in Maine. Harvesting the blueberry begins in the South in Maryland about July 20, in the North al)out the first of August, continuing for about five weeks. The berries are picked by hand, or when they are abundant and well ri])ened, the work being aided with a claw or a small coarse comb. They are fairly firm, and if handled with reasonable care, do not s])oil as readily as most fruits, though in order to conserve them they need to be handled in shallow boxes or crates. In canning, the l)erries are run through a fanning mill to blow out all loose leaves, sticks, stems, etc., as this materially reduces the hand labor in ])icking them over. The berries are then washed, first by being placed in tanks of water so that light fruit floats and may be skimmed ofif, and then by sprays, after which they are delivered upon an inspection belt to remove any defective stock. If a long belt be used, the cans may be filled directly from the belt in¬ stead of being delivered to filling tables. It is as easy to take the berries from the belt by means of a scoop as it is from ])ans or table bins. As a final step, water or sirup is added to fill the interstices. The blueberry is easy to sterilize. A 10-minute exhaust is given and a process of from 6 to 10 minutes for No. 2, and 18 minutes for No. 10 cans. A common method is to heat the berries with the proper quantity of water in a corn cooker, and to fill the cans continuously by that machine, or they