42 
BULLETIN 63, U. S. DEPARTMEXT OF AGRICULTURE. 
P/CK/rVG /MSPECT/ON. 
RESULTS FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT. 
In order to emphasize the importance of careful work, the data may be analyzed 
from a financial standpoint. The results are perhaps more impressive when expressed 
in dollars and cents than when a statement is made regarding the percentages of 
decay in various lots of fruit. 
The difference between the average percentages developed in the carefully picked 
and packed and the commercially picked and packed fruit during the season of 1910-11 
was 6.4 per cent. This means that 1 out of approximately every 15£ boxes shipped 
during the season was unnecessarily destroyed by blue-mold decay, and that this 
loss might have been avoided if the fruit had been handled with care approximating 
that given by the bureau workers. It is only necessary to extend this line of reason- 
ing. Out of every 100 boxes of fruit shipped, the avoidable loss was 6 \ boxes; there- 
fore, on a basis of 3,500,000 boxes of oranges shipped from Florida during the season 
of 1910-11 this loss aggregated 224,000 boxes, which at a fair f. o. b. price of $1.50 
per box gives a direct money loss of $336,000. 
In 1911-12 the difference in decay between the carefully handled and commercially 
handled fruit was 3.5 per cent, or a loss of 1 box for every 28 \ boxes shipped. A fair 
estimate of the total ship- 
ment of oranges during that 
season is 3,750,000 boxes. 
The loss on this fruit, at the 
rate indicated, aggregates 
131,250 boxes, which, 
figured at prevailing prices, 
may be valued at approxi- 
mately $200,000. Perhaps 
this is an exaggerated 
method of analyzing the 
true condition of affairs, 
yet when one takes into 
consideration the immense 
financial outlay necessary 
to pick, haul, grade, and 
pack these oranges, the 
actual money loss is not far 
from the amounts stated. 
The figures stated above 
In addition, there is a large loss 
DECEMBER /3. 
CUPPER CUTS H / 8 % 
LONG STEMS' 
PULLED 
/0.4- % 
EXPEP/ME/VTAL SP/PME/VTS. 
HA/VDLJ£JG^.^ 
l-L <-- *" C - ~erer>I/ HAA/DL/N<L 
CARE5& 
Fig. 24.— Diagram illustrating the percentage of imperfections in 
picking and the percentage of blue-mold decay of oranges on 
arrival in Washington and after holding for three weeks, in fruit 
shipped from one packing house, showing decrease in blue-mold 
decay due to greater care in handling, 1911-12. 
approximate the net loss to the growers due to decay 
due to the cost of transporting and selling. According to statistics recently compiled, 
it costs from $1.75 to $1.93 to produce, prepare for shipment, and deliver in market 
one packed box of oranges. 1 With this cost as a basis, the losses reached the stupen- 
dous totals of $432,320 during 1910-11 and approximately $250,000 during 1911-12. 
From the standpoint of the effect upon the reputation of the Florida product the 
financial loss is even greater. It is impossible to give such a loss in actual figures, 
for the value of a reputation for high shipping and holding quality can not be estimated 
in dollars and cents. It is safe to say that the introduction of more careful methods 
would not increase the cost of handling to any material extent. No figures are avail- 
able for such an increase, but the extra expense would certainly be only a small frac- 
tion of the actual money loss enumerated above. Leaving out of consideration the 
desirability of a good reputation, these figures should serve to convince those people 
who can appreciate values only from a financial standpoint that careful handling is 
necessary for the success of the industry. 
i Statements of J. C. Chase and W. C. Temple before the Committee on Ways and Means, U. S. House 
of Representatives, 1913. 
