The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1879-02-12
THE FLORIDA AGRICULTURIsT.

ers put forth to tempt the small buy
er has but superficial and erroneou
notion of the risks which encumbel
1t. 10 say that the fruit is perisha
bic, as the term is usually understood
is an inadequate expression of the
extent of that risk. There is nc
product SO perishable. Of about
two hundred million oranges received
here last season-from September
until March nearly eighty-three
millions persisted, or 40 per cent. Of
those received from the Mediterra
mean ports and 46 per cent. of those
received from the West Indies
The loss on cargo of 100000 oran.
ges from Dominica was $4,000, OF
~ per cent. on eleven cargoes from
Maysguez, comprising 1904, 500 oran-
ges, l ,495, 100, or 56 per cent. and on
cargo of 230, 900 from Ocho Rios
21O,0OO or 81 per cent. In many
cases the amounts received from the
sales of cargoes were insufficient to
pay the charters Of the vessels. I'm
til within three or four years the
trade was conducted mainly by i'm
porters, but they soon learned the
lesson which the figures just given
convey, and many OF them were ru-
ined in the learning. Of about fifty
then engaged in the business in this
city, only three remain, nearly all
the others having become commits
sion merchants only.
No better opportunity to alpreci-
ate the trade, stripped OF its glamour,
could be had than by boarding to-
day or tomorrow the sailing vessel
which will be moored at one of the
docks near Burling slip, with stock in
bulk, the vessel having on the way
from the West Indies encountered
two tornadoes, which are especially
disastrous to the preservation of the
fruit. The stock, when sold, will be
carried TO store rooms or cellars, out
of sight, and there sorted after the
approved fashion best known to the
trade, by process SO highly scientific,
that the best that is saved and the
worst, after the usual polishing and
drying, would never be recognized
as having originally belonged to the
same lot. Stock received in bulk is
generally considered inferior in quail.
lty to that received i'll barrels, or
boxes, OF cases, although it is no
more perishable. At present, there
is Juror over Florida fruit, which is
rarely received in bulk. Ever ready
to accommodate .the public taste,
small dealers hsEAspfovided them
selves abundantly with paper labels,
and it is almost impossible tor retail
buyer to find any other kind Of fruit.
John Marsh, who sells for Darrell q
Co, importers of the Vaudeville
(Jamaica) stem cut oranges-a large,
solid, bright colored fruit-and who
has a large trade among the Fulton
and W ashington market dealers, says
that the best imported fruit is labeled
as coming from Florida to met the
popular demand. The receipts of this
season have thus far been much
larger than they were at this time
last year, although the West India
trade has suffered from violent storms,
and is likely to fall short Of the aver
age yearly importation.
Il was offered a few days ago.
said a large dealer yesterday, the
use OF two Of the best estates in ia
maica, where the fruit may be had in
any quantities for the gathering, but
| wouldn't hear of the offer. By ac-
cepting it l could deliver the best
oranges in the world in New York
for less than SIS barrel. The best
sell for $40 barrel-from 800 to $40
in barrel. When I was younger in
the business I thought I could make
money in that way. l stood on the
wharf for three months and lost &c.
900 on account of the waste by rot.
That is why l didn't accept last weeks
offer. "-Neao York World.