Bright Fruit Symposium 
This portion of the program was kindly conducted by W. W. Yothers, and the 
following papers and discussions were presented: 
BRIGHT VERSUS RUSSET FRUIT* 
W. W. Yothers, Bureau of Entomology, Orlando, Fla. 
It is well known that the various grades 
of fruit in the State are not standardized 
nor are they uniform. The first grade of 
one packing house or one community may 
be only equal to the second or even third 
grade of another packing house. Within 
certain limits every grader has more or 
less an idea as to what should be placed in 
the respective grades. Although such is 
the case, there are certain factors which 
are almost universally taken into consid¬ 
eration in the grading of fruit. Gener¬ 
ally speaking, an orange which has an or¬ 
ange color, the proper shape and texture 
of skin will be considered as first grade 
fruit. Those oranges which have minor 
blemishes, such as a tinge of rust mite 
injury, will be graded as seconds, and 
those fruits which have much rust mite 
injury, are misshapen in size, and have 
other blemishes, will be placed in the third 
grade. 
It certainly is surprising to figure up 
the percentages of these respective grades 
throughout the State. In the year 1914, 
out of a total of about 20 cars or 6054 
boxes, there were 181 boxes, or 3 per cent 
of first grade fruit; 3680 boxes, or 61 per 
cent, of second; and 2193 boxes, or 36 
per cent, of third grade fruit. A conserv¬ 
ative estimate would be 10 per cent first 
grade fruit, 50 per cent second, and 40 
per cent third. Since coming to Tampa, 
I interviewed Mr. Shelby, sales manager 
of the Citrus Exchange, and he gave per¬ 
mission for me to state that the Exchange 
would not ship more than 10 per # cent 
“Blues,” 50 per cent “Reds,” and about 
40 per cent “Yellows,” thus corroborating 
my estimate. Although these figures may 
not be absolutely accurate, they certainly 
are not far from the truth. 
It is to take into consideration the facts 
concerning this situation and the methods 
for raising the grades of fruit that this 
hour has been set apart. 
One of the main factors which lowers 
the grade and appearance of the fruit is 
the russeting which follows the injury of 
the rust mite. It is a matter of much in¬ 
terest to know that not more than 10 per 
cent of the fruit in this State receives any 
*Published by permission of the Chief of the 
Bureau. 
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