SHIPMENT OF OEANGES FKOM FLORIDA. 



fruit. When the fruit is held for 3 or 4 days in the packing house the period elapsing 

 between picking and final consumption is unnecessarily and even dangerously length- 

 ened. From this standpoint alone curing is unwise, as the delay increases the chance 

 for the infection of bruises or injured spots and facilitates the development of decay 

 before shipment and in transit. 



Fig. 17. — Diagram illustrating the percentage of blue-mold decay of oranges, on arrival in Wastiiiigton 

 and after holdiag for three weeks, in carefully handled and commercially handled lots and in 

 immediate and delayed shipments; average of the two seasons, 1910-11 and 1911-12. 



A comparison of commercially handled immediate and delayed shipments from 

 two packing houses, in one of which the work was being done very carefully, while 

 in the other the handling was of a rather rough character, emphasizes the relationship 

 which exists between delay and the occurrence of decay while in transit. Table XV 

 and its accompanying diagram (fig. IS) give the results of commercial shipments from 

 these two packing houses during the season of 1910-11. The houses were located in 

 the same district and the fruit was similar in character. 



Table XV. — Blue-mold decay of oranges on arrival in Washington and after holding for 

 three weeks, the immediate and delayed shipments from two houses, 1910-11 . 





House No. 1. 



House No. 2. 



Time of examination. 



Immedi- 

 ate. 



Delayed. 



Immedi- 

 ate. 



Delayed. 





Per cent. 

 



1.2 

 3.1 

 4.0 



Per cent. 







.6 



1.4 



1.4 



Per cent. 

 26.1 



40.4 

 42.6 

 42.8 



Per cent. 

 67.3 



After 1 week 



71.3 



After 2 weeks 



71.9 



After 3 weeks 



71.9 







The fruit from house No. 1, which was carrying on the work in a careful manner, 

 arrived in Washington with no decay in either immediate or delayed lots, and after 

 holding for three weeks the immediate shipments developed 4 per cent of decay, 

 while the delayed ones had less than 2 per cent. In house No. 2, where the work 

 was being carelessly done, the difference between the percentages of decay was very 



