SPRAYING TO CONTROL ENEMIES OF CITRUS TBEES. 11 



The foregoing- data show that the loss resulting from the reduction 

 in size of the fruit is close to 12.5 per cent, or about one size. About 

 half the citrus crop of Florida suffers this loss. The data also con- 

 firm the observations made on the size of " brights " and " russets " 

 when packed. When fruit is graded in a packing house and then 

 run through the sizer the full bin on the " bright " side is invariably 

 one size larger than the full bin on the " russet " side. These facts 

 also substantiate the statement of Mr. S. O. Chase, of Sanford, Fla., 

 who figured out more than 25 years ago that the increase in 

 size which results from spraying pays for the cost of spraying. 

 They also confirm the statements of Mr. F. D. Waite, of Palmetto, 

 and Mr. A. B. Harrington, of Winter Haven, that rust mites reduce 

 the size about 12^ per cent. 



The belief is general in Florida that " russet " fruit will ship bet- 

 ter, or with less decay, than " bright " fruit. If this is the case it is 

 possible that the supposedly superior shipping qualities of the " rus- 

 set " fruit might outweigh any advantages which the " bright " fruit 

 might possess. While the data given in the following paragraphs 

 may not be entirely conclusive, they certainly show that bright fruit, 

 which retains its natural " waxy " coating for protection, ships 

 equally as well or better than " russet " fruit, or fruit that has been 

 injured by rust mites to the extent of losing its normal protection. 



Test 1 : Grapefruit — On January 30, 24 brights and 24 russets were 

 picked and placed in the laboratory. These were examined from 

 time to time, and on April 7 46§ per cent of the bright fruit had 

 decayed and 58-| per cent of the russets. 



Test 2: Fifty-one grapefruit each, of brights and russets, were 

 picked on the same day as the preceding and placed in the laboratory. 

 On April 7, 49 per cent of the brights had decayed and 75-J per cent 

 of the russets. 



Test 3 : Oranges — One box of bright oranges and one box of russet 

 oranges, each containing 200 fruits^ were purchased at the packing 

 house on March 9. These fruits were picked from the same grove. 

 On April 7 the bright oranges showed 48-J per cent decay and the 

 russet oranges 59 per cent. 



Test 4 : One box of brights and one box of russets containing 160 

 oranges each were set aside March 9. On April 7, 29.3 per cent of 

 the bright fruit had rotted and 30.6 per cent of the russets. 



Test 5 : One box each of brights and russets, containing 150 oranges 

 each, were used on March 3. On April 7, 50 per cent of the bright 

 fruit had decayed and 66 per cent of the russet. 



Test 6: One-half box each of brights and russets were put under 

 observation on March 3. On April 7, 54 per cent of the brights had 

 rotted and 74 per cent of the russets. 



