SHIPMENT OF ORANGES FROM FLORIDA. 
3d 
Relation of character of picking to decay. — A study of field handling in connection 
with the occurrence of decay in commercial shipments was made in two packing 
houses in Florida during 1911-12. It would be hard to find a more striking illustra- 
tion of the effects of careless handling than that presented in Table XIX and in the 
diagram (fig. 22). It should be borne in mind that all of these results were obtained 
from lots of commercially handled fruit, no attempt being made by the bureau work- 
ers to influence the type of handling. They merely inspected the field work and made 
sure that the boxes selected for experimental shipment were representative. 
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3 WEEKS 
Fig. 21. — Diagram illustrating the percentage of blue-mold decay of oranges on arrival in Washington 
and after holding for three weeks, in carefully handled and commercially handled lots shipped from 
two houses in the same locality, 1910-11. 
In house No. 1, where the type of handling was fairly good, the proportion of clipper 
cuts was 0.2 per cent; of pulled fruit, 1.6 per cent; and of long stems, 4 per cent. 
The immediate shipments of this fruit showed no decay on arrival, while the delayed 
lots had 3.7 per cent. After holding three weeks in market, 6 per cent and 8.2 per 
cent of decay developed in the immediate and delayed shipments, respectively. 
Table XIX. — Imperfections in picking and the percentage of blue-mold decay of commer- 
cially handled oranges on arrival in Washington and after holding for three weeks, from 
two houses in the same locality, 1911-12, showing the effect of careful handling on the 
carrying quality of fruit. 
Class of imperfections. 
Picking inspections. 
House 
No. 1. 
House 
No. 2. 
Clipper cuts 
Per cent. 
0.2 
4.0 
1.6 
Per cent. 
1A 
Long stems 
56.8 
Pulled 
.1 
