The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-07-03
Peaches How to Make Them
Profitable.

HI our b1ay HulnDCi ASASi NN 49,
made to the abundant fruit crop IN
the South this season, and some
points given as to the disposition OF
same to the best advantage OF the
growers. Gratifed by the interest
being taken in this important subject,
we venture few suggestions;
The South has become celebrated
for its fine peaches, and during the
present month large crop OF this
delicious fruit will ripen and be sent
to the great markets of the East,
where, until the products of that sec
ton come into competition, our South
ern fruits command prices which
handsomely remunerate the shippers
and producers.
& Success in marketing fruits depends
upon its quality, manner of packing
and method of transportation. To
secure the, best prices the fruit should
be placed in the market as early as
possible, care being taken to pluck
only such as has arrived at the proper
stage Of maturity, and to assort it so
that fruit of the same size and grade
may be packed together. h
What the consumers insist upon is
good quality of fruit delivered to
them, neatly packed, fresh and I'M
bruised. Tomeet theserequiremnets
should be the aim of all who wish to
foster and encourage fruit growing
but the labor and pains bestowed up
on the production, gathering and prep
aration of fruit for shipment: will 60
for naught if proper mode of trans
portation is not used.
The question of transportation is
one OF the principal features connect
ed with this business. In the first place
rapid transportation is sine qud non
for the peach traffic with distant
points, and the ordinary freight train
and steamer system do not offer the
expedition required.
1t has been supposed that fruit, to
be moved any distance in warm
weather, requires refrigeration, but
experiment has demonstrated that
the various refrigerating processes
which have been invented to preserve
peaches in good condition while in
transit by slow methods Of transpor
tation are not successful.
The peach, a succulent, juicy fruit
is of substance and flavor so deli,
cate that the humidity of some of
the refrigerators causes such rapid
decomposition; others reduce the
temperature too far below the natural
degree of heat to which the fruit is
exposed when delivered, and though
preserving them en- route, peaches so
carried, when brought into the nor
NAL atmosphere, suffer such deterio-
ration from the semi-freezing they
undergo that their rapid decay causes
forced sales, entailing a loss upon the
shippers, where profit would other
wise nave been maue'
What is needed is quick transpor-
tation in properly ventilated cars
kept en- route in an equable tempera
ture and not extreme refrigeration.
The Southern Express Company
has facilities particularly well adapted
to the business and have reduced to
a minimum the risks of the fruit spoil
ing en- route, and have made such
arrangements as enable the shippers
to get the highest price obtainable by
prompt delivery OF their fruits.
If growers will keep posted, max
ing daily shipments by express in
quantities easily handled, and care be
taken to place good fruit in neat
packages, regulating the supply &C.
cording to the demand, there is no
danger of ovrestocking the market
from The South during. the first month