A BULLETIN 645, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
unsprayed during both years yielded only from one-half to one box 
per tree. This difference was so marked that all the laborers in the 
grove noticed it as early as August 1. 
THE GRADING OF FRUIT. 
PRESENT STATUS. 
The percentage of first-grade fruit shipped out of Florida is not 
as great as it should be. To illustrate this point several tables have 
been prepared which give the percentages of the various grades 
shipped. These data have been obtained with difficulty. At first it 
was thought that information could be obtained from the growers. 
As a matter of fact the growers, as a class, do not know the percent- 
age of the fruit in the different grades or the price received for the 
respective grades, for the reason that a large percentage of the citrus 
crop is sold on the tree, and shipped by those commission firms own- 
Ing groves. 
No information regarding the percentages of the various grades 
shipped could be obtained from the shipping companies. One im- 
portant firm wrote that such large quantities of their fruit had been 
sold at so much per box, regardless of grade and size, that they were 
unable to give any information about grades and prices. The reports 
of the New York auction and the Florida Citrus Exchange were 
available. 
The grading of fruit in Florida is in a most chaotic state. Certain 
grades marked “fancy” bring less money than third or fourth- 
grade brands. There are no standards for the various grades of 
fruit; the different grades vary as the season advances, and from 
year to year. It is very difficult to place each brand of fruit in its 
proper place. Attempt, however, was made to place it just as the 
shipper had intended. The Citrus Exchange key to the various 
brands was followed for all Exchange fruit. Wherever the word 
“fancy” occurred, this was placed in the first grade, “bright ” in 
the second, and so on. This was strictly adhered to. The follow- 
ing table will explain this more fully: 
First grade. Second grade. Third grade. Fourth grade. Fifth grade. 
IWANICY nce eee sees ec Bright Soeeeaees aces Goldene eee cee oe RUSSEL Meee eee Plain. 
Stripes No. 1......- SULLpPeSeB eee sere ee eae SUMS Se oaeocada ss SUMO WS eee Big Cypress. 
BlWere es siete ede: Lt She Sn eee Wellowaet esses Plain. 
Deerfield F......... Deerfield B..........- Weerhield: Geass Se see eee 
DeevomV ie Man Cyce- olde EvsaWin ODOICCl crs Jen Wi GOld ene | Sa aeee eee see 
Ballsiof Verse -sst oo HloridaSunshines-s= | Apexsiee ose 
In order to arrive at the best estimate of the grades of fruit shipped 
from Florida at present it seemed best to adopt two fairly distinct 
methods to determine this for New York City and compare the re- 
sults with those obtained from other sources. 
