454 CITRUS FRUITS AND THEIR CULTURE. 



the boxes are made. The fruit is delivered at the rear on 

 a high platform. Just inside, floor space is provided for 

 storing the fruit in field boxes. The sizer occupies a 

 central position in the room and just inside the front door 

 the fruit is packed and stenciled ready for shipping. The 

 floor at the front is high enough from the ground to allow 

 loading of the fruit into the wagon without unnecessary 

 labor. 



Plate XXXI shows the packing house of W. S. Hart. 

 Here the fruit is delivered at the platform shown in the 

 front, and to which a flight of steps lead up. In the corner 

 is a small gasoline engine, used in operating the machin- 

 ery in the packing house. As soon as the fruit is deliv- 

 ered, it is run through the large vat-like washer standing 

 on the back of the platform. From the washer the fruit 

 is lifted out and placed on the raised drying table at the 

 right-hand end. The bottom of this table is composed 

 of slats and it slopes gently away from the washer. From 

 this drying table the fruit is gently rolled with a cloth 

 covered broom into field boxes, and lifted into the curing 

 racks inside. These run across the end of the lean-to, at 

 the right end, down the entire length of the building. 

 From the curing racks the fruit goes to the sizer, which 

 stands in the peak-roofed portion at the left. The packing 

 is done just inside the door at the left and the heads 

 are placed on the boxes on the platform at the left. From 

 this platform the fruit is hauled to the shipping point. 

 Thus it will be seen that the fruit travels somewhat in a 

 circle. The second story of the left-hand part serves for 

 a store-room for materials and made-up boxes, and in this 

 room the boxes are made as well. 



Shipping. The express car is the ideal way of ship- 

 ping, but it is, unfortunately, too expensive. Hence, in 



