The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1893-01-18
For THE FLORIDA AGRICULTURIsT.
Packing Houses and Appliances.

without which no clearinghouse can be considered
complete. OF these
A firm and lasting foundation,
tight roof,
Ample room, and,
An abundance of light.
Are matters OF first consideration. Then the
matter of location should have careful attention
that every needlessf foot of distance between both
the house and transportation lines, and the
grove and house may be left out of the line of
travel. Each foot represents additional cost on
every pound of material and every box of fruit
hauled over it. and you are building for term
OF years.
TO provide for storing box material without
strain upon the building. some of the best
houses have "well" in the first floor and the
boxes are piled upon boards laid upon the ground.
A good plan is to arrange for the fruit to en-
ter at one side or end and pass along through
the different manipulations until it goes out the
other side in "full Dress for market. To facili-
tate this arrangement it is an excellent idea to
have the ground floor in two sections. The one
where the fruit comes in being at least two feet
above where it is packed.
lot of good ladders, clippers that cut snug
to the calyx without injuring the fruit, picking
receptacles that will not allow the thorning of
ample supply of field boxes or baskets.
firsI-class sizer.
One or more sets of bins or trays of liberal
size.
Handy packing tables with sloping tops.
A device for holding box material while mailing
that allows of rapid, true and uniform work.
A press for putting on covers that allows the
middle of each section to bulge all that the spring
of the will allow of, and only brings press
ure to bear next the straps when mailing.
liberal supply of marking tools or ste ncls,
One or more trucks for moving fruits and a
good bench and partial set of carpenters tools.
All of the above items deserve liberal com ments
giving the details special features to be most
considered but as am writing rapidly, having but
little time to devote to this letter. will only en-
deavor, in a short way, to give an idea ofmy own
system and the adaptation ofmeans to the end oil
putting my finest Offrut in as snugand handsome
package goes on the market from this State.
That l succeed in doing this, urgent personal
letters asking for my fruit, it's ready sale, the
prices received. which have little utilization with
market quotations, and the repeated assurances
of those who handle it, all attest and give most ell
oquent support to the assertion that superior
fruit put on the market in superb shape, will al
ways sell readily and at prices far above even the
same grade of fruit more carelessly boxed.
Ny packing house is one and one-half stories
high at the front and the front pitch of the roof
is short, as compared with the other which slants
back so that the building is butseven feet posted
at the back. I make my boxes up stairs and
have room to store quite a supply. My work
bench and tools are here also and besides wind
Ows on three sides have large skylight. The
fruit comes from the grove in field boxes of my
own designing that allow of free circulation of
air. no deep mass of oranges in one body and no
possibility ofcrushing fruit by tiering up to any
height. iron strap holds each in placein hauling.
The fruit comes in at roller doors at the two back
corners. The floor is about four and onehalffeet
from the ground so that it is very handy to un-
load fruit from the cart. Across the south and
west sides, but three feet and q half from them.
arelarge sat bOttOmed trays four feet nine inches
by six feet and five inches deep above the Stats,
and balanced at the middle on 2x4 scant-
ling. The trays ale SO made that they can
level at the ends, giving a slant of eight
inches in six feet. There are two decks of these
one above the other and the lowest far enough
above the floor to allow of an orange box being
showed under them at either position. An iron
pin holds the side Of two trays either up or down
or one up and one down. Windows plentiful
in the walls and there two large skylights just
above these trays. The fruit is stored in these
trays and assorted from one to another into
Bright. have no russets except few boxes on