50 



Too much care can not be exercised in assorting and 

 selecting the fruit, as one imperfect or decayed specimen 

 may contaminate the whole and result in much loss. The 

 oranges should be counted and the number marked on the 

 box, together with the grade. The box should now be 

 firmly strapped at each end, and if to be transported far, 

 it would be better and safer to strap around the middle. 



There can be no question abcut the superiority of the 

 drying process of curing the fruit, over the "sweating" 

 process. The first, has a tendency to toughen the skin ,and 

 tissues by evaporating the aqueous fluids, while the other 

 softens the skin by a heating and fermenting action, 

 thereby hastening decay in the tissue, which was de- 

 signed to protect ; and no one, we think, who will give 

 the subject careful consideration, and view it in the light 

 which chemistry affords, will hesitate for a moment to con- 

 cede the drying process to be the better wa^ T . An orange 

 which is ripe and everyway perfect, placed in a light, dry, 

 airy situation, will keep for months, or until it shrivels and 

 dries to a crisp ; while one which has passed through the 

 sweating process, will soon begin to soften and the skin 

 first, and then the pulp melt into one mass of decomposi- 

 tion, The one mode is common sense ; the other nonsense. 

 Light and a dry atmosphere have a wonderful preservative 

 power ; while darknesi, warmth and moisture are equally 

 effective in promoting decay. 



SOME AFTER THOUGHTS. 



In speaking of the different mode of treatment which 

 a growing tree required from a bearing tree, it was stated 

 that from the time the tree was planted till the bearing age 

 fertilizers rich in nitrogenous compounds were required to 

 push the growing tree. Well rotted stable manure, com- 



