4 BULLETIN 63, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
With the extension of the plantings consequent upon the reestablishment of the 
industry, and the resulting increase in production, existing conditions have been 
largely responsible for the improper handling of the fruit, which has been shown by 
later investigations to-be the fundamental factor underhung the occurrence of decay. 
Many of the new groves established since the freeze have been planted on pine land, 
where it has been necessary to use heavy applications of fertilizers. Frequently the 
fertilizers have been selected with the purpose of producing large crops rather than 
fancy fruit, and this seems to have been at the expense of quality, thus partly account- 
ing for the large proportion of rough and unattractive oranges now to be found in the 
Florida crop. The production of large quantities of rather coarse and uninviting 
fruit has in turn led to rough and careless handling, for, as a general rule, the more 
attractive the fruit the greater will be the incentive to handle it carefully when 
preparing it for shipment. 
In addition to the freeze, unfavorable conditions have existed which have more or 
less discouraged many growers and which have led to the production of inferior fruit, 
with a correspondingly increasing tendency to place it on the market in a manner 
not conducive to the best results. The control of the white fly, which has spread 
over practically every citrus district in Florida, has been a serious problem. Fruit 
which has been rendered unattractive through the attacks of this pest presents one 
of the most discouraging problems which growers have to solve, for it is difficult to 
make workmen who pick, grade, and pack unattractive fruit realize the importance 
of careful handling. The sooty-mold fungus follows the attacks of the white fly, 
covering the leaves and fruit with a dense black growth which detracts greatly from 
the appearance of the oranges, and in order to prepare this smutty fruit for market, 
cleaning is absolutely necessary. The effects of the cleaning processes upon the carry- 
ing quality of the fruit will be described later. 
The market demands high-grade, well-packed fruit. As long as the supply of a 
commodity does not equal the demand, a poorer grade or a less attractive package 
may yield satisfactory returns to the shipper. With keen competition, however, 
and markets well stocked with good, carefully selected fruit arriving in sound condi- 
tion, the packer of a poor grade of fruit which frequently arrives in bad order is at a 
great disadvantage and suffers accordingly. 
METHODS OF HANDLING THE FLORIDA ORANGE CROP. 
The Florida orange begins to ripen in late October or early November, and the ship- 
ping season extends until spring, some growers of late varieties even holding their fruit 
on the trees until summer. Shipments are usually heavy during December, and in 
the past approximately 50 per cent of the crop has been shipped before Christmas. 
In fact, there has been a strong tendency to begin moving the fruit before it has reached 
full maturity. This practice has been stimulated because it frequently happens that 
these early shipments give satisfactory returns, and fruit moved at this time runs 
no risk of being frozen later in the season. The practice of placing on the market large 
quantities of green fruit of poor eating quality is very objectionable, however, and 
does not stimulate future consumption of the product. 
During the past few years the tendency has been toward lengthening the marketing 
season. Instead of attempting to dispose of the bulk of the crop before the holidays, 
when a large proportion of the fruit has not reached full quality, the season has gradu- 
ally been extended, so that Florida citrus fruits are now moved in large quantities 
until the first of April, and even later. The influence of these changed conditions 
upon the occurrence of decay and deterioration at the market end will be apparent in 
the later discussion of the occurrence of decay at different times during the shipping 
season. 
