4 BULLETIN 645, L T . S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



unsprayed during both years yielded only from one-half to one box 

 per tree. This difference was so marked that all the laborers in the 

 grove noticed it as early as August 1. 



THE GRADING OF FRUIT. 



PRESENT STATUS. 



The percentage of first-grade fruit shipped out of Florida is not 

 as great as it should be. To illustrate this point several tables have 

 been prepared which give the percentages of the various grades 

 shipped. These data have been obtained with difficulty. At first it 

 was thought that information could be obtained from the growers. 

 As a matter of fact the growers, as a class, do not know the percent- 

 age of the fruit in the different grades or the price received for the 

 respective grades, for the reason that a large percentage of the citrus 

 crop is sold on the tree, and shipped by those commission firms own- 

 ing groves. 



Xo information regarding the percentages of the various grades 

 shipped could be obtained from the shipping companies. One im- 

 portant firm wrote that such large quantities of their fruit had been 

 sold at so much per box, regardless of grade and size, that they were 

 unable to give any information about grades and prices. The reports 

 of the Xew York auction and the Florida Citrus Exchange were 

 available. 



The grading of fruit in Florida is in a most chaotic state-. Certain 

 grades marked " fancy " bring less money than third or fourth- 

 grade brands. There are no standards for the various grades of 

 fruit; the different grades vary as the season advances, and from 

 year to year. It is very difficult to place each brand of fruit in its 

 proper place. Attempt, however, was made to place it just as the 

 shipper had intended. The Citrus Exchange key to the various 

 brands was followed for all Exchange fruit. \Yherever the word 

 " fancy " occurred, this was placed in the first grade, " bright " in 

 the second, and so on. This was strictly adhered to. The follow- 

 ing table will explain this more fully : 



First grade. 



Second grade. 



Third grade. | Fourth grade. 



Fifth grade. 





Bright 



Stripes B 



Blue 





Plain. 



Stripes No. 1 





Stripes Y 



Yellow 



Big Cypress. 

 Plain. 



Red 



Deerfield F .... 



Deerfield B 



Deerfield G 







J R. W. Fancy 



J. R. W. Choice 



Balls of J 



J. R. W. Golden 







Florida Sunshine 















In order to arrive at the best estimate of the grades of fruit shipped 

 from Florida at present it seemed best to adopt two fairly distinct 

 methods to determine this for New York City and compare the re- 

 sults with those obtained from other sources. 



