Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-02-20
FLORIDA ORANGES.
Ansxing Proportion to Which Their Cul.
tivation Has Grown.


lAnsxing Proportion to which Their Cul.
tivation Has Grown.
This delicious fruit, unlike any
osker, requires a 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 are perfect, though the
hxEk of the crop is marketed long be-
f0re. 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
h0lfis an average of least $50. Each
Freight car carries an average of about
30 boxes. So to move the crop will re-
quire five trains of twenty cars each
per day for 100 days, and the 49, OOO.-
GO oranges will allow nearly ten each
to every inhabitant in the United
States.
To such amazing proportions has
this fascinating business developed
within a very few years, and the young
trees yet to come into bearing promise
I'm a 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 are as numer-
ems as 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
eut, If they have not already, that the
variety in oranges is greater than in
~pples, and learn to select Homosassa,
Nonpareil, sweet Seville, Indian river,
Tangerine or Satsuma as readily as
they now do various apples
There is one trademark on many
Florida oranges that can not be coun-
forfeited; when the peel is discolored
by what is known as ''rust," you may
know the fruit was grown in the land
of flowers. So far from this being a
drawback except for looks, this rust
ia a. positive advantage. Russets are
invariably solid, sweet and juicy; the
tiny insect that caused the discolored
peel thereby Theoretically seals the
pores, combining the juices that other
wise would evaporate: yet you may
frn oh
cheaper than brights. So much for
.'looks'' or the whims of taste. Few
oranges are now marketed as carelessly
as apples, all sizes and qualities being
dumped into box. Instead. each box
is carefully packed in layers containing
exactly the same size and number, the
boxes holding 1913, 140, Ito to 220.
The medium sizes are considered best,
the boxes being stenciled with the
number as well as the quality of the
rruit, as 176 russets, brights, fancy, etc.
The orange-growers' packing houses
adjoining the groves in Florida are
scenes of great activity.
Rollicking negroes mount long lad
Gers into the trees with sacks swung
On their shoulders, and, pruning shears
In hand, clip the golden fruit from its
rough stem and place in the bag,
which, when full or burdensome, is
careful emptied into boxes under the
tree to be hauled by teams to the pack
ing houses. The fruit is never pulled
FROM the tree, as the stem comes out
plugged and worthless for shipping;
neither can they be tossed about, or
the delicate sacs burst and the orange
decays. In the packing house the
sorter rolls each fruit singly down an
inclined trough with gradually spread
ing sides, so each fruit drops in the
box underneath containing exactly the
same size; thence the boxes are taken
to the wrappers, who dexterously
twist each in tissue paper and place in
regula ar layers. The packing houses,
where possible, line railroad side
track; SO the boxes as packed are
loaded into the cars, which run direct
from the groves to the Northern cities
without change. 7. Independent