The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-05-19

what is termed the sweating process,
dew or moisture appearing on the out
side rid of the fruit. Some wipe this off,
others do not. The fruit is then carried
to the packing house proper and passed
over and through a sizer, being simply
an open chute or slide, getting gradually
wider, the orange according to size drop
ping through the slide into canvass
funnel, and from that it gently slides in
to box placed on springs. This, when
full, is taken to one of many long tables,
and there undergoes a second inspection
by the packer the first being when placed
in the '.sizer'). The orange, by a pecu-
| liar sliding motion of the hand, is wrap
ped in tissue paper, quick as though, and
placed in it's proper position in the box,
regulation size-twelve by twenty, seven
inches outside measurement, and con-
tanning on an average $50 oranges,
though some of the fruit is of such a size
that only SO to 80 can be packed in a
box. When packed full the lid is fasten-
ed ON and hazel hoops nailed around the
box. 1t is necessary that the fruit should
be tightly packed, without bruising. The
stencil address being put on, the box is
now
READY FOR THE MARKET,
a bright-eyed child-yes, and many of
mature years. A Florida orange is deli
cious. On many occasions, in travelling
on trains in the north and west, you are
solicited to buy ''Sweet Florida oranges"
and in the larger cities-New York, Chi
cago, ETC., the hawkers cry; Fresh Flor
ida oranges IS cents per DOZEN All
delusion and snare, they canncs be sold
at present for any such price, as they
! bring from one to two cents on the tree.
One glance at the color and appearance
settles it, with those who know a real
/ Florida. OFF at a tangent again, Mr..
Editor. lam scarcely responsible or CO.
herent on the subject of oranges, it being
/ a hobby with me, so bear with my hu-
morous digressions. A visit to the
HON. b. P. BISHOPS GROVE,
just across the railway track, is to a great
extent a repetition of the Harris grove.
though in justice to Mr. Bishop, it is
only fair to state that his grove shows
more effort to beautify, and much more
care than that of his neighbor and for
mer partner. The Bishop grove contains
about 1900 trees, 100 acres area, and
ships about 20, 900 boxes each year. There
! is, besides the oranges, another very
/ great source of revenue, the young trees
or nursery stock, which grow quite wild
in tangled masses, and are budded, sell
/ ing readily for from % cents to 50 each.
! Verify, these gentlemen found bonanza,
and such chances cannot now be found.
/ The groves of to-day must be made with
1 years of weary waiting (as things go i'll
/ this electrical, progressive age), though,
/ after all, it is only from three to six years
/ to wait, and one can be self-supporting
during these years growing cotton, veg
etables, etc.. between the trees-in fact,
but short time to secure a competence
/ A feature of interest in the Bishop grove
! is an enormous live oak tree nineteen
/ feet we were informed, in diameter 1t
and grand, an emblem of stability and
strength.
THOUSANDS OF DOVES
wheel in all directions, deyouring the
myriads of insects which infest the grove.
| No person is allowed to shoot them. The
mourning dove Ia smaller species) is
beautiful bird, while the others much re-
semble our wild pigeon in appearance
and habits. Before leaving the subject
of these groves, | wish to mention that
Mr.. Bishop first arrived in Florida an in
valid, almost, if not entirely, helpless
case of lung trouble-not blessed
with the worlds goods. Besides the
princely income derived from this grove.
he is also the possessor of a beautiful
grove and home on the banks of the st.
Johns river at San Mateo IAN old Spanish
post established about 500 years ago.. 1t
is situated about five miles south of Pa
latka, and a hospitable welcome awaits
those who call on this gentleman. His
experience in orange culture is great
He is prominent advocate of demo-
cratic principles, and in the front rank
of all movements tending to advance the
interests of fruit and vegetable shippers
He is strong believer in organizations
ofinterests. an the principle that union
is strength"
Thoroughly wearied with the days
transpiring, we languidly take the train
back (sone twenty miles, to Ocala. On
all sides you hear, as we speed along,
fragments of conversation, such as Il
believe in a Seeding tree"-'.Sour stock
| with sweet bud catches me"-"Cotton
seed fertilizer beats 'em alI'-"My idea
is to feed 'em on oak leaves, pine straw
: and lines Stranger, hev you located