Problems in Shipping Citrus Fruits 
A. R. Sandlin, Leesburg 
This is a question which concerns more 
than the grower or shipper, for upon the 
final solution rests the success and pros¬ 
perity of the industry as a whole, and this 
prosperity will naturally spread in all di¬ 
rections and make for better times and 
conditions, not only for the grower but 
for the grove labor, packing house labor, 
the banks and the transportation compa¬ 
nies, etc. 
The citrus industry has made a large 
growth within a comparatively short 
period, and with conditions promising a 
crop of from 15,000,000 to 18,000,000 
boxes for the season of 1921-22 the 
growers, shippers, the many marketing 
agencies and the transportation compa¬ 
nies are thinking and discussing this ship¬ 
ping problem as much or more than they 
are the further development of the indus- 
try. 
The grower is beginning to realize the 
vital importance of growing the very best 
quality of fruit possible to produce in his 
locality; and the time is not far distant 
when the grower who does not grow a 
higher grade fruit and does not better his 
shipping conditions, will be compelled to 
abandon his grove. 
With all grades of fruit, it is important 
and necessary that the best care possible 
in picking and handling the fruit from 
the trees to and through the packing 
house into the car be practiced. The once 
tough and leathery rind seems to be pass¬ 
ing to a more sappy and tender condition, 
and this together with the many different 
factors that shorten the carrying life of 
the fruit, has compelled our government 
and our better thinking people to set to 
work to better our shipping conditions. 
The result is better packing houses; bet¬ 
ter ventilation; better machinery, which 
is being improved from season to season; 
and what is probably of as much if not 
more importance, the pre-cooling plants 
are beginning to find their place where 
needed most. In the long warm and 
damp climate where we grow our fruit 
we can pack and cool it to that degree 
which will insure safe shipment under 
most any and all conditions. 
The industry has grown to such a 
point that it is important that the growers 
and shippers keep well posted as to the 
daily shipments so as not to be forced to 
use improper cars until the transportation 
companies can furnish sufficient and 
proper equipment. It is also important 
not to pick the fruit in foggy, misty or 
rainy weather, which is too often done 
merely to hold the crews together. This 
invariably brings grief and especially so 
where a pre-cooling plant is not available. 
All the above requires heavy expendi¬ 
tures but if judiciously handled, it is an 
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