22 



THE CUBA REVIEW. 



AGRICULTURE. 



Wrapping and packing eggplant in Cuba for the 

 NEW YORK market. 



Bloom-Blight Remedy. 



Bloom-blight of the mango, aguacate, and 

 lime, can be prevented by spraying the blos- 

 som clusters with Bordeaux mixture twice 

 during the blossoming period. The exces- 

 sive use of phosphoric acid and a deficiency 

 of potash caused the new growth in agua- 

 cate trees to remain soft and green and the 



small trees blossomed to an abnormal ex- 

 tent. 

 A Larger Horticultural Exhibit in 1909. 



The Cuban National Horticultural So- 

 ciety, which gave a very successful exposi- 

 tion of Cuban fruits and vegetables in Ha- 

 vana early in January, is already planning 

 for a larger exposition next year. The first 

 exhibit was very satisfactory, the attractive 

 specimens of Cuba's products shown proving 

 that the finest oranges, lemons, grape-fruit, 

 innumerable varieties of citrus fruits, and 

 all kinds of familiar vegetables can be - 

 raised on the island. ]\Iany Spanish-speak- 

 ing residents have become members and 

 membership is invited from all engaged in 

 agricultural pursuits and its allied interests. 



With the proper support and encourage- 

 ment, so that larger quarters can be se- 

 cured, the society promises a horticultural 

 show next winter which will be of vast 

 benefit to the island. Mr. Luis Marx has 

 offered the 'society the use of any of his 

 warehouses for next year's exhibition. 



The Gaceta Economica, referring to this 

 successful exhibition, says : "It is a pity 

 that it was left to the American residents of 

 Cuba to inaugurate the exposition, because 

 there are many practical and intelHgent Cu- 

 bans capable of initiating a show of this 

 kind, could they but receive the support of 

 those who are or should be in sympathy 

 with developing Cuban agriculture." 



Shipping Citrus Fruits. 



Summarizing the results obtained from all 

 shipments, sound, uninjured fruit is the 

 foundation for successful keeping quality 

 under all methods and conditions of han- 

 dling. Carefully handled fruit developed the , 

 least decay, while oranges injured mechan- 

 ically in handling developed the most. 

 Sound fruit handled with enough care to 

 prevent injury and shipped quickly after ■ 

 picking and packing, in the coolest possible 

 condition, summarizes the fundarnental re- 

 quirements for the successful keeping of the 

 orange during shipment. If the fruit has 

 been injured in picking or in the packing 

 house, then quick shipment at a cold tem- 

 perature is essential. 



Unsound fruit may arrive in market in 

 apparently sound condition if shipped quick- 

 ly after packing in a cold condition, but the 

 decay has only been retarded. It has been 

 transferred to the receiver, and unless the 

 fruit is used quickly the rot develops as 

 soon as the fruit warms up. There appears 

 to be little difference in the keeping quality 

 of sound oranges when s'hipped under ven- 

 tilation, under ice, or after precooling. 



A United States government report says 

 that the losses in Florida oranges during 

 November, December and January which 

 were severe, were due principally to the 

 rough handling of the fruit. 



