SHIPMENT OF OEAISTGES FEOM PLOBIDA. 



37 



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Unlesa unfavorable weather conditions prevail, a delay of several days is not serious 

 under a system of careful handling which insures the packing of the fruit in sound 

 condition, but it is far better to avoid delay as much as possible, even if the attendant 

 conditions are most favorable. 



COMPARISON OF THE WORK OF DIFFERENT PACKING HOUSES. 



Typical rough and careful handling. — The figures presented in Tables XVII to XX 

 and the accompanying diagrams include the averages of both commercial and experi- 

 mental shipments from a number of houses representing all classes of work. Extremes 

 of rough handling and con- 

 sequent very high decay "^^ 

 during transit, as well as 

 extremes of careful han- 

 dling accompanied by ex- 

 cellent shipping quality, 

 were found in different 

 parts of the State. 



Table XVII and its ac- 

 companying diagram (fig. 

 20) give the average per- 

 centages of decay occur- 

 ring during 1910-11 and 

 1911-12 in the commercial 

 shipments from 12 houses 

 using care and from a like 

 number of houses in which 

 the work was roughly done. 

 During both seasons the 

 percentage of decay in the 

 commercial fruit shipped 

 by the houses using care 

 was almost as low as the 

 average for any of the care- 

 fully handled lots, picked, 

 graded, and packed by bu- 

 reau workers. The prac- 

 ticability of conducting 



nrL ATED^SMiP/^ 



■5.1 c^£FUL_H^£.h^ 



C.^/^JEF'ai. M^^^OL/AJS, /MMBDMTe SH/PME'^'^^ 



Fig. 19.— Diagram illustrating the percentage of blue-mold decay of 

 oranges in immediate and delayed shipments from one house, on 

 arrival in Washington and after holding for three weeks during a 

 period of high decay, December, 1911. 



commercial operations with sufficient care to eliminate decay is thus plainly demon- 

 strated. The results of the two series of shipments present a striking and consistent 

 contrast throughout both seasons. The averages of the carelessly handled commercial 

 lots were somewhat lower during 1911-12 than they were in 1910-11, but the proportion 

 of decayed fruit on arrival (10.9 per cent) is still too high for good commercial results. 



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

 for three lueeks, in shipments showing high and low blue-mold decay in careful and in 

 commercial pack, 191G-11 and 1911-12. 



Year. 



Inspection. 



12 shipments show- 

 ing low decay. 



12 shipments show- 

 ing high decay. 



Careful. 



Commer- 

 cial. 



Careful. 



Commer- 

 cial. 



1910-11... 



On arrival 



Per cent. 



0.1 

 .2 

 .2 

 .3 

 .1 

 .3 

 .6 



1.2 



Per cent. 

 0.4 



.8 

 1.3 

 1.6 



.6 

 1.7 

 3.0 

 4.4 



Per cent. 

 0.4 

 .8 

 1.5 

 2.1 

 1.1 

 1.3 

 1.7 

 2.7 



Per cent. 

 14.6 





After 1 week . 



22.2 





After 2 weeks 



27.8 





After 3 weeks 



30.8 



1911-12. . . 



On arrival . 



10.9 





After 1 week 



16.1 





After 2 weeks 



20.5 





After 3 weeks 



25.9 









