FRUITS 251 



is turgid and full of sap. In this condition it is 

 easily bruised, so the fruit should be handled with 

 much care and it should be " cured " by lying ex- 

 posed to the air in the packing house for two or 

 three days until this surplus moisture has evaporated 

 and the rind becomes somewhat limp and pliable. 

 It can now be handled and pressed closely in the 

 boxes without injury. If the fruit is packed direct 

 from the tree without curing, it will be more or less 

 bruised in handling ; the moisture given off will 

 dampen the wrapping paper, thus favoring decay; 

 and the shrinkinsr of the fruit will make the box 

 seem slack filled. Much of the complaint of or- 

 anges arriving in bad order comes from the care- 

 less disregard of this important matter of curing 

 before packing. After the fruit has lain in the cur- 

 ing boxes long enough to handle well it is graded 

 into brights and russets and the unmarketable culls 

 are rejected. Each class is now assorted into certain 

 standard sizes for convenience in packing. This is 

 best and most accurately done by the use of some of 

 the mechanical sizers now on the market. The 

 oranges are rolled through the machine, the different 

 sizes passing through different openings, and falling 

 in separate receivers. Each orange is now wrapped 

 in tissue paper that is usually marked with the dis- 

 tinctive brand or trade mark of the owner, and they 

 are packed in the boxes, each size according to some 

 definite plan that will bring them out evenly and 

 smoothly at the top of the box. The box should be 

 full enough so that considerable pressure is necessary 

 in nailing on the cover. Small growers do not 



