The morning times., 1896-07-27
MUST HAVE SOUND FRUIT
Large Quantities From the
South Being Condemned.
WHY IT HAS BEEN DONE
1t Is Usually Done OF the Request
OF the Commission Merchant and
Thereby a LOSS sIsSaved-NotL Larger
Condemnations This Year Than
Usual.

The wholesale condemnation OF fruit
| by the food inspector during the last few
| weeks has caused a good deal OF comment,
and there are many who are wondering
| why 50 much OF it which is shipped from
the South is condemned. As u matter
of fact, there has teen no more condemned
than during any previous season, and the
| causes which lead TO its condemnation
are the same that have existed for years.
| Nearly If not quite two-thirds OF all
the fruit condemned is done SO at the re-.
| quest of the commission merchants. This
| course is pursued by them to save them
selves from loss The early shipments
| come from Florida, and as the season adj
yances the stuff from other states comes
| iu.
The fruit IS ofteDtimes picked before
| it is ripe, or after IL is too late TO be
fit for use after being shipped several
| hundred miles. II may lie insecurely
| packed, or it may become bruised en- route.
| In this condition it is delivered TO the
commission merchant, and he sees i'm
mediateiy that If the consignment is not
disposed Of quickly the stock will be
total loss and he will be the loser. 1t
is here the food Inspector is called in and
PREVENTS MUCH LOSS.
In nine cases cut of ten the stuff -
Immediately condemned and n certificate
is given To the merchant to show that ne
wss not in any way to blame for the con-
ditlon of the fruit when it reached him.
IL saves correspondence, time, postage,
and several other inconve niences, the
inspectors certificate being sufficient
TO show TO the original shipper.
commission merchant said last night
that the shipment of fruit this season
was equally as heavy as it was during the
same time last year or during the previous
years. The shipments this year have been
remarkably good, the fruit being fully
up to tile standard and in many cases su-
perior to some of that received in ether
sessions. The condemnation OF fruit has
not been more frequent this year than
last, and only that which simply had
to be disposed of was seen by theinspector.
The condemned fruit has included nearly
all kinds that come into the city, but in no
case has il exceeded the disposals of poor
fruit of other years. Peaches, melons and
berries coming from the South are shipped
at the owners risk, except where
merchant has made a contract with cer-
tain PARTY for all the stuff he can send. The
loss of condemned fruit usually falls on
the shipper. but at other times the mer-
chant has to stand 1t.
Other merchants who were questioned
about the matter corroborated the state
ments made by the first mentioned mer-
chant, and said that not enough attention
was paid by the shippers to the packing OF
fruit which had to go from the farm to
the depot, then by rail to the steamboat
landing, then transferred to the boats by
which it is carried long distance. When
frait reaches a certain stage it decays very
rapidly. and soon becomes unsaleable.
HOME FRUIT COMING.
The fruit from the nearby farming dis
tricts is just beginning to come in, and the
prospects are that 1t viii be a splendid
fruit year. The consignments are excel
lent in quality, abundant in quality, and
there is ready sale for it.
Inspector James R. Mothershead, the
chief OF the three in this district, when
questioned about the matter of condemning
the fruit, said he could say nothing as to
the amount OF fruit condemned, but that
the reasons were substantially as related
by the merchants.
1.-The board had given positive orders to
the members Of the health department to
the inspector. but he continued, there has
been a good deal of fruit condemned this
week"