SHIPMENT OF ORANGES FROM FLORIDA. 7 



packed out (PI. V, figs. 1 and 2). In most of the houses at the present time the fruit 

 is carried in front of the gi'aders on canvas belts to the sizing machines, which are 

 usually run by power. The majority of the packers now wish to ship their fruit as 

 soon after picking as possible. Some, however, still keep it for a couple of days to 

 wilt or "ciu-e," as the process is called. 



Cleaning. — During the past few years cleaning the fruit has become more and more 

 necessary because of the spread of the white fly. At the present time probably 75 

 per cent of the Florida orange crop is cleaned either by washing or by the sawdust 

 method. Until some method of controlling the white fly has been discovered, it will 

 be necessary to continue these processes and even to extend them to a larger propor- 

 tion of the fruit. 



Various methods of washing are used, and many different types of washers are now 

 in operation in the State. Some of the machines developed and used extensively in 

 California have been installed, and other types have originated in Florida. The 

 fruit is either dumped into a small hopper leading to a tank of water or is emptied 

 directly into the water, and the cleaning process consists of passing the fruit, either 

 while in the water or while still wet, over or between rapidly moving brushes, which 

 remove the sooty coating from the skin (PL IV, fig. 2, and PI. VI, fig. 1). A number 

 of washers are used in which the cleansing is done by means of sponges or rags. 

 After the fruit has been washed it is run through "artificial" forced-air blast driers 

 or else elevated to drying racks (PI. VI, fig. 2) and when dried is ready to be graded 

 and sized. 



Another method of cleaning citrus fruits, especially grapefruit, is with sawdust. 

 Large horizontal cylinders are completely filled with fruit, a few pounds of wet 

 sawdust are added, and the cylinders are then revolved for 8 or 10 minutes by hand 

 or other power. The movement of the sawdust over the surface of the fruit rubs off 

 much of the dirt and sooty mold. No drying is required after this process (PL VII, 



fig-1)- 



Grading. — There are no set rules for grading oranges and grapefruit in Florida. 

 As a rule, only two classes are made, "brights" and "russets," in addition to a 

 poorer grade which is shipped to near-by markets. The bright fruit is that which 

 is free from the effects of the work of the rust mite, a small mite which punctures 

 the oil cells in the skin of the fruit, causing the surface to become brownish in appear- 

 ance. The russet grade is composed of fruit more or less affected by the work of the 

 rust mite. Fruit affected with melanose, a disease common in many sections, is 

 also usually placed in the russet grade. The russeting due to the work of the rust 

 mites is quite characteristic of the Florida orange and has been almost a trade-mark 

 for the fruit, the general impression prevailing in the North that such oranges are a 

 distinct variety grown only in Florida. Consequently, this grade frequently brings 

 as much money as bright fruit. It has never been determined that the work of the 

 rust mites affects the quality of an orange or grapefruit. The number of mites 

 varies considerably in different localities and even in groves in the same locality, 

 and when present they may be largely controlled by the use of sulphur sprays or 

 by dry sulphur blown upon the trees. 



A few packing houses in the State make more than two grades. The finest of the 

 bright fruit may be packed as "fancy," or some of the brightest russets may be 

 labeled "golden." There are no uniform rules in the State, however, and similar 

 grades of fruit from different packing houses may be sold under different names. 

 Moreover, all grading is without reference to the size of the fruit. As one man grades 

 a car or more of fruit each day, the work can not be done very thoroughly. There 

 is a strong tendency at present to establish more definite grades and to secure better 

 methods of grading (PL VII, fig. 2). 



The sizes of Florida oranges vaiy from 80 to 420 fruits in a box, some fruit occa- 

 sionally falling outside even these wide limits. The common sizes are 126, 150, 176, 



