but it may be broadly stated that experience has shown that factories of a daily capacity of 15,000 cans or over, working on either corn or tomatoes, should be capitalized at twice as many thousand dollars as the daily capacity of the factory is in thousand cans of finished goods. For example, a tomato canning plant with an output of 20,000 cans daily should have a capital of $40,000. Estimating that the complete plant cost $15,000 to equip, thus leaving $25,000 for working capital, the season will average about five weeks, putting up a total of 25,000 cases, at a cost of say $1.40 per dozen, or a total cost of $70,000. Therefore, such a concern should be in shape to command $20,000 to $35,000 in addition to their capital stock, either as ready money or credit. A concern working on a larger variety of crops for five or six months in the year, figuring on the same basis of 20,000 cans daily capacity, would require a capital of $50,000; and, if extended to a winter pack, practically covering the entire year, would require not less than $100,000 as capital.

LABOR.

It is important to be sure that all the resident labor necessary to conduct the more important and responsible operations of the factory is at hand, and that sufficient floating labor can be obtained for the rougher work and during the times of extraordinary rush. For a factory packing a comprehensive general line, the supply of cheap, floating labor will determine, to a great extent, the nature and character of the labor-saving machinery necessary to install, but until every operation of the canning factory can be done automatically, careful attention must be given this labor question. To packers old in the business the question of automatic machinery, or machines in the place of "hands" has been answered in favor o fthe machine. While the bulk of the work done around a cannery is not such as to require "skilled" labor, the help should be such as may be depended upon. Nearly all factories have to import help during the rush season, but for this very reason it is very difficult to secure good help when wanted.

The importance of this consideration cannot be overestimated, because the loss of raw material from inability to handle it, on account of lack of help, in a few days may eat up the profits of the entire pack. Every year we hear of many factories having to allow large lots of green fruits or vegetables to go to waste and be thrown away, after having been received from the growers, on this account. Or, if an attempt is made to "work up" the surplus, it will be necessary to do night work, and while this can always be counted on as a certainty during the busy season, it becomes a source of much trouble to the superintendent if it is too frequent. For the help, after working from 6 o'clock in the morning, do not care to work after 6 in the evening, and while the extra wages earned by

working "overtime" a couple of days in the week will be sufficient to induce them to do so, if more time than this is attempted, they will either slight the work o fthe next day, or stay away from the factory altogether. Either case makes trouble that it is well to try. to provide against.

Here, too, the superintendent should exercise good judgment in handling the help, so as to get the best work out of them without constantly worrying them or seeming to "nag" after them at all times. This, however, will be taken up in its proper place, together with the best means of keeping time etc., the object here being merely to impress upon all packers the necessity of providing as much before hand as possible, for a plentiful supply of good help.

TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES.

In deciding on the location of a factory, the question of satisfactory facilities for transporting the finished goods and obtaining supplies at such freight rates as will put the factory on an equal basis with competitors in the same line must be fully considered. Even if there may be some advantage in buying the raw materials a trifle cheaper, this will not counterbalance excessive freight rates, or a long haul with animals as motive power. In respect to transportation facilities, the ideal situation is on a body of navigable water with siding from the main line of the railroad to either side of the factory.

FACTORY SITE.

The site of the plant, if at all possible, should be on high ground, having good natural drainage. Stagnant water, under or around the building, especialy if contaminated with refuse and waste which is always a possibility about any canning factory, may form a breeding place for various microbes which will do incalculable injury to the pack.

To prevent water and waste lodging under the factory both the peeling and packing departments, if not the whole building, should be provided with water-tight floors sloped to gutters, emptying into drains which convey it away from the building.

PROPER FLOOR CONSTRUCTON.

For a working floor in the factory proper, nothing has been found for its cost equal to that of Portland cement construction. If properly finished as to surface, it is practically impervious and may be easily cleaned with a hose. It is sufficiently hard to enable the setting of ordinary machines directly on it, and it resists wear due to walking upon it indefinitely. Careful attention should be given to the grading of the surface of the finished floor where much water

is used. The grade should be not less than one-eighth of an inch to the foot, and one-quarter is better. The length of grade in any direction should not be more than sixteen feet. Where it is necessary that some water should run over the floor where persons are working, an excellent plan is to form in the surface of the floor half-round grooves one inch wide, four inches center to center. These grooves carry off the greater part of the water, thus giving a reasonably dry working surface.

Should it be necessary to use wheeled trucks continually over any part of the floor, no joints whatever must be made in the surface. The slight jar of iron wheels passing over joints will soon pounds out the concrete, resulting in a hollow which must be patched. Naturaly, the concrete worker will insist that the floor will crack if no joints are made. In this he is right, but the cracks will be so small that trucking will not generally affect them.

MACHINERY.

Where machinery can be used in the operation in the place of hand work, it should by all means be done. We are not unmindful of the claims of quality on some articles on this account, but it is a fact the machine is cleaner than hand work, and that is the point. However, speaking generally, the canned food packers must learn how to better treat and use machinery. In no line of manufacture in the country is machinery as much abused or misused, and it is generally due to the fact that the machinery is not understood. The more mechanical a factory is the better it is; and it is because of this condition in some lines of packing that those lines can boast over the less fortunate, and which really make them an exception to the general line of canned products. There are a number of tried machines that should be in every factory, large or small, and which would save the operator expense and money.

DRESSING ROOMS.

Before going into this matter, let us try to answer all those objections that are arising in your mind. We know there are some facetious ones who will ask if they must not furnish Turkish baths and manicurists, lady hair dressers, maids, etc., but disregarding these, there are others who will plead that the season for canning tomatoes and many of the other articles is too short to warrant expense of dressing rooms, and the profits of the business absolutely preclude them. For unless these ideas be put to rest, there is no use going on with what should be done along this line.

Will it pay you to have proper dressing rooms for both men and women employees, equipped with closet and toilet arrangements? We say yes; further that it will be the best investment

you can make. Some of the best arranged factories in the country, as far as the help are concerned, are food factories, and the fact stands as their best advertisement. If you have a good-sized, wellventilated room, one for the men and one for the women, but the latter particularly, wherein they can change their clothes, and keep their aprons, etc., equipped with one or more flush closets according to the number of hands employed; proper wash basins with a supply of clean towels, you will find that you are not only doing what you absolutely should do in common decency, but that you will be able to raise the standard of the help in the factory. You will be able to get better help, and they will begin to take care of their appearance, to be neat in their persons and their work; and, what is of the greatest value to the industry at the present time, you will turn that vast army of workers into a host of living witnesses and cheerful testifiers to the wholesomeness and cleanliness of canned foods. You will make these workers brag of the goods, instead of damning them, as they often do.

You have plenty of water, see that you have wash troughs (sinks) for no other purpose than for washing the hands, and supplied with towels. There should be several of these at convenient points about the factory, as well as in the dressing rooms, and the hands should be MADE to use them. It ought not to be necessary to mention this, or to say that cleanliness demands it.

When you have these things, then you can compel the workers to keep the tables and machines free of aprons, rags and such unsightly objects; with the walls nicely painted or whitewashed, and the floors free of muck and slop, you will have a factory that you will be proud of, that the hands will boast of, that you will get more and better work from, and which will turn you out a better profit, fewer rejections, and few or no "kicks."

CLEANLINESS OF WORKERS.

Then the dress of the women must be looked after, and they must not be allowed to come to work in rags and filth. Keep in mind that they are working on food, that people have to eat what they handle, and think what a sight such a horde of workers would make to the public. See that their hands are free of running sores -for they very frequently have them-and that they wash before they commence work, and after using the toilet. Right here very serious thought can be expended with good results. Do not, under any circumstances, allow consumptives to work on foods. See that the "force" is a clean and healthy one.

At the beginning of 1919 the entire industry was considering the installation of the National Canners' Association inspection plan, as then in force with the sardine packers of Maine and California, and which had been installed in Southern California among the

fruit and vegetable canners with great success. Briefly, this plan consists of inspection under the auspices of the National Association, and upon full compliance with all regulations and standards a certificate of the Association, certifying to such inspection, is issued and placed upon the cases. There is but little question that this plan will spread over the entire industry in the next year or two. The cost is low, estimated at 2c per case; the plan has the endorsement of the Federal and State food authorities, and the buyers of canned foods naturally give preference to inspected goods.

The following are the first rules issued by the Committee on Inspection, but the reader will do well to keep in touch with the National Canners' Association, or follow this matter closely in THE CANNING TRADE, as additions will surely follow:

RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR SANITARY

INSPECTION

Factories preparing food products shall be located so as to be able to receive and distribute their products promplty, without danger of damage or deterioration, and shall not be located in the immediate vicinity of any other industry which may be objectionable because of noxious odors given off, or because of the use of decomposed products.

No food factory shall be located in an unsanitary place or one which cannot be made sanitary or maintained in a sanitary condition.

No food factory shall be located where the refuse from the plant cannot be disposed of in a sanitary manner, and not of itself become a nuisance to the factory.

No litter, waste, refuse, or decomposed products shall be allowed to accumulate in or around the buildings or yards. All liquid waste shall be conducted from the building by means of suitable drains. Gross by-products suitable for other usage, as pea vines or corn husks, may be stacked or placed in silos separate from the building, and must be properly drained. Other by-products may be retained only if rendered unobjectionable. Raw tomato skins, cores, etc., shall not be permitted to be piled near the factory.

All buildings used for the manufacture of food products shall be clean, properly lighted and ventilated. The ceilings shall be of sufficient height to permit ample clearance for all work under any suspended shafting, hangers, piping, galleries, etc. Where natural light and ventilation are insufficient, provision must be made for augmenting the same by mechanical methods. The interiors of all working rooms shall be kept a light color by paint, whitewash or other suitable method.

The floors of all rooms used for manufacturing should be water-tight and pitched enough to carry all waste to the sewers.