SHIPMENT OF ORANGES FROM FLORIDA. 
37 
Unless unfavorable weather conditions prevail, a delay of several days is not serious 
under a system of careful handling which insures the packing of the fruit in sound 
condition, but it is far better to avoid delay as much as possible, even if the attendant 
conditions are most favorable. 
COMPARISON OF THE WORK OF DIFFERENT PACKING HOUSES. 
Typical rough and careful handling. — The figures presented in Tables XVII to XX 
and the accompanying diagrams include the averages of both commercial and experi- 
mental shipments from a number of houses representing all classes of work. Extremes 
of rough handling and con- 
sequent very high decay 
during transit, as well as 
extremes of careful han- 
dling accompanied by ex- 
cellent shipping quality, 
were found in different 
parts of the State. 
Table XVII and its ac- 
companying diagram (fig. 
20) give the average per- 
centages of decay occur- 
ring during 1910-11 and 
1911-12 in the commercial 
shipments from 12 houses 
using care and from a like 
number of houses in which 
the work was roughly done. 
During both seasons the 
percentage of decay in the 
commercial fruit shipped 
by the houses using care 
was almost as low as the 
average for any of the care- 
fully handled lots, picked, 
graded, and packed by bu- 
reau workers. The prac- 
ticability of conducting 
commercial operations with sufficient care to eliminate decay is thus plainly demon- 
strated. The results of the two series of shipments present a striking and consistent 
contrast throughout both seasons. The averages of the carelessly handled commercial 
lots were somewhat lower during 1911-12 than they were in 1910-11, but the proportion 
of decayed fruit on arrival (10.9 per cent) is still too high for good commercial results. 
Table XVII. — Blue-mold decay of oranges on arrival in Washington and after holding 
for three weeks, in shipments showing high and low blue-mold decay in careful and in 
commercial pack, 1910-11 and 1911-12. 
Fig. 19.— Diagram illustrating the percentage of blue-mold decay of 
oranges in immediate and delayed shipments from one house, on 
arrival in Washington and after holding for three weeks during a 
period of high decay, December, 1911. 
Year. 
Inspection. 
12 shipments show- 
ing low decay. 
12 shipments show- 
ing high decay. 
Careful. 
Commer- 
cial. 
Careful. 
Commer- 
cial. 
1910-11... 
On arrival 
Per cent. 
0.1 
.2 
.2 
.3 
.1 
.3 
.6 
1.2 
Per cent. 
0.4 
.8 
1.3 
1.6 
.6 
1.7 
3.0 
4.4 
Per cent. 
0.4 
.8 
1.5 
2.1 
1.1 
1.3 
1.7 
2.7 
Per cent. 
14.6 
After 1 week 
22.2 
After 2 weeks 
27.8 
After 3 weeks 
30.8 
1911-12. . . 
On arrival 
10.9 
After 1 week 
16.1 
After 2 weeks 
20.5 
After 3 weeks 
25.9 
