Mountain Home bulletin. (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1888-1889, 1889-03-23
FLORIDA ORANGES.
Amazing Proportion tu which Their CuI.
tivatlOn Has Grown.

This delicious fruit, unlike any
other. requires II full year to develop. |
The trees are white with bloom in Feb
ruary. and though the oranges attain
their growth by October and are yellow |
in November they grow sweeter by |
hanging on the trees till February,
when they arc perfect, though the
bulk OF the crop is marketed long be-
fore, owing to the demand and fear Of
freezing.
This year the crop is estimated to be
fully 5000. 900 boxes. more than double
that OF any previous year. Each box
| holds an average OF least $50. Each
freight car carries an average OF about
| 800 boxes So to move the crop will re-
quire five trains Of twenty cars each
per day for 100 days, and the $50, ,OOO.-
600 oranges will allow nearly ten each
to every inhabitant in the United
States.
To such amazing proportions has
this fascinating business developed
within very few years. and the young
trees yet to come into bearing promise
in few years to multiply the above
figures by ten. Many are satisfied
when buying to learn from the dealer
that they are getting FLORIDA"
oranges. ignorant OF the fact
that the varieties arc US numer-
GUS rs their grades OF quality
In buying apples one generally
selects fall pippins. greening or Bald
wins to suit. whereas in purchasing
oranges the brand OF "Florida" is
sufficient. Consumers will soon find
out, If they have not already. that the
variety in oranges Is greater than Ii
apples. and learn to select Homosassa
Nonparril, sweet Seville. Indian river
Tangerine or Satsuina as readily ~
they now do various apples.
There Is one trademark on man,
Florida oranges that can not be coun
; ; terfeited; when tn. peel is discoore,
by what is known as "rust." you ma,
know the fruit was grown in the lant
OF flowers. So far from this being
drawback except for looks, this rus
is positive advantage. Russets ar
invariably solid. sweet and juicy; tn
tiny insect that caused the discolore,
peel thereby Theoretically seals tn
pores, contining the juices that other
wise would evaporate; yet you ma
buy russets for about Fl per bo
cheaper than brights. So much 70
'lOoks" or the whims OF taste. Fe,
oranges are now marketed MS carelessl
as apples. all sizes and qualities beln
dumped into box Instead. each bo
is carefully packed in layers ntainin
u exactly the same size and number. tn
u boxes holding 1928, 14O, 176 to 22(
The medium sizes are considered bes
the boxes being stenciled with tn
number rs well rs the. quality of th
fruit, as l76 russets. brights, fancy. ct,
!. The eorange-growers' packing house
adjoining the groves in Florida ar
l. scenes OF great activity.
d Rollicking negroes mount long lac
|. ders into the trees with sacks swun
y on their shoulders, and, pruning shear
d in hand. clip the golden fruit from il
If rough stem and place in the bal
o which, when full or burdensome.
If careful emptied into boxes under tn
h tree to @ hauled by teams to the pacl
ing houses. The fruit is never pulls
le from the tree. as the stem comes OF
le plugged and worthless for shipping
It neither can they be tossed about, I
h the delicate sacs burst and the orang
a decays. In the packing house IL
a sorter rolls each fruit singly down a
le inclined trough with gradually spreat
ing sides, so each fruit drops in IL
10 box underneath containing exactly IL
same size; thence the boxes are take
III to the wrappers, who dextcrous
twist each in tissue paper and place
e. regular layers. The packing house
where possible. line railroad sic
ef track; SO the boxes rs packed Gl
loaded into the cars, which run dire
e. from the groves to the Northern citi'
without change. Y. Independent