172 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
growers got a lot of good from this little 
exhibit that we had and it gave them 
something from which to work and by 
which to judge their fruit. I believe that 
it will have a beneficial effect on the 
crops to be produced in the future. 
Uniformity was given_io points 
Color-io points 
Trueness to type_io points 
Quality -70 points 
Under the heading of quality we had: 
Texture and thickness of skin_io points 
Percentage of juice_15 points 
Sweetness _10 points 
Acid-10 points 
Seed: number and position_5 points 
Flavor -10 points 
Tissue -10 points 
We gave quality 70 points because we 
figured that quality, from a market 
standpoint, is the most important thing 
to be considered in fruit. In describing 
these different points so that the growers 
would understand them we explained that 
Uniformity (10 points) takes into con¬ 
sideration color, uniform size and shape. 
You all know the Color (10 points) we 
look for in both grapefruit and oranges. 
Triteness to type (10 points) refers to 
the different varieties. Quality (70 
points) takes into account thin skin with 
velvety texture, heavy per cent of well- 
flavored, sweet juice, with enough acid 
to keep it from being insipid. Seed 
should be nested near center with as lit¬ 
tle core and as few seed as possible. Fla¬ 
vor should be pleasing to the taste and 
true to variety. Tissue should be free 
from excessive fibre and coarseness. 
In regard to the packing of fruit and 
preparing it for the market, I think of 
grapefruit and oranges singly and as in¬ 
dividuals. You have, or should have, an 
ambition and that ambition is to have as 
nearly perfect fruit as possible for before 
the close of its career it should find its 
way into some of the finest homes in our 
country. In order to do this these fruits 
must be groomed and dressed up, if you 
please, the same as an individual, when 
getting ready to go to any of our large 
cities, would first think of seeing that 
his clothes and everything were in per¬ 
fect shape, in order that he might 
make as good a showing as possible. The 
man who overlooks this fact and allows 
his fruit to go into the market with its 
"‘heels” run down and in a shabby condi¬ 
tion will find his fruit will receive about 
the same reception as an individual would 
who attempted to go in under the same 
condition. It is very easy for the indi¬ 
vidual, who prepares himself before go- 
ing, to get most anything he wants when 
he gets into the large cities. If he does 
not prepare he will have a hard time and 
it is the same way with fruit. The fruit 
which is well-packed and dressed up and 
prepared for the big event of its exist¬ 
ence, finds open hands to receive it in 
the Northern markets and men eager to 
help it along and get it into the very best 
families. But the indifferent fruit is 
scoffed at and left standing in the street 
and as a result is a disappointment to the 
grower and also the man who has at¬ 
tempted to sell it and distribute it for the 
grower. 
