168 



1916 ANNUAL REPORT 



two years experience out of my eleven years' experience that using the 

 middle board divides the weight of fruit in half, eliminating the loss in 

 over-ripe fruit during August and September, and some times early in 

 October, between 75 and 85 per cent which for my own fruit practically 

 pays for all of the crates used in the entire season. I have found only 

 a few who object to the package and in every instance they are com- 

 mission men who are not familiar with it. I use neither corrugated 

 paper nor excelsior; only tissue wraps and make a complete full solid 

 pack without bulge." — (Chas. Montgomery). 



I will say that I have a few old Trapp trees which I keep for home 

 use, and never pick a single fruit. I allow them to drop as they will 

 normally and find that they are never damaged by striking the sand, 

 being invariably hard when they fall. They will take from one to three 

 days to become mellow and eatable if kept in ordinary temperatures, 

 while if placed in the refrigerator, at a temperature of 38 to 50 degrees, 

 they will keep from one to three weeks. 



Last year Trapps brought $6.00 per doz. on the trees after Dec. first, 

 and sales as high as $35.00 per box f.o.b. were common, while what few 

 were left after Christmas brought even higher prices. The largest 

 grove in the state belongs to Mr. J. S. Collins, and is locataed close 

 to the ocean at Miami Beach. There are about 100 acres in the grove, 

 but they have not had proper attention until this past season, when for 

 the first time they received mulching and a fair supply of fertilizer. 

 Nevertheless, enough fruit was produced last year to pay expenses, while 

 this year the crop is very promising. The trees are four to five years 

 old, and the water table about 4 to 8 feet below the surface. The soil is 

 deep sand, in some places underlaid with rock, but at a several foot 

 depth, where it occurs. 



The Pollock is another variety of great merit, but coming in August, 

 September and October, it is of less market value. It is pear-shaped, 

 solid and rich with a comparatively small seed, usually tight in cavity, and 

 weighs from 2V2 to 4 pounds, color same as Trapp. One specimen grown 

 by Mr. C. C. Haight of Palm Beach, this month tipped the scales at 5 

 pounds even. It is an ideal fruit. 



Family is the name applied to a tree originating on the plantation of 

 Prof. P. H. Rolfs at Buena Vista, and named by him, because it seems 

 such a desirable tree for family supply. Fruit is eatable from as early 

 as July first to latter part of September, and is of excellent quality, 

 being produced in enormous quantities, trees beginning to bear when very 

 small. It is a long pear-shape, with a very small seed, loose in the cavity, 

 and some seasons has been without seed. It is of no value as a shipper, 

 owing to large cavity and loose seed; weight 1^/4 to 2V2 pounds, turns 

 deep mahogany or purple when mellow. 



Estelle is an early sort, which is sometimes good in late June, and 

 has a tight seed generally, which makes it a shipping fruit. It 

 originated on the plantation of H. H. Harrison of Fulford, on rocky 

 hammock land. It is short pear-shape like the Pollock, but only % to IV2 

 pound in weight; color persistent green like Trapp and Pollock. 



