The herald., 1896-03-08
A Pretty Industry

EDITOR HERALD: The above title seems
etfeminate. but know no word more ap-
propriate by which to call the orange in
dustry of the Azusa, Covina and Glendora
districts, and anyone who was thrust upon
it all of sudden. as it were, like myself
would use the same adjective from com.
mencement to end. Start out early some
morning during the orange season, some
OF you easterners OF some of our own stay
at.homes, and find your way in o the heart
OF some vast orange orc lard. l he trees
with their heavy foliage of dark green JUS
clearing the ground, the 90 dan globes
peeping. through every conceivable open.
ing on those trees which have yet escaped
the picser's knife. Stacked under every
tree are boxes of oranges carefully gath
creditor the utmost care is practiced, from
picking to shipping, to insure the keeping
of the luscious fruit. Watching the pick
ers, perched on their ladders or gliding
in and out among the trees,
the aroma which fills the air, and which
you breathe; the surrounding groves, as
they stretch afar out. famed by the mighty
mountains snowy capped, and scintiilating
in the sun, was inspiring.
Following a load of the fruit to the pack
ing house of the A. c. G., which is situated
at Azusa-for the three districts have
joined forces, the growers handling their
own fruit throughout, which fact makes
every man, woman and child take an
interest in the enterprise, giving ii q push
and vim unknown before-as the boxes are
unloaded at the packing house, they are
emptied into sort of trough opening
onto an incline, or, as l would call it, AN
orange toboggan-slide. This incline is
punctured with holes of increasing dame.
ter. Down this the oranges are let glide.
guided in their proper impetus. so as not to
bruise, each orange finds it's opening,
through which it drops into its own bin:
which bins, also, are constructed OH The in
cline necessary to avoid dropping forcibly.
At each bins stands girl, who seizes the
orange with a nicely, notices the least flaw,
for every globe must be perfect; the least
soft spot is enough to damage the whole
box. Each orange receives its envelope of
fine paper and is laid carefully in it's place,
SO many La ers in a box, according to grade.
Looking at finished box. before the cover
is laid on, with it's rows of white balls, all
stamped, red or blue according to class, the
word pretty comes uppermost again. As
the girls finish box it is taken to the
press, cover nailed on, stamped, weighed
is profl table industry goes without say
ing. AS l said before, the whole communi-
ty is interested and has all the details by
heart. The orchards are we'll cultivated.
Look as you might, not vestige of scale or
other vermin can you find. The fruit taken
from the tree is absolutely spotless. One
advantage (Which think signifies) in the
A. c. G.'s handling of fruit is that every
one supplies his own ladders, ETC., thereby
insuring against the carrying of insects
from one orchard to another. which the
Earl company, by using the same appara-
tus in different orchards, makes possible.
The scene in the packing house. the pretty i,
merry faces of the girls, their deft fingers
handling the pretty fruit, the loading and
unloading, busy men and boys coming and
going to and fro, everything clean and
bright, think you will reiterate with me
that it is pretty industry. N. d. q. W.