SHIPMENT OF OKANGES FEOM FLORIDA. 9 



The length of time in transit from central Florida to Philadelphia or New York 

 varies from four days to more than a week. There are several routes by which fruit 

 may be shipped to northern points. It may go "all rail" by freight, either in car- 

 loads or by local freight. Small consignments are sent by express to Savannah and 

 from there by freight to their various destinations, and some fruit is shipped by water 

 from both Jacksonville and Savannah. The rates to northern points vary somewhat 

 by these different routes. Jacksonville is the basing point, and the "all rail" freight 

 rate thence to Baltimore is 43 cents per box in carload lots. This rate to New York 

 is 46 cents, to Boston 51 cents, to Pittsburgh 52 cents, and to Chicago 53 cents. The 

 water rate from Jacksonville is 35 cents to New York and 40 cents to Boston. In less 

 than carload lots the "all rail" freight rate to Baltimore is 47 J cents, to Boston 59 

 cents, and to Chicago 97.2 cents. These rates apply on shipments moving through 

 Jacksonville for points beyond. The rate is higher when the fruit is shipped to 

 Jacksonville, the freight charges paid there, and the shipments rebilled to points 

 beyond. In addition to the above charges the shipper has to pay the local freight 

 from his shipping station to Jacksonville. This local freight rate per box is 15 cents 

 from Orlando, 20 cents from Arcadia, and 26 cents from Miami. 



During 1912-13 there were 321 boxes in the average carload. A few men shipped 

 400 or more boxes per car, but this practice should be discouraged. Such heavy load- 

 ing leaves no space in which the air may circulate and affords a splendid opportunity 

 for the development of decay in transit. The Florida car is smaller than the one used 

 by the California shippers and should contain not more than 360 boxes. The inside 

 measurements of the standard shipping car for oranges are 33 feet in length, 8 feet in 

 width, and 84^ inches in height. The minimum freight weight of a standard car of 

 300 boxes is therefore 24,000 pounds, reckoning each box at the arbitrary weight of 80 

 pounds. The freight rate is assessed per box, the average rate on citrus fruits shipped 

 from Florida during 1912-13 being 65.7 cents per box of 80 pounds' weight. A car of 

 oranges may contain boxes of oranges of all sizes, the fruit being generally loaded in the 

 cars " orchard run, " although some purchasers specify in advance the sizes desired. 



Refrigeration and ventilation. — Prior to the season of 1912-13, nearly all of the ship- 

 ments of Florida citrus fruits were handled under ventilation. A few of the late 

 oranges, especially Valencias, have been shipped under refrigeration during the latter 

 part of the season when the weather was warm either in Florida or while the fruit was 

 in transit, but it is estimated that not more than 1 per cent of the shipments of citrus 

 fruits were iced in any season previous to 1912. The conditions surrounding the 

 citrus-fruit industry of Florida have been largely responsible for the lack of the proper 

 facilities for the shipment of oranges under ice. Before the reorganization of the 

 industry, following the introduction of modern handling and packing facilities, there 

 was little or no opportunity to utilize refrigeration in transporting the citrus crop to 

 market. A large proportion of the fruit was handled in local consignments to central 

 points, such as Jacksonville, Fla. , or Savannah, Ga. , and at these gateway cities carload 

 shipments were made up. In some instances the fruit was sent by boat to Jackson- 

 ville or Savannah and thence forwarded north by railroad. During the past three or 

 four years this practice has changed to a very great extent, and at the present time only 

 a small proportion (if any) of the shipments of Florida citrus fruits are assembled after 

 local shipment at the central points mentioned. Packing houses equipped with 

 modern appliances have been erected throughout the State. Full carloads are now 

 made up at these houses and the fruit is shipped north direct from the point of produc- 

 tion or packing. The opportunities for utilizing refrigeration have thus been increased, 

 as the fruit can now be loaded direct into iced cars instead of being first shipped locally 

 in unprotected ' ' ventilator ' ' or box cars. 



The prevailing opinion among fruit growers and shippers formerly has been that 

 Florida citrus fruits do not need refrigeration. Practically the entire crop is moved 



23103°— Bull. 63—14 2 



