200 STATE BOARD OP HORTICULTURE. 



nrculate among the fruit, and to keep everything dry as far as 

 idvisable. We find that fruit picked earl}' and while quite 

 ^reen, say in November, always cures the best and with the 

 ■ east possible shrinkage or loss by decay. 



" When packing the fruit for shipment, the wraps that were 

 ised for curing can be used, except where the paper has been 

 Boietened by decay in the vicinity or is torn or wet from other 

 jauses. It is better to remove all old wraps, regrade the fruit, 

 md then pack the same as oranges, using if possible the Sicily 

 style of box, which is obtainable now on this Coast." 



In 1890, N. W. Blanchard, of Santa Paula, an extensive 

 emon-grower, and President and General Manager of the 

 uemonia Company, of Santa Paula, read an essay on "The 

 emon and its treatment," before the State Fruit-Growers' Con- 

 tention, in which he described his method of curing lemons, 

 issentially the same as now practiced by him. In 1894, in an 

 ;ssay before the Farmers' Institute at Santa Barbara, he said: 



"The essentials for keeping lemons several months are to 

 sxclude the air, or any circulation of air around the fruit, and 

 it the same time to give ample circulation of air about the 

 ,rays or boxes that contain the lemons. My experience is, that 

 f there are a good many boxes of lemons closely massed, even 

 vith cool weather some of the fruit will decay. When one 

 emon begins to rot heat is generated, and this acts like yeast, 

 ;ausing fermentation and rottenness to spread rapidly. I do 

 lot think expensive buildings are necessary. I have seen 

 30 better cured and preserved lemons than some that were 

 vrapped in pieces of newspaper, placed in layers in common 

 Doxes with more paper between layers, the boxes covered with 

 ight covering so as to shut off all circulation of air, and all piled 

 n the end of an airy barn. These lemons were shown to me 

 n July, and I was informed that they were cut in November 

 previous. The lemons were firm, finelj' colored, and in excel- 

 ent condition for shipment. 



"I know no reason for changing my method of curing 

 emons. I continue to use trays two by three feet and three 

 nches deep, each holding only one layer of lemons. They are 

 onvenient to work with and to examine the lemons. They 

 hould be carefully made, so that when the trays are stacked 

 me on the other there is no chance for the air to reach the 

 ruit. 



