CHAPTER X. 



THE ORANGE CROP; GATHERING, CURING, SHIPPING, ETC. 



TIME OF SHIPPING. 



In this State March and April, and even May and June, are 

 the best months in which to ship the general crop. 



Oranges grown in the northern and central part of this State 

 color much earlier than those grown in the southern counties, 

 but no oranges are ripe then (excepting early foreign varieties), 

 but being highly colored, they can be placed in the market in 

 December and January. 



PICKING. 



The tree should never be picked clean ; only the ripe fruit 

 should first be picked, thus lightening up the trees. The clean, 

 bright colored, smooth, fine skin, and firm oranges will always 

 command the best prices. 



ORANGE CURING. 



The fruit should be handled with care. It is better to (clip) 

 stem cut than to pull the orange, as in pulling there is danger 

 of tearing the skin. The fruit should not be packed fresh 

 from the tree, as when packed it will heat and sweat in the 

 boxes at an ordinary temperature, and as the entire contents 

 in the box becomes damp, there is great danger from rot and 

 decay. The fruit should be picked in boxes and left under 

 the tree three or four days, to allow the rind of the fruit to 

 shrink and to lose the surplus moisture in the rind. Another 

 way is to place them in heaps in a dry room. Unless the 

 weather is very cool they go through a natural sweat, in which 



