32 



BULLETIN 63, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGEICULTUBE. 



These results strongly empliasize the very definite relationship which exists between 

 the type of handling given the fniit in preparing it for shipment and its behavior dur- 

 ing transit, and they show that the condition of the fruit after arrival in market de- 

 pends largely upon the character of the work done in the grove and the packing house. 

 They also show that the Florida orange, when properly handled, has excellent shipping 

 qualities and that practically all loss from blue-mold decay, such as has occurred in 

 the past, can be eliminated. This is the fundamental factor upon which will even- 

 tually depend the successful marketing of the crop as well as the extension pf the 

 territory over which sound fruit can be distributed. The importance of having the 

 fruit remain in good condition after arrival in market is most urgent. Carefully han- 

 dled fruit which has good keeping quality will always command a premium over fruit 

 which has a bad reputation. The former will enable buyers to break up carloads and 

 to ship sound fruit to smaller markets over an area two or three times as large, whUe 



i: 



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off< 



.p^' 

 -J^^^;-^^ 



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pACK,^"^' 



Fig. 14. — Diagram illustrating the percentage of blue-mold decay iu caref ally handled and commercially 

 handled oranges on arrival in Washington and after holding for three weeks; summary of the 

 results of the two seasons' work, 1910-11 and 1911-12. 



fruit of a less desirable quality must be consumed quickly in order to avoid further 

 serious loss. Moreover, aside from the actual saving of fruit, the reputation of a brand 

 which holds well on the market can not be adequately estimated in dollars and cents. 



EFFECT OF DELAYED SHIPMENT. 



Experiments with delayed shipments were made in order to determine the effect 

 of "curing" fruit before packing. One of the strongest traditions which existed 

 among packing-house men in the past was that curing was necessary in order that 

 the fruit might be in proper condition for packing. The slight wilting and consequent 

 softening of the oranges was supposed to enable the packer to place them more firmly 

 in the box. The results of the shipping experiments carried on during the two sea- 

 sons did not show that there was any advantage to be gained from curing. Contrary 

 to the general belief that cured fruit is less easily injured in packing, the average 

 decay in the delayed lots was considerably higher than in the immediate shipments. 

 Table XIV and figures 15, 16, and 17 give the average percentage of decay found in the 



