124 STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE. 



ularity in box-making will cause the oranges of one side to be 

 too high and the other side with the same sized fruit to be too 

 low. In topping the packed box of oranges for shipment, the old 

 method of hooping the ends and middle of the box to secure 

 the box during shipment has been discarded. With a proper 

 machine the fruit is pressed at the extreme ends of the box 

 only. The top pieces are held in place, and narrow, thin 

 cleats are nailed across the top ends, which hold the top firmly 

 in place. The center of the top is left free. By this method the 

 fruit is hardly pressed in the box, and two advantages arise 

 from this practice: The fruit arrives in better condition as to 

 shape and soundness, and the buyer by removing the cleats 

 can readily inspect the fruit and not injure the package. 



The arrangement which brings one orange directly on top of 

 another, instead of breaking joints, has been discarded by the 

 best packers. Alternated so that each orange comes over the 

 space between two, the whole has more solidity and elasticity, 

 and the fruit, as a result, sustains less injury from rough hand- 

 ling. It is best to pack oranges upon the dovetail plan, which 

 allows the packing of more oranges in the box, and they are so 

 braced against each other as to be immovable. 



Regulate the size so as to have the oranges packed in tight 

 and rise a full three quarters of an inch above the top of the 

 box. Packers confine themselves to the 96, 112, 126, 150, 176, 

 200, 216, and 250 sizes. If the sizer be properly adjusted, this 

 will provide for all sizes and simplify matters very much. 



Do not dump the fruit into the boxes carelessly. Pack close 

 and firm, so that the fruit will not have room to tumble about 

 in the boxes and get bruised. 



Oranges classed as "fancy" should be extra bright, with 

 very smooth, thin skin. Rough, thick-skinned fruit, be it ever 

 so bright, should never be classed as fancy. 



Oranges classed as "choice bright" should be strictly bright 

 and of fairly smooth skin and desirable size. 



Oranges classed as "bright" should be bright and free from 

 smut. 



Never pack bright and smutty oranges in the same box. 

 Never pack large and small oranges in the same box. 



One of the most important features in the packing of oranges 

 is the uniform neatness of the packages. Buyers will pay more 



