FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
85 
2.6 per cent, or 26 boxes per 1,000 
boxes. This season, .0046 per cent. 
Or last season, 26 boxes per 1,000, or 
one-sixth as much Dk. The greatest 
part of this difference can safely be at¬ 
tributed to the more perfect drying. Last 
season hot air in place of steam heat 
radiation was used. 
With the laws of natural physics as a 
guide, and the few experiments made, we 
think it reasonable to conclude that heat 
by steam radiation is the most controlla¬ 
ble, most efficient and cheapest method of 
drying fruit. 
That the removal of, and prevention 
of moisture in transit, will be the easiest, 
cheapest and most effectual method of 
preventing decay by “blue mold.’’ 
We believe it very desirable that the 
Bureau of Plant Industry make as thor¬ 
ough test of preventing decay by blue 
mold by controlling moisture conditions, 
as have been made by precooling and 
icing to control blue mold. 
Discussion. 
Mr. Hollingsworth: What percentage 
of seedling fruit was in these shipments 
as compared with the budded stock? 
Dr. Sadler: I cannot give you the 
percentage of seedlings. 
Mr. Hollingsworth: Is it a fact that 
seedling fruit ships as well as budded 
stock ? 
Dr. Sadler: I believe seedling stock is 
more tender than the budded. 
Mr. Bennett: I think one point that 
should be discussed is drying the fruit by 
electricity. As compared with any other 
method of heating the air, it is superior. 
The equipment is very easy to put to¬ 
gether, too. The expense is not great; I 
have dried perhaps 1,200 boxes of 
oranges per day at an expense for elec¬ 
tricity of not to exceed 50c. Where you 
have the electric current the expense is 
about ij4c a killowatt hour. 
Mr. Hollingsworth: I would also like 
to ask if it is advisable to wash fruit 
where whitefly has not spoiled the fruit; 
where it is naturally bright and clean. 
Mr. Hart: Florida fruit is not perfect¬ 
ly bright and clean. When the sooty 
mold is absent, the fungus is there . All 
of the markets now are used to bright, 
clean, handsome washed fruit, and if you 
put your fruit into that shape, it will pay 
you well with the little difference in the 
cost. I do not believe that fruit properly 
washed is any more subject to decay than 
that which is not washed. I know that a 
great deal of the fruit that goes into the 
market is weaker because it is washed. I 
do not think that is necessary, however; 
I think it can be done without weakening 
the fruit. To get the top price on the 
market, I think it should be washed. 
Dr. Sadler: Our house was fitted up 
first for drying with electricity and it 
used up so much money that we could not 
stand it. It would not be very advisable 
in almost all the points in Florida I 
know of. -- 
David Scott, Arcadia, Fla. 
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen : 
In the packing of citrus fruit, two ob¬ 
jects should be kept in view. 
First : To secure the greatest possible 
