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Author: 
 
 U.S. Dept. of Commerce 
 
 Title 
 
 Pineapple-canning 
 industry of the world 
 
 Place: 
 
 Washington, D.C. 
 
 Date 
 
 1915 
 
MASTER NEGATIVE # 
 
 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES 
 PRESERVATION 
 
 BIBLIOGRAPHIC MICROFORM TARGET 
 
 ORIGINAL MATERIAL AS FILMED - EXISTING BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD 
 
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 ;^ 
 
 U. S. Dept, of jcpmnierce, 
 
 ... Pineapple-canning industry of the world, by J. Alexis 
 Shriver, commercial agent of the Department of commerce. 
 Washington, Govt, print, off., 1915. 
 
 43 p. 25«. 
 
 At head of title: Department of commerce. Bureau of foreign and 
 domestic commerce. A. H. lialdwin, chief. Special agents series- 
 no. 91. 
 
 1. Pineapple. . 2. £annlng and preserving— Industry and trade. i. 
 
 Shriver, Joseph Alexis, 1872- \^ - il U. S. Bureau of foreign and do- 
 mestic commerce (Dept. of commerce) 
 
 Library of Congress 
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'..,n.V^»'>.'C- 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 
 
 BUREAU OF FORETGN AND DOMESTIC COMMERCE 
 A. H. BALDVI!«.Chtef 
 
 SPECIAL AGENTS SERIES-No. 91 
 
 PINEAPPLE-CANNING INDUSTRY 
 OF THE WORLD 
 
 BY 
 
 J. ALEXIS SHRIVER 
 
 Commcrclftl Af^o^ of the Dep&rtraput of Commerce 
 
 WASHINGTON 
 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
 
 19i5 
 

 D307 
 
 Un3-f 
 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 School of Business 
 
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 
 
 BUREAU OF FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC COMMERCE 
 A. H. BALDWIN. Chief 
 
 SPECIAL AGENTS SERIES— No. 91 
 
 PINEAPPLE-CANNING INDUSTRY 
 OF THE WORLD 
 
 BY 
 
 J. ALEXIS SHRIVER 
 
 Commercial Agent of the Department of Commerot 
 
 WASHINGTON 
 
 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
 
 1915 
 

 
 
 
 ADDITIONAL COPIES 
 
 Of THIS PUBUCATION MAT BE PROCURED KROM 
 
 THE hUPERINTENDtNT OP DOCUMENTS 
 
 GOVK&^MRNT PRlNllNi OPFICJC 
 
 WASHINGTON, D. C. 
 
 At 
 
 fi CENTS PER COPY 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Letter of submittal 5 
 
 Introduction 7 
 
 Territory of Hawaii 9 
 
 Philippine Islands 18 
 
 Singapore 18 
 
 Siam 31 
 
 Southern China 36 
 
 Taiwan (Formosa) 39 
 
 Bahama Islands 41 
 
 Guadeloupe 43 
 
 3 
 
LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 
 
 Department of Commerce, 
 Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, 
 
 Washington, September 30, 1914- 
 Sir: There is submitted herewith a report by Commercial Agent 
 J. Alexis Shriver on the pineapple-canning industry of the world, 
 contributions from some consular officers being included. Valuable 
 features of the report are the review of the industry in Hawaii, 
 where its growth has been remarkable, and the detailed study of 
 conditions in the countries of the Far East that offer the most 
 formidable competition. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 A. H. Baldwin, 
 
 Chief of Bureau. 
 
 To Hon. William C. Redfield, 
 
 Secretary of Commerce, 
 
 5 
 
CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The canning of pineapple has demonstrated, probably a little 
 more forcibly than has been the case with the cannmg of any other 
 product, certain unusual values of the discovery of the preservation 
 of articles of food in hermeticaUy sealed contamers by means of 
 sterihzation by intense heat. In the case of pmeapples, a tropical 
 fruit that can not stand shipment for long distances, the liavor and 
 bouquet have been retained in the canned article to a surprising 
 decrree, and a further advantage to the consumer hes in the fact t^at 
 the fruit requires no preparation for the table— an important matter 
 in a fruit covered with a tough prickly skin and tided with deep- 
 seated ''eyes." Thus the cannmg mdustry has made it possible for 
 the housekeeper to have on her pantry shelves, m the coldest chmates, 
 a tropical fruit in nearly its natural state, ready for servmg at a 
 moment's notice, in season and out of season, ready to eat without 
 preparation, and always dehcious. . . . , 
 
 The pineapple is found m a wild state in most tropical countries 
 and has been known by Europeans and Americans for many years 
 Its introduction to the eastern coast of America as an article of food 
 dates back probably 100 years, when the chief source of supply was 
 the West Indies, prmcipally the Bahamas. The annual import of 
 later years has been from 5,000,000 to 8,000,000 fruits The west- 
 coast ports have been served with fresh fruits from the Hawauan 
 Islands About 1860 pineapple culture was mtroduced from I'orto 
 Rico into Florida, and since that date the unportation of fresh pme- 
 apples from the West Indies and the Bahamas has decreased some- 
 what The quaUty has been unproved through better methods of 
 shipment and handhng, as well as by means of more careful methods 
 of cultivation. The United States Department of Agriculture took 
 up the study of the many native varieties over 20 years ago and 
 since that tune has made a study of the breeding of hybrids pro- 
 ducing larger fruits of good quahty, good shippers, and fruits that 
 
 i*f*mst diseases 
 
 Fresh pmeapples found their way early mto Europe from such 
 tropical countries as enjoyed quick and adequate transportation 
 facihties. The area that could become a market for the fresh fruit, 
 however, was Umited not only by the difficulty of transpor- 
 tation, but by the necessity of offering a fruit cut m an unripened 
 condition and hence lackmg m the sweetness found m properly 
 ripened fruit. Add to these disadvantages lack of keepmg quahties, 
 cost, unf amiharity with the commodity, and the unpleasantness of 
 preparation for servmg, and it is not difficult to comprehend that the 
 general use of pineapple as an article of food could not have a rapid 
 development. 
 
 64630°— 15 2 ^ 
 
8 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 The swift growth of the canned-pineapple industry has demon- 
 strated clearty that the difficulties above enumerated have been 
 eliminated and that a new, important, and growing industry is 
 rapidly developing. This industry, which was inaugurated in Balti- 
 more, Md., one of the cradles of the canning industry in nearly every 
 line, is now carried on in many parts of the globe. The Baltimore 
 industry has suffered considerably from the competition of newer 
 rivals in the business. Tlie high-water mark of pacidng in Baltimore 
 was reached in 1900, when 65 boatloads of 4,500 to 15,000 tlozen 
 pineapples each arrived at that port. Receipts of this character 
 continued for a number of years, but after the growing of fruit in the 
 Bahama Islands dechned the saiUng ships were withdrawn and pine- 
 apples from Cuba took their place. These pineapples are brought in 
 crates by steamer from Cuba to New York and are then transshipped 
 in carload lots to Baltimore for packing. The crates contain 48, 42, 
 or 36 pineapples each, according to size. The fruits packed 48 to the 
 case average 22} ounces in weight and 11 to 12 inches in circum- 
 ference; those packed 42 to the case average 26 ounces and measure 
 12 to 13 inches; and those packed 36 to the case weigh 33 1 ounces 
 and measure 13 to 14 inches. The tops are included in the weight, 
 so that the fruit at present received is very small. An average price 
 for such fresh fruit is 4 cents each. 
 
 The Baltimore pineapples are packed in several forms, principally 
 shced (these being graded) and grated, in No. 1 and No. 2 cans. 
 Only three or four of the large Baltimore packing houses are continu- 
 ing the packing of pineapple, and the total annual output is probably 
 about 50,000 to 75,000 cases. 
 
 The principal supply is canned in the Territory of Hawaii, and the 
 next largest supply (shipped mostly to European countries) comes 
 from Singapore and the Straits Settlements. Other points of sup- 
 ply are the West Indies, Siam, Taiwan (Formosa), and the south of 
 China, and there are new establishments in Sarawak, Borneo, and 
 in the Philippines. Some pineapples are packed in parts of Russia 
 with fruit imported from tropical countries. The amounts of fruit 
 packed for export in the majority of the places mentioned are small 
 as compared with the Hawaiian or the Singapore pack. Hawaii, 
 however, more than doubled the output of Singapore, its older rival, 
 during 1913. In the West Indies pineapples are raised chiefly to be 
 sold as fresh fruit in the northern markets, although canning is done 
 on a small scale. 
 
 The pineapple-canning industry as at present constituted can, 
 therefore, be studied best through the factories in Hawaii and Singa- 
 pore, and a more casual study of the estabUshments in Siam, the 
 rhihppines, China, and Taiwan will give an idea of the possible 
 future development at those points. The Hawaiian factories will be 
 treated first because of their superiority in every respect to any of the 
 other factories. A comparison with the factories of Singapore will 
 explain the cheapness of the Singapore article as compared with the 
 Hawaiian, and a survey of the small estabUshments in China and the 
 part played by the Chinese in the manufacture in Siam and Singa- 
 pore will indicate a possible market that can be developed among the 
 Chinese by proper promotion of sales of the cheaper grades of Ameri- 
 can pineapple. Tne crude methods of manufacture now emploj^ed 
 in the majority of these oriental establishments and the inferiority 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 9 
 
 of the article there produced should be the key to f^^ujing the 
 European market when the opening of the Panama Canal brmgs that 
 market into closer touch with Hawan. A pubhcity campaign 
 throughout the European countries similar to that akeady under- 
 taken in America should solve the problem of a market for he 
 increasing product of the Hawaiian kctori^. A reduction m the 
 tariff in a number of European countries would helo considerably and, 
 in view of the fact that the canned pineapple would not compete with 
 home products, such a reduction might be obtamed. In Germany 
 Hawaiian pineapple, packed without sugar to obtam a lower rate of 
 duty, is repacked; and in this case there may be a question of compe-- 
 
 ' The European market is not thoroughly familiar with canned pine- 
 apple, and proper exploitation of this field, with judicious advertising 
 in the language of the country, should result m mcreased sales The 
 superior quaffty and attractiveness of the Hawaiian pmeapple will 
 carrv weight with the better class of consumers in Europe. 
 
 A number of photographs of fields and factories m the countries 
 visited were taken by the author and wiU be loaned for exammation 
 by the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce. 
 
 TERRITORY OF HAW AH. 
 
 The rapid development of the pineapple-canning industry in the 
 Hawaiian Islands is the result of the quick appreciation by the con- 
 suming pubUc of a really good product. It can be truthfully said 
 that modem canning methods have made possible the dehvery to 
 any part of the world of pineapple with a flavor nearer the naturaUy 
 ripened fruit than much of the so-called fresh pmeapple picked before 
 maturity to provide keeping quahties necessary for long shipment. 
 
 Pineapples were grown in a small way m the Hawauan Islands 
 about 1 890, but no canning was done until 1900. The followmg table 
 indicates the very rapid growth of the mdustry smce that date: 
 
 Years. 
 
 Cases. 
 
 IWl 
 
 1908 
 
 1903 
 
 1904 
 
 1905 
 
 1906 
 
 1907 
 
 2,000 
 
 6,000 
 
 9,800 
 
 25,500 
 
 61,300 
 
 84,300 
 
 186,300 
 
 Years. 
 
 410,000 
 498,000 
 625,000 
 751,000 
 1,200,000 
 1,667,000 
 
 i9i4::::::"::i"iiiiii;iii^i^""^^^ - .|"2,i77,ooo 
 
 1908 
 1909 
 1910 
 1911 
 1912 
 1913 
 
 Gases. 
 
 o Estimated. 
 
 ORGANIZATION OF THE INDUSTRY. 
 
 This great volume of business is the combined output of 10 separate 
 companies, one of which, on the Island of Hawau, is operat^ inter- 
 mittently. These factories are located as follows on the different 
 islands comprising the group: Island of Oahu, 6 factori^ ; island of 
 Maui, 2 factories; island of Kauai, 1 factory; island of Hawau, 1 
 factory (not regularly operated). , « i i 
 
 The companies operating the above cannenes are all r^larly 
 incorporated under the laws of the Territory, and are as foUows: 
 Island of Oahu-Hawaiian Pineapple Co. (LtdO ; Hawaiian Pres^v- 
 ing Co. (Ltd.); Libby, McNeill & Libby, of Honolulu (Ltd.); The 
 
10 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 Thomas Pineapple Co. (Ltd.); Hawaiian Islands Packing Co. (Ltd.); 
 Pearl City Fruit Co. (Ltd.). Island of Maui— Maui Fruit & Packing 
 Co. (Ltd.); Maui Pineapple Co. (Ltd.). Island of Kauai— Kauai 
 Fruit & Land Co. (Ltd.). Island of Hawaii — Not in operation. 
 
 There is a cooperative association made up of all these companies. 
 It has teen formed only a short time and is known as the Hawaiian 
 Pineapple Packers' Association. A fund approximating $65,000 was 
 raised m 1913 for the purpose of advertising the Hawaiian Islands 
 pineapple products. So far the association has no other oln'ect. 
 Membership is purely voluntary. No attempt is made to fix uniform 
 piices, and there has been no other cooperation than the fund for the 
 advertising campaign for the general good of the industry. 
 
 Pineapple growing and canning are confined principally to the 
 island of Oahu — nine-tenths of the business being concentrated there. 
 A description of the plantations and canneries on the island of Oahu 
 will serve to give a fair idea of the whole industry. 
 
 Until a few years ago the heart of the pineapple culture on the 
 island of Oahu was in the Wahiawa district, whicn is a large plateau 
 occupying the central portion of the island and having an dtitude 
 of 500 to 1,200 feet. This is somewhat hieher than the land used for 
 the production of sugar cane. Until lately this was practically the 
 only pineapple district, but recently considerable planting has been 
 effected on the windward side of the island and a large factory has 
 l^een erected in this new district. The direct transportation facili- 
 ties enjoyed by the island of Oahu from the Pacific coast and other 
 points and the concentration of business interests in Honolulu, the 
 principal port of the Territory, have, of course, had much influence 
 upon the development of the industry on this island as compared 
 with the others. In fact it was formerly necessary to transship all 
 the finished product from the island of Kauai to the outside ports at 
 Honolulu after paving the extra freight and handling on the inter- 
 island steamers, llegular calls are now being made, however, by 
 two of the lines of passenger and freight steamers to the islands of 
 Maui and Kauai, which will help the growth of the industry on these 
 islands. 
 
 PLANTS AND EQUIPMENT. 
 
 As the pineapple-canning industry is of recent growth, all the fac- 
 tories and equipment are not only new but are of the most modem 
 construction, with machinery of up-to-date pattern. The size of the 
 original plants in some cases has been doubled and even Quadrupled. 
 In these cases great care and thought have been used in tne arrange- 
 ments for handling the immense quantity of fruit, with a view to 
 economy and convenience, as well as to sanitary requirements. The 
 plant of the Hawaiian Pineapple Co. (Ltd.) is now being enlarged 
 and will be, when completed, probably the largest canning establish- 
 ment in the world with activities confined exclusively to a single 
 variety of fruit. 
 
 The lack at the outset of any type of machinery for handling 
 
 Eineapples required concentrated study and experiment, all of which 
 as resulted in the development of remarkaldy satisfactory apparatus. 
 Several of the newer patented machines will save a large part (^f the 
 waste that was unavoidable with the earlier types, and recently 
 
 CANNED-PIJSEAPPLli; INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 11 
 
 satisfactory methods have been developed for utilizing the great 
 quantity of juice that heretofore has not only been wasted I ut has 
 been a source of expense owing t'^ the trouble of removing it. There 
 is still room for machinery or methods that will sunplify the disposal 
 of the skins and waste material now burned or thrown into the sea, 
 or, what would 1 e much 1 etter, some satisfactory method for using 
 what is not only a waste but an expense. 
 
 TheJirst factories were erected in the pineapple district. Ihis was 
 and still is satisfactory to several companies, but the completion of 
 the railroad— a distance of about 22 miles— from the Wahiawa pine- 
 apple distiict to Honolulu in 1907 has made possible the estabbsh- 
 EQent of factories at the sliipping port, where labor is more plentiful. 
 As a result three factories have been built at Honolulu since that 
 date, two, formerly in this Wahiawa district, having consohdated and 
 erected a new plant at Honolulu. ^ ^ ^^_ i * 
 
 The cannhig of pineapple continues to some extent throughout 
 the year, alth?ueh the larger portion of the pack is put up between 
 the "months of May and September. Thrc ughout the season the 
 pickei-s in the fields go along tlie rows cutting only the pir.eapples 
 that are fully ripe. After cutting off the crowns, which are left at 
 the end of the rows in the fields to be used for replanting, the pine- 
 apples are placed in strong wooden l)oxe3 holding from 15 to 20 
 pineapples _each, according to the weight or size, the usual \veight 
 (ferred-Tor canning 1 eing between^ and 4 jpounds. These bcxes 
 have a handhold in each end and are easHy piled without injuring 
 the fruit. They are loaded on wagons or open cars and taken directly 
 from the fields to the canning house. Here the boxes are miloaded on 
 a platform, usually onto a two-wheeled truck carrymg from 6 to 10 
 boxes at a time, and wheeled to the peelmg machines without delay. 
 
 There are a number of devices used for peeling the rmd and eyes 
 from the pineapple. The older types resembled an apple-paring 
 machine and made it necessary to pare too deep to remove aU trace 
 of the eye. The presence of a small speck of eye m the edge of a 
 slice is considered a decided fault. The apple-parer type also 
 introduced the human equation to a large extent; the shape of the 
 pineapple after paring depended largely on the operator, the tapering 
 ends of the fruit making the task of shaping the fruit somewhat 
 diilicult. The newer machinery has combined this step of removing 
 the rind and eves with several succeeding steps in the process, so that 
 the latest machine not only pares but removes the core and sizes the 
 pineapple to the proper diameter to fit the can, and, finally, another 
 machine, connected with the first, slices the sized fruit, i t is needless 
 to state that this newer machine is rapidly displacing the older types 
 that required handling for each step of preparation. The sizmg of 
 the pineapple in order to fit the can is one of the sources of loss m 
 pineapple canning. The market seems to demand a slice with a 
 diameter of approximatehUiiJnches, or at least this is the only size 
 the market has known. Thismay^e due either to the established 
 size of the cans or to some settled custom of the sales agents, but the 
 result is that all pineapples are sized to the one diameter no matter 
 what the size of the fruit. This creates^^mand for a small pine- 
 apple, one weighing from W to^^^poundsrandTthe finer fruit, Weighing 
 from~6''^nmpdundsr'must be sized accordmgly. Formerly the 
 
12 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OP THE WORLD. 
 
 portion pared off was wasted, and with large fruit it was not unusual 
 to lose as much as 40 per cent in this manner. Now, this outer 
 section is run through a machine that macerates the flesh and sep- 
 arates it from the rind and eyes. This is the product known as 
 crushed or crated pineapple. Incidentally the outer portion of the 
 fruit, which nas been exposed to the sun, is the very sweetest part and 
 contains the greatest percentage of sugar. This new grated product 
 has therefore saved from waste the choicest part of the pineapple. 
 
 As the pineapple passes through the sizmg, paring, and slicing 
 machine, the rina and attached flesh drops to a conveyor belt moving 
 toward the macerator. it is fed from this conveyor automatically 
 into the macerator, coming out into large buckets, whence it is 
 carried by men to the cookmg vats, the refuse rind and eyes being 
 separated from it in the tnacerator and carried to the press. These 
 eyes and skins are put through a press for the purpose of extracting 
 as much of the watery juice as possible. The pulp is then carried by 
 another conveyor belt to an incinerator, wnere it is reduced to 
 ashes. 
 
 The main portion of the pineapple passes from the paring, sizing, 
 and slicing machine in another direction over a separate set of con- 
 veyor belts between lines of women at tables. These women, wearing 
 rubber gloves, select the various grades of shces from the moving 
 belt. Tne first women pick out the best sUces, of which it jtakes. eight 
 tojill a^No. 2i can, while the women further fdongTHelBelt take the 
 second grades^fslices, and the women at the end receive the poorest 
 or broken sUces, with which they fill the cans containing the cheapest 
 grades. The flesh of the fruit as put up in Hawaii is so juicy and 
 tender that it is easily broken, so that a large proportion of good 
 and palatable fruit goes into the lower grades 
 
 After the cans have been filled with slices from the belts and 
 placed at the back of the table, they are removed by men to other 
 conveyor belts, which in turn carry the cans to a point where the 
 proper amount of sirup is added. This done, the belt conveys them 
 through the usual steam box for exhausting, from which they con- 
 tinue to the automatic double-seamer capping machine, all cans used 
 being of the sanitary type. After capping, tney are placed in trays 
 and transferred to the open-bath processing tank, where they are 
 allowed to remain about ;j() minutes, in some of the factories this 
 tank is a long affair and the tray is suspended by a chain attached to 
 a moving track near the ceihng. This moves at a rate slow enough 
 to allow the tray containing the cans to remain in the processing tank 
 the full 30 minutes. At tne end of the tank the carrying track is 
 constructed on an upgrade, thereby lifting the tray ana cans bodily 
 out of the tank, after which, by a down grade in the track, the tray 
 is lowered into the cooling tank just beyond. The cans are then 
 tested for leaks in the usual way and sometimes also by pressure and 
 by sound. 
 
 It should be noted that in the method described the fruit is prac- 
 tically never touched by the human hand from the time it is ])eeled, 
 the rubber gloves of the sorters being the nearest approach to it. 
 Some of the packei-s use cans enameled both inside and outside, while 
 some use cans enameled on the outside only, and there are a number 
 who do not use any enamel on the cans. 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 UTILIZATION OF FORMER WASTE PRODUCTS. 
 
 13 
 
 Within the last year or two a demand has been created for the 
 cores, which were formerly thrown away. These cores are not unus- 
 ually stringy or tough in the ripe fruit of the Hawauan pmeapple, and 
 make a much-liked product of the confectionery trade when manu- 
 factured into chocolate-coated or glac6 pmeapple. At one of the 
 factories it was stated that the demand for these cores was greater 
 than the supply and that some attempt had been made to cut the 
 whole pineapple into square strips about the size of the core to cor- 
 respond with the Singapore chunks. This has not proved altogether 
 successful, however, because the flesh is too tender to hold together 
 after opening the cans and during the process of further manufacture 
 by the confectioners. The cores are usually packed whole, but a few 
 are cut into shorter lengths. They constitute about 5 per cent of 
 the entire pack. One of the larger factories has been unable to 
 dispose of aU of the cores produced, and this suggests that a proper 
 campaign among the confectioners usin^ pmeapple might result in 
 the substitution of Hawaiian cores for Smgapore chunks, m view of 
 the superior flavor and texture. . 
 
 The greatest waste existing up to the present time m packing was 
 from the loss of juice. The pineapples as brought in from the fields 
 are fully ripe, and the fruit is permeated with a luscious juice, which 
 is pressed out and wasted at every process of cutting and haiidhng 
 by the various machines. The disposition of this juice had become 
 a source of considerable expense during the busy season, and in 
 some of the larger canneries more than 10,000 gallons were daily 
 pumped into the sea. To avoid this expense, several of the factories 
 have commenced bottling the juice. One of the methods followed 
 in the bottUng is as follows : After being caught in vessels or troughs 
 placed under the different machines the juice is placed m a press and 
 strainer to separate it from any particles of fruit that are collected 
 at the same time. It is then pumped through aluminum pipes 
 (which are not affected bv the acid of the fruit) to a filter through 
 which it percolates. It is then brought to the boiling point in a 
 silver-lined vat, after which it is bottled, sealed, and processed. 
 Great care is taken not to fill the bottles too full. The juice is not 
 sweetened, as it contains about 7 per cent sugar and can be used as a 
 beverage without sugar or water. It is improved by the addition 
 of crushed ice. 'As this is only a comparatively new product the 
 quantity so far bottled has not been large. If the market can be 
 developed as rapidly for this product as it has been for the canned 
 pineapple itself, a valuable addition will have been made to the 
 earnings of the various canneries. A promising market for this juice 
 should be found in tropical countries where beverages of various 
 sorts are constantly used, especially in the countries where religious 
 principles have made the inhabitants total abstainers from fermented 
 
 or strong liquors. . „ . . ^ n 
 
 Pineapple juice is put up in the following containers: GaUon cans; 
 
 quart bottles, 12 to the case; pint bottles, 24 to the case; half-pmt 
 
 bottles, 36 to the case; and quarter-pint bottles, 72 to the case. 
 
 The output in 1912 was about 50,000 cases of pineapple juice. 
 
 Various experiments along different luies have been made durmg 
 
 the last few years in an endeavor to find a use for this juice by-product 
 
 (__ 
 
14 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 m the manufacture of alcohol, vinegar, or other experimental prod- 
 ucts, but the great demands already made upon tne various com- 
 panies in koepmg pace with the growth of their factories or in the 
 study of machineiT fitted to simplify the preparation of fruit for 
 canning have made it impossible to devote much time to such 
 experiments. 
 
 What promises to be a satisfactory utilization of the juice, however, 
 has been evolved by a San Francisco firm of chemists who, in March, 
 1913, began some laboratory experimentation with the idea of devel- 
 oping processes by which pineapple juice might be made to yield a 
 revenue. A systematic research was conducted, with the result that 
 definite processes and products apparently of a satisfactory quality 
 were developed. One of these was the extraction of sugar from the 
 pineapple juice, which could be used as sugar sirup in canning, thus 
 rehevmg the pineapple companies of the necessity of purchasing 
 sugar for canning purposes. The first step was to interest capital 
 for the commercial operation of these processes. Several of the 
 largest producers of pineai)ple juice were approached and an option 
 askod for a period of one year on all the waste juice produced. A 
 small commeicial exneriment was carried out during June, July, and 
 August of 1913, and sufTicient sugar sirup was produced from the 
 juice to can 60 cases of pineapple. This sirup was submitted to the 
 various canners and thoroughly approved as satisfactory. Test cuts 
 were made of the pineapple canned with this sirup and seemed thor- 
 oughly satisfactory durmg the following fall and winter. Contracts 
 were then made with several of the larger factoiies to dehver all of 
 their waste juice to the new concern for a period of 10 years from 
 June 1, 1915. The agreement carried with it the repurchase from the 
 new concern of all the sugar sirup produced fiom the waste juice at 
 the market price for refined sugar on the unit basis. Tlie net profits 
 resulting from the recovery of the waste is to be equally divided 
 between the pineapple companies and the new sugar-producing com- 
 pany. The contracts allow the new company the period of one year 
 m which to erect an experimental ])lant sufficient in size to produce 
 sirup to pack 10,000 cases of ])ineapple, and if at the end of this 
 experinient the sirup proves tlioroughly satisfactory and the cost of 
 recoscring is such that the project willprove a profitable commercial 
 undertaking, the 10-year contract will become effective and the new 
 company will be required to handle all of the wast^ juice produced 
 by the pineapple companies with whom they have made this 
 agreement. 
 
 Buildings and equipment costing in the neigliborliood of $80,000 
 are now being constructed and will be capable of handling 50 tons of 
 waste juice per day. The buildings under construction are three in 
 number— one to be 120 by 60 feet, one story hi,t^h; one to be 60 by 
 40 feet, throe stories high; and a building for a 1 00-liorsepower power 
 plant. This factory will handle 50 tons of waste per day of 10 
 hours, and is estimated to produce 5 tons of sugar equal to 10 tons 
 of canned sirup. '1 his new plant is located near two of the largest 
 pineapple-canning estabhshments in Honolulu and the waste will be 
 carried from them to the recovery ])lant l)y a ])ipe line and the sirup 
 returned to the canneries by the same method. If the results ob- 
 tained from this $80,000 experiment are thoroughly satisfactory to 
 the producers and the new company, the contracts call for an enlarge- 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 15 
 
 ment of the plant to handle 250 tons of waste per day. As a matter 
 of fact, since the ripening of the pineapple can not be controlled, it 
 is ])lanned to enlarge the plant so that it will have a capacity of 
 approximately 500 tons of waste per day. This equipment will cost 
 in the neighborhood of $250,000. 
 
 No attempt will be made at first to produce in commercial quan- 
 tities other ])roducts that are recoverable from the juice, but the 
 ex])eriments indicate that the sugar for sirup will not be the only 
 product that will eventually be recovered in the new plant. 
 
 'i he experiments of making fiber from the leaves of pmeapple 
 plants that are no longer fit for bearing fruit seem to promise a 
 further utilization of the waste. Experiments carried on in Hawau 
 at the sisal mills produced a satisfactory fiber. 
 
 PRICES AND WEIGHTS. 
 
 The prices given in the following table are for the 1912 pack: 
 
 Sires. 
 
 Slices to can. 
 
 Extra 
 sliced. 
 
 Extra 
 grated or 
 crushed 
 
 sweet. 
 
 Extra 
 prtited or 
 crushed 
 in juice. 
 
 Standard 
 sliced. 
 
 Standard 
 
 grated or 
 
 crushed 
 
 sweet. 
 
 Standard 
 grated or 
 crushed 
 in juice. 
 
 Tidbits. 
 
 No.2i 
 
 No. 2 squat 
 
 No. -'taU 
 
 No. liaat 
 
 No. 1, or buflet... 
 No 8 
 
 Sthick 
 
 ethick 
 
 10 thin 
 
 4thick 
 
 5tbin 
 
 Per dot. 
 $2.()0 
 1.6.') 
 1.50 
 1.30 
 1.00 
 6.00 
 
 Per doz. 
 11.75 
 1.55 
 1.45 
 1.30 
 .95 
 5.75 
 
 Per doz. 
 11.60 
 
 i.*35" 
 
 4.75 
 
 Per doz. 
 $1.75 
 
 i.'35' 
 
 *95' 
 
 5.25 
 
 Per doz. 
 $1.60 
 
 i.'3o' 
 
 ."96' 
 
 5.25 
 
 Per doz. 
 
 Per doz. 
 $1.95 
 
 i.'45 
 
 
 i.'66 
 
 S4.50 
 
 5.00 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 The shipping weights per case of the foregoing sizes are as follows: 
 No. 2i, 63 pounds, 2 dozen to the case; No. 2 squat, 49 pounds, 2 
 dozen to the case; No. 2 tall, 44 pounds, 2 dozen to the case; No. IJ 
 flat, 63 pounds, 4 dozen to the case; No. 1, or buffet, 43 pounds, 4 
 dozen to the case; No. 8, 1 dozen to the case. 
 
 The net weights for various sizes are as follows: No. 2i, in sirup, 
 1 pound 14 ounces; No. 2i, in juice, 1 pound 13 ounces; No. 2 tall, 
 in sirup, 1 poun<l 4 ounces; No. 2 tall, in juice, 1 pound 3 ounces; 
 No. 2 squat, in sirup or juice, 1 pound 3 ounces; No. 2 squat, special, 
 in sirup or juice, 1 pound 7 ounces; No. IJ, in sirup or juice, 14 
 ounces; No. 1, in sirup or juice, 9 ounces; No. J, in sirup or juice 
 7 ounces; No. 8 or 10, in sirup or juice, 6 pounds or over. 
 
 The prices for s])ecial soda-fountain crushed pinea])ple, packed m 
 extra heavy cane-sugar sirup, ready for use at soda fountain, were 
 as follows in 1912: No. 2 tall, 2 dozen to case, $2.25 per dozen; 
 No. 5, 1 dozen to case, $5.50; No. 8, 1 dozen to case, $8; No. 2i, 
 extra whole, sweet, $2; No. 2i, extra whole, in juice, $1.85; No. 8, 
 cores in juice, $2.50; No. 8, broken, in juice, $4.50; No. 8, broken, 
 sweet, $5; No. 8, unsweetened juice, $3.75. 
 
 CANNING SEASON AND LABOR PROBLEM. 
 
 Owing to the climate of the Hawaiian Islands, and the fact that 
 the temperature does not vary more than 10 degrees the year round, 
 the fruit continues to ripen throughout the year to some extent; as 
 a consequence there is always a small quantity of pineapple being 
 canned. The main portion of the crop, however, ripens between 
 
 64630*— 15-«— 3 
 
u 
 
 16 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OP THE WOBLD. 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 17 
 
 May and October, August being the principal month. This has the 
 effect of requiring more labor during these busy months than can be 
 kept busy in the fields and factories regularly. The fact that this 
 busy season m the pmeapple gathering and canning is to some extent 
 the off season in the sugar industry relieves the situation somewhat, 
 but the labor problem m the islands is fast becoming a serious one 
 and much effort has been made to induce immigration of laboring 
 classes from Russia, Portugal, Porto Rico, the PhUippine Island^ 
 and other countries. The expense incurred is provided for bv a 
 special mcome tax supplemented by contributions from the sugar 
 and pmeapple mterests. ^ 
 
 • 
 
 CULTIVATION OP THE PINEAPPLE. 
 
 The islands comprising the Hawaiian group are of volcanic origin 
 and the soils have been formed largely from the basaltic lava bv 
 chemical changes, dismtegration, etc. These soils vary largely de- 
 pendmg upon the altitude at which they are found. The is^nds are 
 divided usually by ranges of hills, mountains, or volcanoes attaining 
 an altitude of 13,675 feet. The trade winds prevail for about '^GO 
 
 H?£f tI ^i*^f?u ^^?^ ¥^^ * ^^^^^ influence upon the tempera- 
 
 ^^'^ The side of the islands exposed to these wincfe is known as the 
 
 wmdwardj' side. The backbone of the islands acts as a condenser 
 
 of the moisture earned by the trade winds, with the result that there 
 
 «!/o'^'J^ fl^^^f ''f'^/'ll ^J" ^^® windward side than on the leeward 
 side. On the island of Oahu, upon which the greater portion of the 
 pmeapp es are grown, the backbone of mountains divides the island 
 mieauaUy, leaving the greater proportion of tillable land on the lee- 
 
 T^o nf ^ri'^^''-^ ^}\? S'^^ ""^ Honolulu, the chief seaport, is located. 
 This tillable land m the lower altitudes is given up almost entirely to 
 sugar-cane culture but the level plateau, known as the Wehaiwa 
 plateau, with an altitude of 500 to 1,200 feet, has been appropriated 
 exclusivehr for pmeapple production. In this locality tte rainfall 
 seems sufficient and tfie soil well suited for pineapples, except for the 
 exc^s of manganese, which gives the plants a somewhat yellow color 
 vet does not seem to affect the flavor or quantity unfavorably The 
 land on this plateau is comparatively level and can be plowed bv 
 traction engines or other power machinery drawing a number of 
 plows. Various types of tractors are in use, the most satisfactory 
 apparently bemg of the caterpiUar type or those having wheels with 
 broad beanng surfaces. Although tte soil is loose and spongy it 
 packs below the depth of ordinary cultivation, so that itibecomes 
 necessary to plow to a great depth (even as much as 26 inches) every 
 fewvears to allow aeration as well as to aid m drainage. 
 
 Ihe pmeapple plant matures and bears 18 months after planting. 
 
 w!S In? ^"^^/"^^ Jf ^^^' ^f:^''?^ or sprouts spring from between the 
 leaves below the fruit. Ordmanly two of these ratoons on each plant 
 are allowed to remam for a second crop, which matures in 12 months 
 while the remainder are removed and the best used for starting new 
 plants. New plants are also grown from the tops, which are cut from 
 the omeapples and allowed to remain in the field from 10 days to 2 
 weeks before plantmg, experience having taught that tops set out too 
 soon after bemg cut off would rot ancf not set out roots. A third 
 ratoon crop is sometimes allowed to grow after the second crop has 
 
 been harvested, but it is usually more satisfactory to plow the soil 
 deeply and start an entirely new planting. 
 
 The planting distances vary. The plants used per acre run from 
 '^SOO to 12,000. Planting closely has the effect of producing a 
 smaller pineapple, which is desired by the'canners for the purpose 
 of reducing the loss in ''sizing" to the diameter of the cans. (>n 
 some plantations the pineapples are planted in rows 4 feet apart and 
 spaced 18 inches or 2 feet in the rows. Others are planted in beds of 
 two, three, or four rows, with alleys between each bed for cultivatini; 
 and harvesting. On one of the newer plantations on the windward 
 side of the island, the plants were set out 2 feet by 2 feet, with the idea 
 of obtaining a larger crop of small pineapples (3 to 4 pounds) the first 
 year of bearing. The chief difficulty in this case is that of harvesting 
 
 A new pineapple-growing district on the island of Oahu has been 
 developed within the last few years on the narrower windward side of 
 the island. While this district is smaller than the Wehaiwa district 
 and has a very limited area of level land, there are several advantages 
 that offset the greater difficulties of cultivation. The greater rainfall 
 is a matter of vital importance, and the absence of manganese found 
 in the Wehaiwa district is also an advantage. The undulating and 
 even precipitous character of the land available for cultivation is a 
 serious drawback, however. The overcoming of this obstacle is truly 
 remarkable, and the various steep hillsides and ravines planted m 
 lines or in plats following the different slopes give a striking effect 
 where the green rows show out plainly against the red soil. 
 
 Soma of the hillside plowaag can be accomplished only by mule 
 teams, yet the area under cultivation is niinually increasing m this 
 section iTi spite of these difficidties. The new canning factory of 
 Lihby, McNeill & Libbv is located i\ this district near the shore. 
 This 'is one of the largest and newest plants on the islands. Tha 
 finished product from this cannery is carried around the island to 
 Honolulu in small boats owned by the company. Some of the 
 material used is carried across the ridge in automobile trucks. 
 
 There is practically only one variety of pineapple grown on tha 
 islands— the Smooth Cayenne. For a number of years, before th3 
 commercial growing of pineapples, a native variety resembling the 
 Spai.ish Red was grown, but this was of small siz3 and not equal in 
 flavor to the Smooth Cayenne. After the introduction of the new 
 type, the size and flavor peculiar to the Hawaiian pineapple soon 
 attracted attention and now this variety is the estai^Ushed type. 
 
 GENERAL REMARKS. 
 
 The climate and soil of the Hawaiian Islands, together with the 
 success of the Smooth Cayenne variety of pineapple under the con- 
 ditions prevailing there, has produced a most successful fruit with a 
 flavor as fine as can be found in any section of the world. The 
 modern well-ventilated buildinp:s and nearly automatic equipment 
 of the various plants and the small amount of handling during the 
 different processes of canning leave little to be desired in the matter 
 of cleanliness. That changes along certain lines will be made seems 
 unquestionable. The great waste of juice will be overcome as 
 experiments show a satisfactory use to which it can be put or the 
 
18 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WOELD. 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 19 
 
 piil)lic acquires a taste for it as quickly as it did for the pineapple 
 itself. It would also seem that larger slices should be packed in 
 shorter cans of greater diameter. Such superior slices coxud le sold 
 as a fancy brand, and while, of course, some new or additional 
 machinery would be needed, it would permit the utilization of the 
 finest fniit %vithout the necessity of placing so much of the I est por- 
 tion of the fruit in tha lower grades. 
 
 PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. 
 
 That the Philippine Islands may become an important factor in the 
 canned-pineapple industry Icfore many yeais is indicated ly the 
 beginning: made Ly the Philippine Pineapple Co., incoij)orated in 
 1912. This company, made up entirely of Americans, nas gained 
 from the exj)erience of the Hawaiian pineapple cann.eries and is start- 
 ing with the adyautags of perfected machinery, a modern plant, and 
 much k-owledge of methods necessary to successful culture. 
 
 The Philippine Pineapple Co. is capitalized at $50,000 gold, and has 
 an ollice in Mai ila. The company's canning plant and pineapj^le 
 plantation is located at Pinelands near Cabanatuan, Xueya Ecija, 
 in the northeastern portion of the island of Luzon. 
 
 The plantation consists of a leasehold of about 2,500 acres of pul lie 
 land under a 25-year lease. Of this land about 150 acres are now 
 under cultivation and planted in pineapples. The cultiyated area 
 will be increased annually. The Smooth Cayenne variety of pine- 
 apple so satisfactory in Hawaii has i eeii the only variety planted, 
 and the soil, like that in Hawaii, is of vokuir.ic origin. The fust 
 500,000 plants set out should ripen in 1914. 
 
 The cannery is a building 76 feet bjr 120 feet, two stories high in 
 the center, and is equipped with American and Hawaiian machinery 
 of the most up-to-date type. The fruit-handling machinery, which 
 has a capacity of 32,000 cases per month, was ol)taii ed from the 
 ' Honolulu Iron, Works; the canning machinery has been suppUed by 
 the Max-Ams Co., of New York. 
 
 As there are no can-making factories in the Philippines it has been 
 necessary to install can-making machinery at the plant, as is the case 
 in all Far Eastern canning plants. The Philippine Pineappl? Co. has 
 installed Max-Ams apparatus with a capacity of 1^0,000 sanitary 
 cans per month. The power plant for the establishment was ol tained 
 from the Kingsland Manufacturing Co., of New York. With the 
 installation of some additional units the capacity of the cannery can 
 be increased from its present possible output of 32,000 cases per 
 month to 100,000 cases per month. 
 
 Since the first pack is to be made in 1914 it is difTicult to state how 
 well the product will be able to compete with the Singapore and 
 other Far Eastern pineapples in price, nut in quality and attractive- 
 ness it will be greatly superior to any of the crudely prepared oriental 
 products. 
 
 SINGAPORE. 
 
 The quantity of canned pineapple annually exported from Singa- 
 pore for the last 20 years has created in many parts of the world a 
 "chop" (as the Chinese characterize trade-mark) for Singapore 
 pineapple. Until the advent of the Hawaiian canned pineapple 
 
 into the market Singapore probably canned more pineapple than 
 any other district in the world. 
 
 Singapore City is located on Sini^apore Island, a part of the English 
 colony known as the Straits Settlements. The city is probably the 
 most cosmopolitan in the world, for everjr nation of the Far East is 
 represented, as well as the commercial nations of Europe. There are 
 also a few Americans. No nation, however, has shown the same 
 adaptability to business conditions as the Chinese, who have gained 
 control of most of the small retail business. 
 
 It is interesting to watch the progress of the newcomer from 
 China. He may be practically penniless, and nearly naked, but by 
 patience, sobriety, willingness to accept any character of work, and 
 to work long hours, he will in a year or two improve his condition by 
 saving out of an income that would spell starvation for a white man. 
 It is not long before he is in business for himself, perhaps, as a be- 
 ginning, with a cooking outfit slung on a bamboo pole across his 
 shoulder. He is next found in a tiny building of his own, and is soon 
 ready to take part in the larger enterprises. It is not strange, then, 
 to find the entu^e Singapore pineapple industry in the hanos of the 
 Chinese; all of the 14 factories are owned and operated exclusively 
 by them. The same steady advance made by the individual China- 
 man is to be noted in the companies of Chinese pineapple manufac- 
 turers. They have acquired the various pineapple factories from the 
 original foreign owners, or from weaker owners of their own nation- 
 ality, until now the 14 factories are controlled by 9 companies, some 
 of which show signs of merging into the larger concerns at an early 
 
 date. 
 
 The first pineapple-canning establishment was opened about 25 
 years ago by an Austrian, Mr. Landau, and his sons, m the independ- 
 ent Malay State of Jahor, immediately adjacent to the island of 
 Singapore. Mr. Landau, and later his sons, operated this plant 
 successfully for a number of years, but finally sold out to one of 
 the Chinese firms that had in the meanwhile begun operations on 
 the island of Singapore. This company, known as the Jit Sin Co., 
 is the largest and most successful of the pineapple companies. It 
 owns or controls 4 of the 14 factories in Singapore, and also owns 
 and operates an establishment at Bang-Kla, Siam, which was opened 
 three years ago. The total output of these 14 factories is about 
 600,000 to 700,000 cases per annum, 24 to 48 cans to the case, accord- 
 ing to sizes. The exports for 1912 amounted to 580,000 cases. 
 
 FACTORIES AND EQUIPMENT. 
 
 About one-half of the factories are located in the city of Singapore 
 itself; the others are in the suburbs, and one is located in the pine- 
 apple district 7 miles from the city. Practically none of them nave 
 modern buildings. Those in the more closely built-up sections of 
 the city are remodeled buildings, with large open sheds constructed 
 in the yards or courts in the rear of the main building. All are of 
 simple construction, and are equipped with few labor-saving devices. 
 
 Those in the suburbs are better rrorn the sanitary point of view, as 
 well as from the standpoint of convenience. The factory site in the 
 suburbs xisually occupies from one-half to an acre of land, and con- 
 sists of a series of one-storied spreading sheds, mostly open, having 
 
20 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WOULD. 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 21 
 
 the advantage at least of aUowing ample light and air. Not one of 
 the factories represents any great investment of money; in fact, a 
 number of them are buildings originally erected for other purposes, 
 which, having failed, made possible the purchase or rent of the build- 
 ings at a low figure. One, for example, was originally constructed 
 as a series of cow or bullock barns, and is in fact the most substantial 
 building used as a factory on the island, having cement floors through-* 
 out, and brick and cement columns supporting tile roofs. In all of 
 the factories, however, cement floors are to be found, probably as a 
 protection against the ants rather than for sanitary reasons. How- 
 ever, the fruit-handling equipment in the majority of these factonc^ 
 is most primitive and meager. Long wooden tables are surrounded 
 by high wooden four-logged stools, upon which the Chinese coohe 
 workere squat in orientalfashion; many of the coolies, however, squat 
 on the tables, where they have a firmer position and are closer to the 
 
 There is no machinery for preparing the fruit for the cans, all of 
 this work bemg done by hand. The siruping is done by hand, and m 
 the majority of cases the capping, soldering, and placing of the caM 
 in the processing vats and then* removal are also done by nand. 
 There are absolutely no conveyors or other labor-saving devices 
 used in the actual canning of the fruit. The only equipment of 
 modern type besides the iron processing kettles is the double-seaming 
 a])paratus. As all of the cans used by each factory are manufactured 
 at the factory certain can-making machinery has been absolutely 
 necessary, but except in a few cases this is of the simplest form 
 and in many cases of the most antiquated type. Usually this can- 
 making machinery is located in a separate portion of the factory, 
 although not necessarily so, as the solderers or the double-seamer 
 machines must be near at hand to cap and solder the filled cans 
 before they are immersed in the processing kettles. 
 
 METHODS OF CANNING. 
 
 The pineapples are usually dehvered at the factory in bullock carts 
 from the country plantations 7 to 10 miles away, or sometinaes by 
 small native boats called '' sampans" on the canals or branches of 
 creeks that run through the city and suburbs. Many of the canneries 
 have erected small sheds along the canal front where the pineapples 
 are unloaded from the sampans. Here, after the top crown is cut 
 off, the pmeapples are sorted into large baskets. These baskets are 
 then carried direct to the long tables of the preparing sheds by coohes, 
 each basket containing about 30 pmeapples. The pineapples average 
 about 3 pounds, not many larger fruits being received. The largest 
 fruits are then taken to the tables where whole or shced pmeapple 
 is prepared for the can, while the smaller sizes are taken to tables 
 to be cut into chunks or cubes. 
 
 All of the work is done by Chinese men, usually brought from 
 Amoy or Swatow, China. All preparation is done by hand, the 
 equipment consisting of the broad table, one rubber glove m which 
 the pineapple is held, and a broad knife with a short handle, the blade 
 being about 9 inches long and 5 inches broad. In preparing the 
 pineapple for canning whole or in shces, the coohe grasps the pine- 
 apple in his rubber-gloved hand, proceeds to pare the rind from the 
 fruit by a continuous series of cuts or jerks, removing the rind from 
 
 the main portion of the fruit as one thin strip. A second cut pares 
 the rind from the receding portion of one end, and a third cut pares 
 the rind from the receding portion of the other end. A slice is then 
 taken from each end of the fruit, removing all trace of the stem on the 
 base and of the top. As the removal of this thin tough rind in no way 
 ehminatcs the eves from the fruit, these are taken out by the next 
 ( (.olio at the long table. The removal of the rind requires consider- 
 able dexterity, as just enough must be removed to leave the pineapple 
 the size to fit a can (two sizes are usually cut). After the rind is 
 removed each fruit as cut is tried in the sample can located con- 
 venientlv near the coohe, and if of the right size, is passed on to the 
 next operation; otherwise a small additional shaving is given to 
 make a proper fit. The paring consumes about one minute per 
 pineapple, including the handUng and trial fitting in the can. 
 
 The next step is 'the removal of the eyes. The eyes are arranged 
 in spiral fines around the fruit, running diagonally from top to 
 bottom, and as they extend into the body of the fruit for quite a 
 depth, the removal of an outer circular section of the flesh deep 
 enough to clear the fruit of eyes, as is done with the larger fruit of 
 Hawaii, would leave entirely too small a fruit to fill a single can 
 and also remove a great portion of the best part of the flesh. The 
 smallness of the Singapore pineapple and its rather dry and fibrous 
 ilesh as compared with the large juicy Hawaiian pineapple is very 
 marked. It is impossible to remove as much of the tender exterior 
 flesh as is done in Hawaii because the center of the fruit is tough and 
 inferior. The eyes themselves are therefore removed. They are not 
 removed singly but in the spiral fines in whic^h they are placed; the 
 triangular groove is cut by hand. This operation, while laborious, 
 is interesting because of the dexterity with which it is accomplished. 
 The coohe grasps the pared pineapple in his rubber-gloved hand, 
 and with his knife in the other makes his first diagonal cut on an 
 angle covering about three eyes at a stroke. The second similar cut 
 at an opposite angle completes the removal of a triangular strip 
 containing from two to three eyes. He then proceeds, revolving the 
 fruit and making these inverted triangular grooves spu-ally anmnd 
 the fruit, requiring an average of 70 to 80 separate strokes to remove 
 all of the eyes from a pineapple. So dexterous are these coohes that 
 the operation of removing the eyes from a pineapple consumes only 
 about one and three-fourths to two minutes. The appearance of the 
 pineapple when the operation is completed can hardlj' be said to be 
 attractive. The irregular spiral grooves and remaining traces of 
 eyes leave the friut with a somewhat ragged corkscrew appearance. 
 
 Usually these pineapples are immediately placed in shallow scoop- 
 Hke baskets and taken to the tables, where they are slipped into 
 cans— many being canned whole. If they are to be sliced, a small 
 wooden stand is placed on the table. On the top of this stand two 
 narrow strips of wood are nailed far enough apart to allow the pine- 
 apple to pass between them. The knife slides along these strips of 
 wood and slices the pineapple held in position by the rubber-gloved 
 hand of the operator. The shces are then placed in the tins at the 
 next table, to which they are carried in baskets or tin buckets by 
 
 coolies. 
 
 When the pijieapples are to be cut into chunks or cubes, an en- 
 tirely different method of handling prevails. The first operator tak- 
 
22 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 23 
 
 ing the pineapple from the basket cuts a slice from each end of the 
 fruit. He then removes the rinds by eight vertical cuts, leaving the 
 fruit in octagonal form, with parts of rind and all the eyes showing. 
 He then proceeds by four vertical cuts to slice the octagonal-shaped 
 fruit into five slices. The first and the last are thin and full of eyes, 
 and the outer edges of the three remaining slices are also full of eyes. 
 The portions containing eyes are chopped up into irregular pieces 
 approximately three-fourths of an inch long and form the very in- 
 ferior cubes for local and cheap Chinese consumption. The three 
 central slices are in turn cut into pieces about three-fourths of an 
 inch square by 2i inches long, called '* chunks,'* and the outer cd^es 
 containing eyes go into the inferior classes of cubes. If any portion 
 of the sections that are to be cut into chunks show rot, or such traces 
 of eyes as spoil their appearance, they are cut into cubes about three- 
 fourths inch square. These cubes go to China or other less exacting 
 markets. The cutting of a pineapple into chunks and cubes calls for 
 approximately 30 separate cuts ol the knife per pineapple and about 
 30 to 40 additional movements of the hand to place the fruit or 
 slices in position for the next cut. Care and attention is required 
 not only m secuiing uniform sizes and shapes but in eliminating por- 
 tions of remaining eyes and specks of rot. The average time con- 
 sumed in preparing a pineapple for chunks or cubes by a fairly expert 
 coolie is about two nunutes, but there is loss of time in the handling 
 and sorting that makes it impossible to average a pineapple every 
 two minutes steadily. The speed and facility with which tnese men 
 accomplish the work is very remarkable, nevertheless. 
 
 The filling of the cans with the fruit of different grades and 
 styles is done at different tables, to which baskets or buckets of pre- 
 
 Sared fruit are brought by coolies from the preparing tables. After 
 Ihng, they are again carried to the siruping table in trays of wooden 
 slats slung by ropes from short poles suspended between the shoulders 
 of two coolies. This is a large table covered with galvanized sheet 
 iron, in the center of which the copper sirup kettle is placed. The 
 sirup is dipped from the kettle in large ladles and poured irregularly 
 over the cans placed on the table, tne excess sirup draining off at 
 the corners of the table to buckets placed underneath, which are 
 emptied when full into the main sirup Kettle in the center of the table. 
 The waste and uncleanliness of such a system is obvious. Two formu- 
 las are used for making sirup, one of which calls for one-half picul 
 (66 § pounds) of sugar to one-half picul of water and the other one- 
 fourth picul (33 J pounds) of sugar to three-fourths picul (100 pounds) 
 of water. The sugar and water are boiled down in a large bell-metal 
 kettle. 
 
 The cans are now removed to the solderers except where double 
 seamers have been installed. Two solderers have a charcoal fire 
 between them, from the heat of which they are protected by a rough 
 board. The stand for receiving the cans ready for soldering is usually 
 far too small, and the revolving wheel upon which each can is placed 
 by the solderer for the application of tne top is a homemade affair 
 revolved by the foot of the operator. As they are soldered or the tops 
 applied by the double-seamer machines, the cans are gathered again by 
 coolies, who place them in wooden-slatted racks suspended by 
 ropes from a wooden pole and take them to the processing vats. 
 These vats seem to be uniform in all of the factories. The Doilers 
 
 for the generation of steam, which are practically all furnished by 
 the firm of Riley, ITargrea^es & jCo. (Ltd.), of Smgapore, are ar- 
 rant^ed for about 100 pounds pressure and are connected with the 
 vats by pipes that form a coil, pierced by holes, in the bottom of 
 each vat. The vats are riveted sheet-iron tanks about 3 feet by 5 
 feet in size and 2i feet deep. These are filled with water by hand 
 and the steam turned into the pipes leading to the coils. The steam 
 escaping from the holes in the coils heats the water to the boiling 
 point Wooden covers are sometimes used in the second processing 
 to maintain the temperature. The exhausting is done in these vats 
 for about four to five minutes, after which the racks containing the 
 cans are lifted by the coolies and carried suspended on the short poles 
 to a table, where they are vented by means of a tap with a sharp in- 
 strument. They are then resealed by one of the solderers, who hrst 
 applies acid with a small brush and then a drop of solder to close 
 each vent hole. The racks containing the cans are then carried to 
 the vats once more and processed at 212° F., or the boiling point, 
 for half an hour, after which they are removed and carried to the 
 packing room without being cooled in cold water. In the packing 
 room they are stacked ready for labelmg and packmg. 
 
 There seems to be absolutely no thought of conveyers of any sort 
 in any of the factories except the half-naked barefoot coohes, whose 
 feet are so hardened as to be insensible to the effects of boiling water 
 dripping from the racks of newly processed cans or the cUppings of 
 tin Irom the can-making machines. This labor is, of course, cheap, 
 but as a result of the numbers required the method is bardly as eco- 
 nomical and certainly not so rapid as the conveyer method of handhng 
 the cans and fruit. The crowded conditions of the factories and the 
 lack of any sequence in the arrangement of tables or machinery result 
 in a most confused and seemingly aimless stream of conveyer coohes 
 hurrying back and forth from table to table and between machmes. 
 
 MACHINERY. SUPPLIES, AND LABOR. 
 
 Practically the only machinery used in the canning factories of 
 Singapore is found in the can-making sections. There is practically 
 no machinery used in the preparation of the fruit. Each factory has 
 been obhged to purchase the sheet tin and make it into cans for its 
 own use. At first the very crudest machinery and most inexpensive 
 outfits were purchased, and in several of the factories these are still in 
 use. Tlie hand cutter for cutting the body of the can from the sheets 
 is still generally used, as in many cases is the primitive body cTirler. 
 Screw-type and lever-type presses for stamping tops and bottoms are 
 found in each factory; "^in some, however, relegated to an unused cor- 
 ner by the introduction of improved American or German power 
 presses. Ten out of the total number of 14 factories have installed 
 modern double-seaming apparatus, but the number in use is hmited — 
 five double seamers being the greatest number found in any one 
 factory, and that a factory packing 60,000 to 100,000 cases a year. 
 No automatic self-feeding power double seamers are used, and as no 
 factory is fitted with a steam box exhauster, it is necessary to vent 
 and resolder all the cans, even the sanitary type, by hand. In four 
 factories all of the soldering of seams and also of tops is done by hand. 
 Only the cheapness of the labor makes the continuance of such a 
 system possible. 
 
24 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OP THE WOBLD. 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTEY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 25 
 
 .hllZ tt is Piu-chased from England. The cost per case of 112 
 Sncy \$3.69^''goW ^^^g^^^g 112 pounds, is $6.50 Straits cur- 
 
 .o^^.t^^fHvf'*^ ^ ?^ ?^P^'' litWaphed in England, either with the 
 name of the manufacturer or of tLe agent. No label machines are to be 
 
 LaTpk !?n^lTr/^V^.''''^ "^^^^ ^.r^ accomplished by hand labor. 
 IjabeLs cost $2.2.5 Straits currency ($1.28 gold) 
 
 Boxes cost 14 cents gold each. Pineapples cost 0.8 to 1 .7 cents gold 
 each, dehvered at the factory. ^ 
 
 Two methods of paying labor are in vogue. The more efficient 
 laborers, who are paid by the month and are utilized in can making 
 and other work during off seasons, receive from $5.67 to $11.35 ffolcf 
 the latter price for the superintendent. The laborers receive, in Addi- 
 tion, sleeping quarters and board. The other workmen are paid bv 
 the ]nece-so much for preparing sufficient pineapples for 100 cans. 
 For preparing whole pineapples (i. e., removing rind and eyes) for 
 ISO 1 and Ko. IJ cai^, 17 cents gold per 100 cans is paid, and for 
 cutting chunks and cubes 22 cents gold. Some factories pay 1 1 cents 
 gold for simply removing the eyes per 100 pineapples. 
 
 OUTPUT OP PACTORIES. 
 
 , The names and addresses of the Singapore factories, with the approx- 
 fX^^Table^^^^* ^ ^'^^^ ^^ *^^ owners, are given in the 
 
 Jit Sin Co., 21 North Boat Quay.,., 
 
 Heng Sin & Co., Sumbaya Road 
 
 Jit Cheon, Lavender Road 
 
 Branch at Jailor, State of Jahor. . 
 
 Tai Thong & Co., Seletar Road suburbs 
 
 of Singapore near pineapple field . 
 Tai Bee «t Co., 1 Paya Road, controlled 
 
 by Tai Thong & Co. 
 Siii Heng & Co., 881 Serangoon Road,... 
 
 •300,000 
 
 100,000 
 
 7,000 
 80,000 
 
 Sin Kee Seng Co., 1228 Serangoon Road 
 Guan Kee & Co., 1235 Serangoon Road' 
 (owned and operated by Sin Kee Bene). 
 Hup San & Co., 80 St. Michaels Road 
 Tai Chuan, 53 Grove Road.... ""**"•- 
 Sin Chong Hin Co., 55 Singei Road. '.','." 
 Tai Hin & Co., 35 Sumbaya Road 
 Nam Kee & Co., 19 Kalang Road (cloeed) 
 
 Total. 
 
 60,000 
 
 60,000 
 60.000 
 40,000 
 
 ao,ooo 
 
 727,000 
 
 • Total output of companies controlled by Jit Sin Co. 
 
 The proprietors of these establishments do not speak English and 
 the majority were not willing to furnish as much information through 
 an interpreter as was desu-ed; in fact, several were unwilling at firat 
 to aUow inspection of their plants and objected to an examination of 
 the machinery. 
 
 The following short descriptions of the individual plants will give 
 some idea of the equipment of each: 
 
 PLANT OP THE JET SIN CO. 
 
 The head office of the Jit Sin Co., which controls and operates a 
 number of factones, is located in the Chinese business section of 
 Mngapore city and is purelv Chinese in every respect. The oHicers 
 clerks and employees speak only Chinese or Malay and the record^ 
 are all m native characters. During 1913, however, this firm engaged 
 an Englishman who had been in Singapore for a number of yeara and 
 who was conversant with their language. He transacts the foreign 
 
 sales end of the business. Previous to his employment sales had 
 been made to the English or German firms located in Singapore, who 
 made the foreign sales and shipments, as this is stiU the custom of 
 the majority of the smaUer pineapple manufacturer m Smgapore. 
 The activities of this gentleman, however are hmited to the foreign 
 sales and he is in no way connected with the other phases of the 
 
 ^^TheTarge English or German firms located in Singapore who have 
 been handling tue foreign sales of canned pineapples are also agents 
 for canning machinery, tin plate, and other articles, and it is through 
 them that such machinery has found its way mto the factories. 
 Through one of these firms an American automatic can-making 
 machine has been purchased, at an outlay of S5,677 gold. A num- 
 ber of comparatively modern American can-makm^ machmes of 
 simpler types had previously been purchased as well as some Ger- 
 man and English machinery. Further sales of American can- 
 making machinery of more eliicient types would unquestionably be 
 Dossibfe if a representative in Singapore had actual machines with 
 which to make demonstrations. Such a represeiitative should be 
 able to explain the working of the machinery, which when judged 
 bv the illustrations in a catalogue, appears too complicated to men 
 who have always depended upon hand labor. Certamly American 
 manufacturers of can-making machinery, as well as those of such 
 machinery as steam-exhaust chests, can not expect to have the sales 
 of then- goods increased to the fullest extent by concerns that are 
 agents for manufacturers m their home countries and handle ma- 
 chinerv of every sort and commodities of every description 
 
 The factory of the Ji.t Sin Co. is located on a creek m the city of 
 Singapore. The pineapples are unloaded from '^sampans, or river 
 boatsfdirectly in front of the factory, where they are sorted and the 
 tops cut off. ;^They are then put in large baskets and earned mto the 
 
 ^ ThebuUdin^is a two-story stone structure in the center of a block 
 of business houses. The can-making department is not separate 
 from the sections for preparing the fruit, and the new expensive 
 American machinery is widely separated from the machines immedi- 
 ately preceding and foUowing it in the process of manufacturmg 
 
 IT-horsepower kerosene engine, manufactured by R. Horsenby & 
 Son (Ltd.), of Cranthan, England, furnishes the motive power to 
 operate the power presses for stamping tops and bottoms, the body 
 cutter, the flanging machine, and the four double seamers, three of 
 which are of Anierican manufacture and one of German manufacture. 
 
 HENG SIN A CO. 
 
 The Heng Sin & Co. establishment, in Sumbaya Road, is one of 
 the importMit Jit Sin factories. It occupies a two-story warehouse 
 in the city, the lower floor of which is used for canning purposes. 
 The equipment for can making is not so complete as m the Jit .in 
 factory, but is probably a Uttle better arranged. Five double-seammg 
 machinU— three of which are American and two German -occupy a 
 large room in the rear, where the fiUed cans are carried for closing 
 from the preparation room, at the other end of the buildmg. Ibere 
 
26 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 THE JIT CHEON PLANT. 
 
 vPc^ ''}^ ^■^°'°- P'."*^*' Lavender Road, owned and onerated hv th^ 
 Jit Sin Co., IS outside the business section of the "it? and oroL^na 
 
 stoi, fra.e^s.Vabout .0 fe'Jt\? foo fi, ^l.^^^^^^:^ 
 
 ir^^^tl}^^^'""'^'^ equipn-ent is all American, consisting of five 
 Pit ? r ^r' r P^'T' *T ''»"J>le-on<l flanging nii^ 'Zl 
 i liss t>. G. D. G. maclune, four double seamei-s, and three mS- 
 
 ^T fJl^.T*"^"''"" ^"•'" T^^ '"l'^^' ">»«« for gaskets ^ 
 
 hoJi^po^'^^r^EVB^rtaW^^^^ ?r ''t ^2 
 
 tops bottoms, and sides of cans have been dMed Zu^er tvn^ 
 of American power machines installed. ^ P^ 
 
 TAI THONG * CO. 
 
 J^f^^ T''T^ * <^0' Y'^ich is the only one with a factory near the n\n^ 
 apple f.e!ds, has a down-town ofhce on Beach Roa7 The Chfn^,t 
 manager speaks English and the general atmosphe^'is prLrSve 
 IdX'^^Z^' ^r '*"'*"''? *^" '^r^'' Co., whicli h^s a pKTn the 
 
 fi,^^^ u "^^^"^ company sells most of its product through a German 
 firm (Eehn, Meyer & Co.), and as a result is equipped ^th German 
 machinery, most of which was made by L sSiS;r of pV.^t! 
 Wurttemterg, Permaijy. Five double LmeS of this m^Cure 
 are in use-one machine for manufacturing gum easkeTS twn 
 mclmable top aad bottom presses, and ^ e^d fl!^ ^iAl 
 Ten old-type hand-screw presses, cutters, and rollers ^sSriTu^ 
 for a portion of the cans made m the older type of soldered onp? ^^ 
 
 :S dl"" ""* '^''' '^ ^^PP''^'^*^'^ ^y imp^r^vedlthL^^a't*^ 
 
 The motive power for the plant is furnished by a German IS-horsft- 
 power portabfe engine, manufactured bv R. Wolf, ™MaedeW 
 & Co^a'^J'V- S'''''f:''>\?! Singapore manufacture-liiley.Keav'^ 
 
 the bottom of 1 4 square iron open processing vate ^ 
 
 rwo hundred men and boys are employed at this factory durin? the 
 
 S IIT^- ^^'^ "' Pf '' ^y *^'« "'""th, from $5.7? ra 51 
 
 tfn^ToO ca^. ^ ^'^'^'''^-'-' ^^*^ gold ^^^r preparing fndt a^d 
 
 The factory is located in the village of Seletar, about 7 miles from 
 the city and occupies about .! to 4 aires of ground, fenced in from Z 
 village by a high wooden fence. It consiste of a seri^ of fouHaree 
 open sheds or partly open slat^sided wooden buildiW the latter 
 -h^ f"" ^' tSe can-nmking machinery and boUers.^elhe op^' 
 sheds are used for the preparation of the fruit. * 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 27 
 
 SIN HENG & CO. 
 
 The Sin Henj? & Co. factory, located at 881 Serangoon Road, in the 
 suburbs of the city, is of the characteristic open-shed type. Tiie lot 
 contains about 2 acres of g:round and the buildings consist of one large 
 open preparation slied, with tile roof, about 40 by 100 feet, and a 
 parti \ inclosed frame buildmg of approxiinately the same size, in which 
 are the boilers and processing vats. The living quarters of tlie work- 
 men are within the inclosure and consist of a one-story frame struc- 
 ture. Tiiis factorv keeps 100 coolies at tie factory the year round, 
 en-ipio\s a cook and barber, and furnishes food and sleepuy;' quarters 
 for the men who ir.ake cans during the seasons m which pineapples 
 are not being packed. During the busy seasons the nun ber is aug- 
 mented by unskilled labor to as manv as 400. The skilled can 
 makers and others pernancntly employed receive from $6.80 to 
 $11.5 gold, the maximum being tlie amount received by tlie superm- 
 ten-^ent of the factory. The boar(! received in addition to the wages 
 mav be figured at $2.84 gold per n;onth. ^ 
 
 The can-Tr)akin«: equipment of tlic factory is very simple, as all the 
 cans are soldered' by hand. This manufacturer should find it eco- 
 nomical to install modern machinery. 
 
 SIN KEE SENG CO. 
 
 The Sin Kee Sencr Co., 1228 Serangoon Koad, now owns and oper- 
 ates the Guan Kee & Co. plant, 1235 Seram:^oon Koad. The advan- 
 tage of having branches and agents in foreign countries is siiown in 
 tl.e influence exerted over the Sm Kee Seng Co. bv tlie German firm 
 with which thev deal. Tiiis Germ.an firm (if elm, Meyer & Co.) is well 
 established in SinG:apore and represents a large number of German 
 ir.anufacturers. They l.andle a large proportion of the output of 
 canned pineapple packed by the Sin Kee Seng Co., an 1, having secured 
 their confidence bv good business methods, have been able to equip 
 their plant with a full line of German machinery. The Gerir ans and 
 English have a great advantage over Americans in sellmg their goods, 
 from the fact tliat they are on the ground, and the close business 
 relations afford opportunities for making sales that can not be 
 expected through catalogues or letters, especially when they are in a 
 lan2:uage unknown to tl e possible purchaser. 
 
 Tlie plant of the Sin Kee Seng Co. is located in the suburbs of Singa- 
 pore and is one of the best-arranged and well-kept factories on the 
 ^land. The buildings are frame, all whitewashed inside as well as 
 outside, and are fitted with cement floors that are kept thoroughly 
 clean, running water being piped to all parts of the building. The 
 buildings were erected as a canning factory and have been arranged 
 with some regard to handling the fruit in a systematic manner. 
 
 'ihe main building is used as the can-making section of the plant. 
 Ihe 8-horse|)ower gasoline engine, manufactured by Benz & Co., of 
 Manhelm, Germany, is also located in this building. Belting and 
 counter-shafting operate three German power presses for tops and 
 bottoms, the name plates on which have been removed and replaced 
 by plates of the German agents in Singapore, as is also the case with 
 all of the other equipments in the factory. One flanging machine 
 for preparing can bodies for double seaming, three double-seaming 
 machines, and six machines for making rubber rings for gaskets 
 complete the power machinery, the remainder being older types of 
 
28 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 hand-operated cutters, benders, and presses. The steam generator 
 of the usual Singapore make— Riley, Harfcreaves & Co. (Ltd.) — 
 furnishes steam to seven square iron processmg vats of the character 
 found in all of the Singapore factories. 
 
 The buildings for the preparation of the fruit joins the can-making 
 section. 'Ihe fruit is received by water in sampans on a small 
 covered wharf, from which it is carried, after sorting, to the shed. 
 The preparation of the fruit docs not differ from that in other Singa- 
 pore factories, the only machinery being the sugar kettle for the pre- 
 paration of sirup and the processing vats. This concern also manu- 
 factures the cans for use at the Guan Kce & Co. plant, which it owns. 
 
 The plant of Guan Kee & Co. consists of a frame building 80 by 
 100 feet, furnished with a steam generator ol Singapore manufac- 
 ture— Riley, Hargreaves & Co. (Ltd.) — six iron processing vats and 
 the usual tables and small tools. The floors are cement, and the 
 buildings are clean. The output of this factory is small and it is 
 now used only in rush seasons as an auxiliary to the main plant of 
 Sin Kee Seng & Co. 
 
 HUF SAN * CO. 
 
 Hup San & Co., a concern located at 80 St. Michaels Road, in the 
 suburbs of Singapore, has the most substantial and roomy buildings 
 of any factory in Singapore, having rented a large plant built orig- 
 inally for housing bullock. Although the six buildings are of brick 
 and concrete with cement floors, they are not all utilized. The 
 machinery for making cans is of an old hand-power type. The 
 only modem equipment is the steam generator, which is similar to 
 those found in all the factories, and the 10 iron processing vats. The 
 output of this factory was stated as being 60,000 cases. 
 
 TAI CHUAN. 
 
 The Tai Chuan factory is also located in the suburbs of Singapore. 
 It has water transportation and ample space surrounding the build- 
 ings, which are comparatively new and constructed for canning 
 purposes. It sells through the Singapore branch of a German firm, 
 and consequently the machinery is of German manufacture, with the 
 agents' name plate replacing that of the manufacturers. 
 
 The equipment consists of two power presses, five double seamers. 
 two flanging machines, and two rubber-ring machines. The usual 
 Singapore-made steam generator furnishes steam to eight iron pro- 
 cessing vats. About 150 to 200 men are employed at this factory 
 the year round. The output was stated to be 60,000 cases per annum. 
 
 SIN CHONG HIN CO. 
 
 The factory of the Sin Chong Hin Co., located in the business por- 
 tion of the city, is one of the smallest, and, judging by the statements 
 made by the manager, one of the least successful of the Singapore 
 plants. The buildings occupied are part of a business l)lock on 
 Sungei Road, and are unsuited for the purpose to which they are put. 
 
 The can-making equipment is all of the hand-power type. The 
 section given over to the preparation of fruit for the cans is over- 
 crowded and poorly arranged. The steam generator and 10 vats 
 for processing are the only equipment approximating that of the 
 other factories. The output claimed is 40,000 cases per annum. 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 METHODS OF CULTURE. 
 
 29 
 
 Pineapple culture in Singapore is totally different from that of 
 Hawaii, and is much less systematic than would seem necessary in a 
 section where the canned-pineapple industry has assumed such 
 proportions. Practically all of the pineapple canned is grown on the 
 island of Singapore itself, a small quantity being grown in the native 
 Malay State of^Jahor, immediately adjacent. 
 
 Statistics as to the area planted in pineapple could not be obtained. 
 The great boom in rubber m this part of the world has had a marked 
 influence on the number of acres planted in pineapples and has, to 
 some extent, threatened the future of the industry. The craze for 
 rubber plantations has swept all through the Malay Peninsula and 
 company after company has been formed for the purpose of clearing 
 land and planting rubber. Many wildcat companies have been 
 started and much money lost by investors, yet the great number of 
 bona fide companies has so increased the production of rubber that 
 the market has been flooded with a rather inferior product and 
 prices have fallen to such an extent that the formation of new com- 
 panies has become less attractive and many of the companies already 
 formed have found themselves on a precarious footing. 
 
 It is not surprising that rubber culture should particularly attract 
 the tillers of the soil on the island of Singapore, adjacent to the city 
 where so much of the rubber-plantation promotion centered. The 
 result has been that the limited area of 217 square miles of this island, 
 formerly planted in coconut and pineapples, has been transformed 
 into rubber plantations. It did not become necessary in the case of 
 the pineapple fields, as it did in that of the coconut groves, to replace 
 entirely the older crop by the new rubber trees. Five years are 
 required to bring new rubber trees to the producing state, although 
 many new companies have tapped trees not more than three years 
 old, and during the first years pineapples can still be planted and raised 
 as sort of a catch crop. This has been the method pursued on the 
 island of late years. 
 
 The greater part of the plantations are leased to the Chinese firms 
 for pineapple culture during the first five years of the growth of the 
 newly planted rubber trees, after which period the pineapples are 
 rooted up and removed. The pineapple plantations are not planted 
 or owned by the canning establishments, and the future outlook for 
 the production of pineapples, if the rubber production proves suc- 
 cessful on the island, seems somewhat uncertain. It was most 
 likely this threatening of the source of supply that induced the Jit 
 Sin Co. to start its branch factory in the pineapple fields of Bang 
 Kla, Siam. 
 
 During the last few years, however, since the rubber-plantation 
 craze has been checked, some new land has been cleared and planted 
 in pineapples on the island. The rows in this plantation are 4 feet 
 apart and plants are set out 2 J to 3 feet apart in the rows. All of 
 the pineapples of Singapore are planted in single rows and not in beds 
 of two or three rows, as in Hawaii and Siam. 
 
 The cultivation is all by hand labor, Chinese coolies being cheap and 
 efficient laborers to keep down the weeds. No data could be obtained 
 as to the variety mostly used, although it seemed similar to the 
 
30 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 81 
 
 Siamese varieties classified as "saparos." The size of the fruit is 
 probably reduced by the fact that the growth of the rubber trees 
 affects to some extent the full strength of the soil. 
 
 PINEAPPLE EXPORTS. 
 
 About three-fifths of the Singapore canned pineapple goes to the 
 United Kingdom, and the next largest purchaser seems to oe Canada. 
 Of the Continental countries, France and Germany are the largest 
 consumers, while the Netherlands, although a small country, takes 
 about half as much as is shipped to France or Germany. This is 
 probably explained by the direct shipping facilities afforded by the 
 Dutch lines gomg to the Dutch Ea^t Indies by way of Singapore. 
 The United States purchases more than either France or Germany, 
 the greater portion going to the Atlantic coast. This should be a 
 field for Porto Ilican pineapple, or possibly Hawaiian after the open- 
 ing of tlie Panama Canal. The amount shipped to the western 
 coa>t of the United States is small. The total amount used by 
 Europe bears out the statement that pineapple is not ? o well known 
 iji European countries as it should bo, and with the advantage of the 
 Panama Canal and a proper advertising campaign, sales of Hawaiian 
 pineapple should be largely increased in that part of the world. 
 
 The official statistics show that 27,647 cases of pineapple were 
 imported into Singapore from Siam. This is practically the total 
 output of Siam, and means that pineapple from that section passes 
 through Singapore on its way to its final destination in England. A 
 total of 24,307 cases was shipped to Hongkong, which indicates the 
 sale of imported canned pineapple in the southern part of China in 
 competition with the pineapple packed in Chinese cities near Hong- 
 kong. This is probably of an inferior character, however, and goes 
 principallv to Chinese customers. The official statistics of the 
 exports of canned pineapple from Singapore in 1912 are shown in the 
 following table: 
 
 Exports to- 
 
 British Empire: 
 
 tJnited Kingdom 
 
 India- 
 Bombay and Malabar 
 
 Coast 
 
 Burma 
 
 Calcutta 
 
 Madras and Coroman- 
 
 del Coast 
 
 Hongkong 
 
 Malay Peninsula 
 
 Aden 
 
 Borneo 
 
 North Sarawak 
 
 Union of South Africa 
 
 Australia 
 
 New Zealand 
 
 Canada 
 
 Austria-Hungary 
 
 Belgium 
 
 Denmark 
 
 France 
 
 Germany , 
 
 Italy 
 
 Netherlands 
 
 Norway 
 
 Cases. 
 
 345,771 
 
 1,569 
 
 5,124 
 
 2»4 
 
 178 
 
 24,307 
 
 944 
 
 3,170 
 
 36 
 
 16 
 
 4 
 
 5,914 
 
 23,237 
 
 40.358 
 
 4,309 
 
 2,155 
 
 5,745 
 
 22,638 
 
 23,306 
 
 1,489 
 
 11,278 
 
 860 
 
 Value, 
 
 United 
 
 States 
 
 currency. 
 
 $1,102,413 
 
 5,658 
 
 9,485 
 
 859 
 
 670 
 
 49,166 
 
 2,668 
 
 11,934 
 
 91 
 
 36 
 
 14 
 
 17,849 
 
 68,011 
 
 123.461 
 
 12,551 
 
 0,563 
 
 19,022 
 
 67,973 
 
 '.4,372 
 
 4,119 
 
 34,831 
 
 2,668 
 
 Exports to— 
 
 Sweden 
 
 Turkey 
 
 Arabia 
 
 China 
 
 Egypt 
 
 French Indo-China 
 
 Japan 
 
 Acheen, Suma'ra 
 
 Bali and Lambok 
 
 Borneo 
 
 Celebes 
 
 Java 
 
 Molukkas 
 
 Natunas and Anambas 
 
 lands 
 
 Persia 
 
 Philippine Islands , 
 
 Russia in Asia 
 
 Siam , 
 
 United States: 
 
 Atlantic coast 
 
 Pacific coast 
 
 Other countries 
 
 L«»- 
 
 Cases. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1,010 
 
 149 
 
 470 
 
 2.703 
 
 4,744 
 
 100 
 
 8,590 
 
 3 
 
 22 
 
 65 
 
 13 
 
 3ft 
 
 f» 
 
 126 
 
 220 
 2,722 
 
 224 
 3,816 
 
 29,242 
 
 1,960 
 
 790 
 
 580,065 
 
 Value, 
 
 United 
 
 States 
 
 currency. 
 
 Of /99 
 
 483 
 
 1,888 
 
 6,380 
 
 16,695 
 
 312 
 
 31,721 
 
 7 
 
 67 
 
 162 
 
 37 
 
 106 
 
 884 
 
 427 
 T53 
 
 5,884 
 672 
 
 0,342 
 
 82,706 
 6,233 
 2,656 
 
 1,775,019 
 
 SIAM. 
 
 The situation of Siam, of! the beaten track of commerce, and the 
 natural inaptitude of the natives for commercial enterprises probably 
 explains in j)art the fact that the canning of pineapples is of rather 
 recent date in that country and is not as yet an industry of groat 
 magnitude. The product is steadily increasing in quantity, however, 
 as well as improving in quahtv. 
 
 Pineapple canning was probably introduced into Siam by Mr. A. 
 Landau, an Austrian whose family moved to Singapore many years 
 ago. Twenty-five years ago Mr. Landau's father and brother estab- 
 lished the first pineapple factory in Jehor, near Singapore Island, mw 
 an important canning district. This factory is still in operation, but 
 is now controlled by the Chinese firm. Jit Sin & Co. After a study 
 of pineapple canning in other parts of the world, Mr. A. Landau set- 
 tled in Bangkok, Siam, about five years ago, and finding a pineapple 
 there superior in quality to the Singapore fruit, was instrumental in 
 starting a canning factory on a small scale. This first factory was a 
 failure owing to inabihty to obtain enough fruit to fill contracts, and 
 also to insuiHcient capital. The attention of the Singapore canners 
 was attracted by the product, however, and about three years ago, 
 when the planting of rubber trees seemed to be driving out the pine- 
 apple growers of Singapore Island, the Jit Sin Co., started a branch 
 establishment at Bang-Kla, in the eastern portion of Siam at the pine- 
 apple fields near Petriu on the Bang-pa-Kung River. This plant is 
 still in operation and it will be descril)ed later; it operates under the 
 firm name of Khiam, Thyc & Co. 
 
 Three years ago Mr. Landau interested Luang Chit Channong, also 
 known as Tom- Yah, a wealthy Chino-Siamese rice-miU merchant, in 
 the canning of pineapple, and as a result Mr. Landau was engaged 
 under a five-year contract to develop a canning factory at Sam vSen, 
 a suburb of Bangkok, where one of the four rice mills belonging to 
 Luang Chit Channong is located. This plant was operated for the 
 first time during the season 191 2, and its first real pack was put up in 
 1913. It is weU arranged and better equipped than any of the Singa- 
 pore factories. 
 
 His excellency, Phya Anudhutvadhi, a Siamese of rank and related 
 to the ICing of Siam, became interested a couple of years ago in rees- 
 tablishing, under the name of the Bangkok Canning Co., the factory 
 first stai-ted by Mr. Landau. Ilis idea is to develop not only pine- 
 apple canning but also the canning of other native fruits of Siam that 
 are of particularly good quality, such as the mango, the papaya, the 
 durian, and the Jack fruit. lie states that he has the approval and 
 financial backing of the King in making what has been, more or less, 
 an experimental beginning, with the idea of directing the attention of 
 the outside world to the tropical fruits of Siam. 
 
 The total product of these three factories was not more than 30,000 
 cases for 1912, apportioned as foU3ws: Landau, 15,000; Bangkok, 
 1,000; Khiam, Thj^e & Co., 14,000. As these factories are all new, 
 however, a greater output may be expected in the near future. 
 
 KHIAM, THYE Jk CO. 
 
 The plant of Khiam, Thye & Co., owned and operated by the Jit 
 Sin Co., of Singapore, is located on the Bang-pa-K\mg River near the 
 pineapple plantations. This is in the eastern part of Siam, about 
 
32 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 33 
 
 two days' trip by slow native river transportation from Bangkok, the 
 capital and principal city of Siam. The plant was constructed about 
 four years ago and is much more modem than the Singapore fac- 
 tories operated by the Jit Sin Co. It is located directly on the bank 
 of the nver and has a substantial covered wharf on which goods can 
 be stored awaiting shipment. It consists of four large one-story 
 frame buildmgs with cement floors. Three of these buildings are 
 60 by 80 feet each, while the larger building, in which the prepara- 
 tion of the fruit for canning is carried on, is 80 by 120 feet. 
 
 The plant was not in operation during the writer's visit, as it was 
 not the packing season, but there was httle criticism to offer on the 
 condition of the cannery. The machinery was carefully cleaned and 
 covered with cloths, and all parts had been put in order for the com- 
 ing pack. The cans used in this factory are made in Singapore at 
 the Jit Sin canneries there and sent by water directly to the plant, 
 hence the machinery is limited to can-closing apparatus and the 
 equipment for processing. The double seamers are of American 
 manufacture. A steam generator, made by Riley, Hargreaves & 
 Co. (Ltd.), of Singapore, furnishes the steam for processing. The 
 steam is carried by a series of pipes through the 12 square wrought- 
 iron processing tanks for heating the water to the boiUng point. A 
 small steam engine (and a gasohne engine made in Birmingham, 
 England, as an auxihary) operated the machinery. 
 
 The fruit is prepared by the hand methods in vogue in the Singapore 
 factories, and the other processes are identical with the Singapore 
 methods. The principal advantage this factory has over the parent 
 plant hes in greater space, superior cleanhness, and a better arrange- 
 ment of the machinery. 
 
 Chinese labor is used exclusively, and the plantations on which 
 the pineapples are grown are also owned and operated exclusively 
 by Chinese, although these are independent of the factory. Some of 
 the labor is paid by the month, but most of the labor engaged in the 
 preparation of the fruit is paid by piecework, the price varying from 
 25 to 33 cents gold for cutting, sorting, and fiUing 100 cans of pine- 
 apple. One good workman has been known to prepare pineapple 
 for 500 cans in a 10-hour day, although this is above the average. 
 Ordinary labor is paid about $11.10 gold per month. 
 
 The prices for pineapple vary according to the crop and season. 
 The highest price, dehvered at the factory, has been $1.48 gold per 
 100 pineapples, while the lowest price sometimes reaches 74 cents 
 and sometimes even 37 cents golcf per 100 fruits. The seasons for 
 pineapple are from November to the end of January, and from April 
 to the end of June. 
 
 There seems to have been some competition between the three 
 factories for the fruit raised in this section and the demand of the 
 Bangkok factories for fruit has apparently at times decreased the 
 suppbr for this Khiam-Thye factory, located near the fields. The 
 new Sam Sen factory, in charge of Mr. Landau, is preparing to obtain 
 pineapples from Patani, in southern Siam, transporting them direct 
 on the boats owned by the rice-mill proprietors who are financing 
 the factory. The difficulty of obtaining pure water seems also to 
 have been disadvantageous to the Khiam-Thye factory, as it has been 
 necessary to use water from the Bang-pa-Kung River instead of 
 Artesian weU water, as used by the Sam Sen factory. There are 
 
 indications that the Khiam-Thye branch factory had not proved so 
 satisfactory to the Singapore Chinese firm as had been hoped, and 
 there has even been talk of abandoning the project. 
 
 PACTORY AT SAM SEN. 
 
 The new factory at Sam Sen, a suburb of Bangkok, in charge of 
 Mr. Landau, is conveniently located on the Menam River and is also 
 reached by a model road from Bangkok. It is not near the fields, 
 which are about two days distant by water, but as water transporta- 
 tion is cheap and as there are two sources of supply available, the 
 owners seem to feel that they have more satisfactory conditions than 
 the Khiam-Thye factory at Bang-Kla. The labor proposition is 
 identical in both places. Chinese labor is imported from Swatow, 
 Hainan, Amoy, or Singapore, and kept at the plant during the pa<ik- 
 ing season. At the Sam Sen factory the more important workmen 
 are kept by the vear and five at the buildings erected for them near 
 the factory. Native Siamese labor does not seem to be used, and 
 wages for Chinese labor are higher than at Singapore. The foreman 
 receives $27.81 gold per month and is employed by the year. He 
 increases his income by means of a "squeeze ' on the employes in 
 purely Chinese fashion. It was said that a new foreman had offered 
 to pay $741.60 gold to secure the position. The ordinary labor is 
 paid about the same as by the Khiam-Thye factory at Bang-Kla, 
 1. e., from $11.50 to $18.50 gold per month and the same rates for 
 preparing pineapples by the hundred cans. About 400 men are em- 
 ployed during the busy season, 200 of these being cutters used m 
 removing the rind and eyes. It would seem economical to substitute 
 machinery for this hand labor, and the introduction of American 
 pineapple-paring machinery at Singapore recently will probably lead 
 to improvements in this particular before long. The amount of 
 money invested in the Sam Sen pineapple factory, including the cost 
 of an artesian well and storage tanks for water, was stated to be 
 $66,744 gold. The buildings occupied are a part of the rice-mill 
 property remodeled for the purpose. The existing wharf and offices 
 of the rice mill are also used by the pineapple company. New quar- 
 ters for the Chinese coohes have been erected. The factory consists 
 of three sheds 40 by 180 feet each, with cement floors and a complete 
 system of floor drainage. The buildings are covered with corru- 
 gated-iron roofs, and a number of skylights have been placed at con- 
 venient points. Electric Ughts have been installed to facihtate work 
 on dark days and at night. Ample water has been provided, a spigot 
 being placed at each working table; in fact, the contrast in con- 
 venience and sanitation is marked as compared with most of the 
 Singapore factories. That sanitation and general cleanhness have 
 been considered is shown by the provision of gum aprons, an ac- 
 cessory to the pineapple-canning industry distinctly up to date. 
 The tables used in the preparation of the fruit are all covered with 
 zinc and are easily cleaned. 
 
 The equipment is all new and, although not of the most modern 
 and labor-saving type, is much superior to that found in the ordi- 
 nary oriental cannery. As all of tlie cans are manufactured at the 
 giant, a full equipment of can-making machinery has been installed, 
 ome of this equipment is of German manufacture, the 8 power 
 
84 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 35 
 
 presses for stamping tops and bottoms being made by the Karges 
 Hammer Co., of Brunswick, Germany. The 5 shearing machines 
 for cuttmg bodies of cans, 2 flange machines, 15 small side seamers, 
 and 10 double-seamer machines (5 used for putting bottoms on 
 empty cans and 5 placed near the preparation tables for closing 
 ^^t ^^.^^^^ ^^^s) are mostly of American manufacture. The 
 rubber rmgs used in closing the double seam of the top and bottom 
 are prepared by 10 machines of German manufacture. 
 
 All tm used is English charcoal, costing 14 to 15 shiUings ($3.44 
 to $3.69) per case of 112 sheets, 14 by 19 inches, weighing 100 pounds. 
 One and a half and 3-pound cans are the only sizes used and the 
 type IS that known in America as the "sanitary." The capacity 
 of the plant is stated to be 70,000 cans per day. 
 
 Paper labels, lithographed in colors, are used exclusively, the 
 favorite design employed being the white elephant, the emblem 
 of Si am. 
 
 The methods used in canning are similar to those used in Singa- 
 pore. All the work of preparation is done by Chinese coolies, tke 
 peehng and removal of the eyes being identical with the Singapore 
 hand method. There are 15 wrought-iron square tanks into which 
 the cages of cans are lowered for processing. Steam exhausting 
 boxes are unknown and exhausting is accomphshed by a short 
 immersion of about 4 to 5 minutes in the tanks, venting and resol- 
 dering the vent hole, and a further processing for half an hour at a 
 temperature of 212° F. 
 
 BANGKOK CANNING CO. 
 
 The third plant, that of the Bangkok Canning Co., is the smallest 
 of the three factories. As reorganized about two years ago, it has 
 given some attention to the packing of various tropical fruits in ad- 
 dition to pineapples. The output of pineapple has been only about 
 1,000 cases per annum. The plant is a brick structure, about 30 by 
 60 feet, covered with a tile roof. The boiler is in an open shed 
 addition. These buildings are in the rear of a large two-story 
 warehouse utihzed for storage, offices, etc. The buildings were not 
 constructed for the pui^iose to which they are now put, but they 
 are substantial and well key)t. 
 
 The equipment consists of a small outfit of can-making machinery 
 of German manufacture. It is not of the most modern type, and 
 the manager seemed anxious to purchase new equipment suitable 
 for a small plant. All cans are hand soldered and the work is well 
 done. 
 
 CULTIVATION. 
 
 The growing of pineapples for commercial purposes, other than 
 small patches for local markets, is confined to three sections in Siam. 
 The first and most important is at Bang-Kla, near Petrieu, on the 
 Bang Pakong River, in the eastern part of central Siam. The 
 second is at Patani, on the Gulf of Siam, in the southern extremity 
 of Siam, and the third is at Prapatum in the western part of central 
 Siam. Pineapples raised in the last-named section are of fine quaUty 
 and are raised for use in Bangkok in the fresh state and not for canning 
 purposes. 
 
 The climate of the country is hot and the rainfall in central Siam 
 and in the neighborhool of Bangkok is about 50 to 60 inches. In 
 southern Siam (in which the Patani pineapple section is located) 
 the rainfall is about 100 inches a year. The pmeapples are grown 
 on flat alluvial soil not much above sea level; in fact, during the 
 high-water period of the rivers, it is often flooded. In the matter 
 of^climate and soil, therefore, conditions are very different from 
 
 those in Hawaii. . . i • xi. t» ^^ 
 
 There are about 2,800 acres planted m pmeapples in the Bang-Kla 
 neighborhood. The fruit is an indigenous variety called "saparos," 
 which has a pale yellow color when ripe. This variety does not con- 
 tam so much sugar as the green pmeapple known as ''debaras" or 
 "indara jit," which is grown in the gardens near Prapatum for sale 
 in the markets as fresh fruit. There are about 560 acres planted 
 in this variety around Prapatum. 
 
 The cultivation of the saparos variety for the canning factories 
 is exclusively in the hands of the Chmese. The system is totally 
 different from that followed in Hawaii, and much more primitive 
 than that at Singapore. The periodical flooding of the ground 
 necessitates raised beds about 3 leet above the ordmary level of the 
 ground. Each bed is about 20 to 30 feet wide and 100 or more feet 
 m length. Between the beds about 4 feet of drainage paths or chan- 
 nels ar^ left at the natural level of the ground to allow the escape 
 of the flood when the waters of the river subside. 
 
 Cultivation is carried on with crude tools and after the first plant- 
 ing consists simply in keeping down the weeds. New plantings are 
 set out 6 feet by 6 feet, and are from ratoons. No plantings had 
 been made from tops, and this system of planting was seemmgly 
 
 not known. . 
 
 Plants mature fruit in two years after planting. None of the 
 ratoons are removed, as is the custom in Hawaii, to insure better 
 fruit, and as a consequence the beds become a dense tangle and do 
 not produce the quantity or quahty that might be expected if 
 some of the ratoons were removed. The same plats are allowed to 
 remain in bearing for a great many years. One plat shown the 
 writer was stated to have been planted 20 years ago. 
 
 The plantations of the debaros, or-indara jit, variety at Prapatum 
 are not nearly so systematic nor extensive. The cultivation m this 
 section is for the fresh-fruit market in Bangkok, and the plantations 
 are interspersed among the orchards of tropical fruits instead of in 
 large areas devoted solely to pineapple culture. Since the section 
 around Prapatum is not so subject to floodmg, the beds are not raised 
 above the level of the ground. The beds are rather narrow, as they 
 are placed between rows of fruit trees of various sorts. Frequentlv 
 there is merely a single row of pineapples along the edge of the path 
 
 or road. , , i ^ ^ ^ .. 
 
 When grown in rows, the plants are spaced about 1 foot apart m 
 the rows, and no ratoons are removed. New plantings are made 
 every four or five years. One of the curious methods of producing 
 larger fruits of the best quahty consists m cutting off the crown 
 leaves at the top of the fruit about three or four months before the 
 fruit is ripe. A rough cover of straw or bamboo is then placed on 
 top of the fruit to protect it from the sun. Fruits treated in this way 
 grow to a larger size and develop a finer flavor. 
 
I 
 
 36 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDOSTHY OF THE WOBU>. 
 
 SOUTHERN CHINA. 
 
 The canning of pineapple in China is Umited principaUv to the 
 acton^ located mAmoy, Swatow, Canton, and'^HonXng or in 
 
 Sltivated'^'FhU.^^ ^ *^°\^ ^**="°°^ Where ninelp^le^can be 
 ^hll *■ rrP^^^ /actones are the outcome of the awakenincr of 
 the native Chinese to the usefuUiess of canned foods. Thev are aU 
 
 nZtf ^'^ "P"™'*^ ,^y ^>'"«^«- With the exception of one or two 
 plants, they are small and are reaUy not more tfian beginning ™t 
 
 ter^'lf *? *f 1 '^*'" '^ ". ^°^S demand for canned fZis^L 
 STfW ^* "^ *>i?^>n«»Ppl« «">ned in these factories is sWpp^ 
 
 t^e total^J^nroffW "V •' '* ^ir^<^'i<^^}^yirapossMe to oE 
 ine total output of the factories. Afinost all of the plants are occu- 
 pied m camung a variety of products, including a nu^berof ChSe 
 
 8WATOW FACTOBIE8. 
 
 There are two factories in Swatow that pack pineapples— the SaIt 
 Be Co. and the Mee Hiang Co. The Sek 80*^00. iS the Cr It haS 
 n^? nf 11'^^"''^ a number of years, but there seems toTe no prot! 
 pect of an increased output. The total output claimed is 500 OW) 
 cans of aU sorts. This ncludes the following tliinese Traits LoquaT 
 caxabolas lychees, myncas, pears, lungan, Totus seeds waiercC 
 
 Cbrshrte"''^'"- "^^ ^^^^^^^^ '^^ "« ^-"^ p- -^ 
 
 THE SEK BE CO. 
 
 The establishment of the Sek Be Co. is located in one of the narrow 
 streets of the Chinese section of Swatow near the wKale f^il 
 market of the city. Much tropical Chinese fniit is foundTnuL or 
 m baskete m the streets along the front of the sto^ No ^ffion 
 whatever IS. practiced Tlie owner of the store or stall hi the frdt 
 ^f^tlT '^r^''''^ ^^ and guards the fruit from the hogs tluTt roTm 
 the streets These same hogs have access to the cannery as sca^ 
 engers of the refuse. ^miory as scav- 
 
 The factory of the Sek Be Co, consists of a two-story stone building 
 m the center of a block of Chinese houses on a street about 15 f^ 
 wide, jnie entire space occupied by the building is about 70 bv 70 
 
 hW ^^fZtT P"''^'^ ?^ this building, oc^yiri about on'^ 
 W oL ^**^ ^''.'''" ^P??^' .^ "^®^ ^ * receiving room for fresh 
 
 product A small comer of this space is partitioned off and set aside 
 as an office, and another small comer is used as a sort of a show or 
 samole room m which the labels are also kept. The tw<^tld?ds of 
 inH b'.^^^^ ^^ ^^i' ""*" '' ^^^^ "P to the canning factojr proper 
 fn 1h/ ih ^ '°'''" "^^"^ approximately 10 feet squire is bdarffiff 
 in the center as a can-making factory. Three dhinese cooUes with 
 
 ?in fn^f^'"''' T TT^"^ constantly in this room cutting the sheet 
 tm into tops and sides !or cans. This is the only equipment o3 
 in this department except the soldering irons. The p?op?X sh^^ 
 htde interest m the probable advantages of can-making mac^rir 
 feeW that the investment would be beyond his mea^ AU ca^ 
 are laBonously and poorly soldered by hand with the cmdest of toX 
 Tm plate is purchased at Hon-kong and comes 108 sheets to 100 
 pounds, measurmg 20 by 14 inches, the price fluctuating from $3 15 
 
 CANNBI>-PrNEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WOBLD. 
 
 87 
 
 to $4.05 gold. The price of solder mns from $58.50 to $65 gold per 
 
 picul (133 pounds). . . i v u 
 
 The remainder of this room was given up to the canning establisn- 
 ment, the equipment of which consists of three processing kettles 
 which are square iron vats built on brick foundations and with brick 
 sides Wooden covers are placed on these brick vats to help raise 
 the temperature above boiling, but there is apparently no accurate 
 means of determining what the temperature is. The water is kept 
 boihng by means of soft-coal fires in the brick fireplaces underneath 
 the process kettles. Iron racks for the cans are lowered mto these 
 vats by iron hooks on the ends of bamboo poles. 
 
 The pineapples, which are grown in abundance around bwatow, 
 are purchased at the factory for 1 i to 2 cents eold. They are brought 
 in baskets from the wholesale markets and dumned m one corner of 
 the factory, whence they are taken to the peelers, who, with one 
 hand encased in a rubber glove, proceed to peel and shce the pme- 
 apple. The method of peeling, shcing, and fiUing the cans, sirupii^, 
 exhausting, venting, and processing is practically the same as m the 
 Singapore factories. The best of these fruits are packed 24 cans 
 to the case, the cans being approximately 2-pound containers 
 measuring 3f inches in diameter and 4f mches m height, bucft 
 goods sell for $2.50 gold per case. The poorer quahty sells for $2 
 Sold per case of forty-eight 1-pound cans, measurmg 2} mches in di- 
 ameter and 3 J inches in height. At retail the 2-pound cans sell for 
 12i cents gold, and the 1-pound cans for 5 to 7i cents gold. 
 
 The labels are purchased from England through Hongkong, and 
 are printed in Chinese and Enghsh characters. Although pnnted on 
 poor paper, thev are well executed and fairly attractive. They cost 
 $1.75 to $2 gold per thousand. 
 
 THE HBE HIANQ 00. 
 
 The Mee Hiang factory, Whylung Bridge, Swatow, while not so 
 large as the Sek fie factory, is housed in practically the same kmd of 
 brick building, with the advantage of more air and hght. 
 
 The front portion of this building, as in the case of the bek lie 
 factory, is used as receiving room and as storage warehouse for 
 finished products, and a small portion is partitioned off as an office 
 and showroom. The rear two-thirds of the factory is given up to 
 the canning and tin-making sections, which occupy a space about 20 
 by 40 feet. This space has a brick floor, and the building is more or 
 less of an open shed, affording better light and ventilation than is 
 had at the plant of the Sek Be Co. 
 
 The equipment consists of three brick-covered iron open vats, the 
 usual tables and hand tools, and a few hand-worked can-cuttii^ 
 arrangements. All cans are soldered by hand. The proprietors of 
 this estabUshment indicated a desire for improved machinery. They 
 will consider catalogues, but as they do not understand Ei^hsh they 
 will require a translator and also some one to explain the working of 
 the more compUcated machinery. 
 
 The output of the factory is stated to be 400,000 cans per year. 
 This includes all of the products put up at the factory, such as 
 lychees, white beans, myricas, carabolas, and pineapples, although 
 the last named is the principal product. Fresh pineapples were 
 quoted at $0.75 to $1.25 gold per picul (133 pounds). 
 
38 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 This factory employs about 70 men and bovs the greater part of 
 the season, paying in wages from $1.35 to as nigh as S4.50 ^old per 
 month. All food is furnished the laborers in addition, and in some 
 cases tobacco and sleeping quarters. 
 
 AMOY FACTORIES. 
 
 Amoy has two canning factories, the Malcampo & Co. and the 
 Amoy Tinning Co. (Ltd.) The former is a small factory established 
 within the last few years in the native Chinese town of Amoy, in old 
 buildings formerly connected with a theater. The methods pursued 
 by the owner of this factory are somewhat better than those in vogue 
 in Swatow factories, yet more or less of the Chinese type. The total 
 output is 30,000 cans per year, principally 2-pound cans. The 
 methods of canning and the machinery in this factory do not differ 
 much from those in Swatow. The owner seemed more anxious to 
 secure new capital than to discuss the purchase of machinery. 
 
 The factor^r of the Amoy Tinning Co. (I^td.) is probably one of the 
 most interesting in southern China. It is owned and operated by 
 wealthy and influential Chinese, and is situated on the island of 
 Kulangsu, on which are located the foreign residences. This com- 
 pany was first known as the Kulangsu Tinning Co. 
 
 The progress made by this factory is very marked. During 1912 
 and 1913 a considerable tract of land was purchased and new and 
 modem buildings erected for canning purposes. Through the assist- 
 ance of the American consulate an American superintendent has been 
 engaged and left America early in 1914 to take charge of the factory. 
 He entered into a three-year contract, and is to supervise the con- 
 struction of additional buildings and the installation of new ma- 
 chinei-y. Considerable American can-making machinery has been 
 purchased for the new plant. The products of this factory include 
 meats, fish, vegetables, fruits, jams, pickles, and sauces, and pine- 
 apple, although the last named is not the principal product. The 
 output of the factory before the enlargement was completed was 
 about 3,000 cans per day. 
 
 The factory building is divided into several rooms about 40 by 60 
 feet, with ample light, cement floors, and convenient arrangement of 
 machinery. A good deal of the first machinery purchased was of 
 English manufacture (J. Rhodes & Co. (Ltd.), Wakefield, England), 
 consisting of presses, benders, and double seamers. The motive power 
 is furnished by a Gardner 8-horsepower kerosene engine, and the 
 boiler for generating steam is of German manufacture. 
 
 The capital of the Amoy Tinning Co. when it was started in 1908 
 was about $10,000 gold, and $2,500 gold was added a httle later. It 
 was increased to about $37,500 in July, 1911. The value of business 
 done was about $10,000 in 1909, $15,000 in 1910, and $37,500 in 1911. 
 
 The gross profit, it is said, is about 35 per cent. At the end of the 
 years 1909 and 1910, the shareholders received dividends at the rate 
 of 8 per cent on their shares. At the end of 1911, in addition to the 
 8 per cent dividends, the holders of the shares issued before July, 
 1911, were given a cash sum of $5.03 per share and the holder of 
 shares dateasubsequent to July, 1911, were allotted a profit of $4.98 
 per share. All shares are valued at $125 Mexican ($62.25 gold). 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OP THE WORLD. 
 
 HONGKONG. 
 
 39 
 
 Statistics concerning the factories canning pineapple in Hong- 
 kong were exceedingly diflftcidt to obtain. There are probably 20 or 
 30 so-called factories located in one or two rooms in various sections, 
 of the Chinese quarters. The rooms occupied by these factories are 
 rarely more than 15 feet square, and the crowded condition and lack 
 of cleanUness can result only in products of the most inferior type. 
 
 The machinery consists of the usual tables and knives with which 
 the fruit is prepared, such as are found in Singapore. There is rarely 
 more than one iron vat for exhausting and processing. Cans are 
 made by hand with out-of-date tin-cutting machines of the crudest 
 type. Occasionally may be found an old hand-operated double- 
 seaming apparatus of German make. 
 
 CANTON. 
 
 The writer's visit to Canton occurred during the last revolution, 
 and as fighting was daily occurring in Canton, inspection of the fac- 
 tories was an impossibility. 
 
 The factories at Canton do not confine themselves to pineapple. 
 They are the oldest canning establishments in China and ship their 
 products not only throughout China but to every point to which the 
 Chinese have emigrated. 
 
 The buildings and methods pursued are not very different from 
 those at Swatow. Little attention is given improved methods and 
 cleanliness. All of the products canned by these factories are for 
 Chinese consumption. 
 
 TAIWAN (FORMOSA). 
 
 (By Vice Consul Max D. Kirjassofl, TansuL] 
 
 According to official statistics the pineapple crop of Taiwan (For- 
 mosa) for 1909, 1910, and 1911 was as follows: 
 
 Years. 
 
 Quantity. 
 
 Value. 
 
 Area 
 planted. 
 
 1909 
 
 Poundi. 
 IS, 176, 131 
 15.949,685 
 
 y, 348, 724 
 
 S121,938 
 165,764 
 119,280 
 
 Acre*. 
 2,937.5 
 2,349.5 
 2,100.0 
 
 1910 
 
 1911 
 
 
 The pineapples comprise about 5 per cent of the total fruit crop in 
 value and require about 19 per cent of the area devoted to fruits. 
 Taichu, in central Taiwan, is the chief producing prefecture and fur- 
 nishes about 55 per cent of all the pineapples grown on the island. 
 Next to Taichu come Tainan in the south and Taihoku in the north. 
 
 Previous to 1911 the exports of pineapples to Japan had seldom 
 exceeded 50,000 pounds, but in that year such exports jumped to 
 633,600 pounds. The exports to China are not important, 318,049 
 pounds in 1909 being the high mark. Prices in the market at home 
 and in Japan are more favorable. 
 
 No rehable statistics of the production of canned pineapple in 
 Taiwan are to be had, but as nearly the entire output is exported the 
 
^^' 
 
 40 
 
 CANNEIVPINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OP THE WOBLD. 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 41 
 
 export statistics give some idea of the production. In 1908 the 
 exports amounted to 22,229 dozen tins valued at $33,256, m 1909 
 to 19,750 dozen valued at $29,753, in 1910 to 13,785 dozen valued at 
 $18,890, and in 1911 to 29,542 dozen valued at $37,454. The tins 
 weiffh about 2§ pounds. The exports for the most part go to Kobe, 
 
 Osafca, and Tokyo. ,^ ^, • i 
 
 The six principal canneries are as follows: The Okamiira pmeapple 
 cannery, at Hozen, capital, $27,000; the Ro Ho Shoko pineapple 
 cannery, at Daitotei, capital, $7,300; the Maruyasu pmeapple can- 
 nery, at Inrin, capital, $4,650; the Kojunki pineapple cannery, at 
 Nihachisui, capital, $6,000; the Giran Marine Products To., at Giran, 
 capital, $3,705; the Masutoku pineapple cannerv, at Inrin, capital, 
 $4,000. Since the foregoinjj figjures were issued the Kojunki cannery 
 has increased its capital to $25,000. The Marutoku cannery has also 
 increased its capital, but the combined capital of all the companies 
 does not exceed $100,000. 
 
 The Okamura factory is the largest of the six and may be taken as 
 a fair example of the Taiwan canneries. The buildings include an 
 office, cannery, warehouse for raw fruit, can factory, washing house, 
 and warehouses for canned fruit. There is an 18-horsepower boiler, 
 an S-horsepower engine, and two processing kettles of 48 cubic feet. 
 
 Pineapples for canning cost about IJ cents for the best quaUty, IJ 
 cents for second quality, and 1 cent for third quality. The average 
 weight is about 2 J pounds. Most of the companies have no planta- 
 tions and are obliged to buy their fruit from the growers. 
 
 The fruit is put up in the following styles: ''Whole," for which the 
 pineapple is cut at both ends, the skin removed, and the core cut out 
 by means of a metal tube; "seed cut out," which is the same as 
 "whole" with seeds removed; "sliced," which is the same as "seed 
 cut out," but cut into circular slices about half an inch thick; "chunk," 
 cut into pieces li inches long and i inch wide and thick; "cube," 
 cut into i-inch cubes; "golden coin," cut into coin shape about \ 
 inch wide and thick; "jam," and "grated." Of the foregoing styles 
 the "sliced," "chunk,'^ and "cube^' are the most profitable, as anjr 
 size of pineapple may be used, but the style known as "seed cut out ' 
 is the most popular form at all the canneries. 
 
 One man can trim 400 to 500 pineapples a day, but if the work is 
 continued for several days the workman's hands become sore. The 
 trimming is done on the piecework basis at the rate of one-sixth of 1 
 cent per pineapple. The work of removing the skin is begun at 1 or 
 2 o'clock in the morning, so that the canning works may be operated 
 from as early an hour as possible. 
 
 Most of the factories have can-making machines, which cost on an 
 average about $200 in Taiwan, including all attachments and the 
 expense of installation. The tin plate used for making cans costs 
 $4.02 per 1 12 sheets, 14 by 20 inches. At the Okamura factory three 
 cans— large, medium, and small— are made from one sheet. TCach 
 cannery makes its own solder by combining equal Quantities of lead 
 and tin. The tin costs $43.23 per 100 pounds and the lead $3.38. 
 Hydrochloric acid, used in sealing the cans, is generally prepared at 
 the canneries, but is sometimes purchased at $1.87 per kerosene can. 
 This would mean an expense of about 1 cent per 200 cans. Charcoal 
 is the only fuel used ancl costs about 50 cents per 100 pounds, or about 
 
 2i cents per 100 cans. One man can make on an average 500 cans 
 a day, for which he receives 25 cents. 
 
 A mixture of 8 gallons of water and 33 pounds of sugar is used for 
 sweetening. After boiling for half an hour in a double kettle this 
 mixture is sufficient to fill 160 to 200 cans, at a cost of about 2 cents 
 a can. The sugar is generally a native product, but is sometimes 
 imported from Hongkong at $8.46 per 100 pounds. 
 
 The export prices of Taiwan canned pineapple in 2-kin (2§-pound) 
 cans, 2\ dozen to the case, are as follows: Whole, $1.23 per dozen; 
 seed cut out, $1.28; sliced, $1.33. The prices in Taiwan are: Whole, 
 $1.30 per dozen; seed cut out, $1.40; sliced, $1.50. Each style is also 
 packed in 2i-kin (3J-pound) cans, 2 dozen to the case, and in IJ-kin 
 (2-pound) cafis, 3 dozen to the case, and are sold at corresponding 
 prices. The Taiwan pineapple is about 20 per cent higher m price 
 than the Singapore product. The net profit per case of 3 dozen cans 
 of Taiwan pineappfc is about $0.57 for the exported product and 
 approximately $1.20 for that sold at home. 
 
 The Taiwan pineapple-canning industry is not in a very prosperous 
 condition, a state of affairs that may be attributed to the following 
 causes : The quality of the pineapple is inferior, as there is too much 
 fiber, the flavor is poor, and the fruit is small. The canning season 
 lasts only 120 days and it is difficult to hire laborers for so short a 
 period. The Taiwan canneries use less sugar than the canneries of 
 other countries and the sugar is of an inferior quaUty. Canned pine- 
 apples sell slowly and as a result payments to the canneries are 
 delayed. This forces the canners to demand high prices, which affects 
 the market adversely. There is no association of canners and as a 
 consequence no standard grades of goods are maintained. 
 
 The Taiwan Government proposes the following plans for the 
 improvement of the industry: 
 
 Native conditiona and methods of culture shall be studied in comparison with 
 those of other countries with a view to impro\'ing the quality of the raw product. 
 
 Pineapples for canning shall be well selected and carefully finished. 
 
 Encouragement shall be given the cultivation of pineapples in the most favorable 
 bcalities, such as the Tainan Prefecture. . 
 
 Factories shall be erected as near the fields as possible, transportation faciutiea 
 being given due consideration. 
 
 The consumption tax on sugar contained in cans for export may be refunded. 
 
 The canneries are to make contracts for quick payments and to lower their prices 
 as far as possible. 
 
 An association of all the canners shall be formed. 
 
 BAHAMA ISLANDS. 
 
 [Consul William F. Doty, Nassau, New Provldenoa.) 
 
 Some interesting experiments are being conducted on the island 
 of New Providence, Bahamas, looking toward a marked improve- 
 ment of the pineapple industry, which until comparatively recent 
 years made tnis group of islands famous. Of late this export has 
 Deen insignificant, owing to high tariff duties in the United States 
 and the favorable treatment of the Hawaiian product. The lack of 
 proper ventilation and cold-storage facilities en route have further 
 militated against successfid handling of the fruit. New interest is 
 evident now, however, and methods of cultivation and packing are 
 being carefully studied by a few enterprising planters and packers. 
 Tha outlook is very hopeful. 
 
42 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 CANNED-PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
 
 48 
 
 What inio:ht be appropriately called waste land, such as coidd be 
 purchased for the sum of 50 cents United States currency per acre 
 a few years ago, is being cleared of brush and small trees^ at a cost 
 of less than 50 cents per male laborer a day. 
 
 It is thought by some that the flavor of the pineapple grown in the 
 Bahamas is finer than that of pineapples round elsewhere. The 
 largest fruit at maturity weighs about 5i pounds. The Smooth 
 Cayenne variety grown in some of the other groups of the West 
 Indies is larger, but is perhaps not so choice for table purposes as the 
 ?\ed Spanish of the Bahamas. It is questionable if the same plant 
 (levelops so fine a flavor even in Cuba, whence the slips are imported 
 into the Bahamas. 
 
 Although under the more favorable soil conditions at the island of 
 Eleuthera in this group the life of the pineapple plant hns been 
 prolonged for the extraordinary period of 20 years, here in the waste 
 land 5 years would be exceptional, "niree years is seemingly the 
 limit of the average plant. Slips from Cuba are preferred to suckers 
 from old plants. 
 
 AN AMERICAN CANNING ESTABLISHMENT 
 
 An American corporation operates a pineapple-canning factory 
 successfully at Nassau. Practically all of the equipment is of Amer- 
 ican origin, and the tins are of Amencan manutacture, of a superior 
 grade. All of the boxes are likewis? brought in from the United 
 States. The box used is the lock-head type. 
 
 During the season of 1913 about 25,000 cases of tinned pineapples 
 were shipped by this company to the United States. The president 
 of the company is doing everything possible to revive the mdustry. 
 The planter is now being supplied with slips from Cuba and with 
 fertihzer, and payment is deferred until after the plant has matured, 
 18 months later. Cash advances are not made. In this connection, 
 however, it may be predicted that in time the planters may call upon 
 bankers for advances. American capital may find this a profitable 
 field in the future. There are large areas on the island of Eleuthera 
 and on other islands, and even fairly large tracts on New Providerce, 
 that could be obtained for a very small sum. With enlarged facilities 
 for canning the pineapples at Nassau and other centers the industry 
 would apparently have a promising future. 
 
 The factory is situated on the harbor front and is ensily accessible 
 to ships bringing the fruit from the other islands. The yellow pine- 
 apples are sliced for table — 15 slices to the No. 2 tin and 7 to the 
 No. 1 tin. Cane sugar is added. 
 
 The processing lasts 25 to 45 minutes, according to grade. The 
 full but green pineapples are cut into slices five-eighths of an irch 
 thick and are not sugared. This grade is put up to be remanufac- 
 tured in the United States. The cores are chopped up and, mixed 
 with other ingredients, used in candy manufacture in the Urited 
 States. Even the skin of the pineapple is pressed and the resulting 
 . juice tinned, with small pieces of pineapple added. This is not 
 fruit juice for table use, but is to be reman ufactured into fruit juice. 
 A case of pineapple contains 48 pounds of fruit exclusive of sugar 
 and water. The labels of the ''Columbian" brand, depicting the 
 discovery of the Bahamas, are very attractive. 
 
 The factory supplies work to many hundreds of people at times. 
 The women can earn by piecework between 36 and 48 cents United 
 States currency per day. The men are paid relatively higher. 
 
 Th9 table grade sells in New York at $3.30 a case and the grade for 
 reman ufacturing at $3. 
 
 GUADELOUPE. 
 
 (Consul Fredrick T. F. Dumont.] 
 
 There are two canning factories in the colony of Guadeloupe and 
 both are engaged in preparing pineapple for the French market. The 
 exports of pineapple m 1 91 1 amoimted to about 400,000 poimds. The 
 canning season begins in March and closes in September. The pi'ices 
 paid for the raw fruit in 1911 were as follows: For large pineapples, 
 $0.01 each; for medium sizes, $0,006; for small sizes, $0,003. 
 
 The cans are imported from France and cost $0.04 each f. o. b. 
 Pointe a Pitre, the nrincipal city of the colony. Labor is paid as 
 follows: Men, $0.38 to $0.76 per day; women, $0.19 to $0.24; me- 
 chanics, $0.76 to $0.95; mechanics' assistants, $0.38 to $0.57. 
 
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