Among the many large establishments in this city, there are none, perhaps, that possess more interest to all classes of the community than those in which fruit and other luxuries peculiar to the summer and autumnal seasons are preserved, in all their flavor and sweetness, for use in winter and spring. A few years ago, this was a very trifling business, but enterprise and energy have built up a trade in Philadelphia, amounting, in the aggregate, to upwards of $300,000. Employment is given to several hundred persons during the year, and, in one establishment, nearly $12,000 were paid out for wages during the fruit season of 1855. The capital invested in an establishment of this kind, is far greater than a mere cursory glance through it would seem to indicate. In the preparation of the various kinds of fruit, there is a vast amount of care and prudence required, as some kinds have to be cooked before being put in cans and bottles, while other varieties only demand a certain kind and quantity of syrup.

This is considered the most difficult portion of the business, and experience has taught many housekeepers that the knowledge of these two important matters - cooking and making syrup - are of greater utility than luck; for, where the latter is depended upon solely, losses of time and money much more frequently occur than where the parties have the facilities for preserving the fruit, and possess the knowledge of having it properly attended to.

The two principal dealers in this city are Mr. Mills B. Espy, No. 109 South Third Street, and J. L. Wendell, No. 152 South Front Street. Mr. Espy does much the largest business, and has a building 27 by 120 feet, and 5 stories high, in which every department is carried on extensively. The cans used are made in the building, the sealing-wax prepared, the fruit cleaned, pared, cooked (when rendered necessary), and put up, ready for foreign markets, or home use. Some idea may be formed of this trade when we state, that among the articles put up in Mr. E's establishment, in 1855, were upwards of 20,000 pounds of cherries, 10,000 quarts of strawberries, 4,000 baskets peaches, 6,000 baskets tomatoes, 3,000 bushels plums, 100 bushels gages, 100 barrels quinces, 15,000 pine-apples, 1,000 bushels of gooseberries, 2,000 bushels each of corn, peas, and beans, besides 300 hogsheads of pickles, etc. Although a comparatively small quantity of oysters are put up here, nearly 12,000 cans were prepared in this house, as well as thousands of cans of fresh beef, mutton, veal, milk, and other articles. The cooking of Mr. Espy is all done by steam.

The apparatus is constructed in a superior manner, and, from the peculiarity in cooking the fruit and vegetables, and preparing the syrup by the same agency, the flavor and delicious taste are preserved, and, when eating the articles prepared, it seems as if they were fresh from the vines or trees. - Philadelphia Ledger.