The herald., 1897-12-30
|CANDLED
ORANGES
|X-Ray Tests Of Normal and
Frosted Fruit
OF VALUE in REFLECTIONS
OFFICIAL INSPECTION OF ALL
FRUIT ADVOCATED
Green Fruit Tests-Corona's World
Wide Claim-Railroad Ship
,uents-Frost Effects

The Herald x-ray tests Of frozen and
green oranges yesterday were not SO
clear as those Of the day before. because
OF a defective Crooke's tube. which be-
came entirely disabled during the oper-
alton. While differences in density Of
the shadows cast by the frosted and un-
frosted fruits were amply sufficient for
a candlers trained eye, they lacked at
times the marked differentiations Of the
tests made the preceding day.
Prof. Milton =. Phillips, dean Of the
University of Southern California, who
was present, suggested unique display
by means Of triple rayograph Of the
same orange, while unfrozen, with the
ice In 1t. and after freezing and thawing.
BY securing an unfrosted orange and
having 1t frozen. and then thawed be-
tween exposures, this can be done, and
the suggestion will be carried out Care
will be taken also to secure as equal re-
suits as possible in time Of exposure and
development.
A number Of flattering comments upon
the test were heard yesterday. An ad-
juster of rejected fruit shipments said
that 1t would materially tighten his la
bors in cases of disputed fruit reflections
where the frosted or unfrosted condition
Of the shipment was involved.
w. L. Elder, security broker, who
viewed the tests in company with s. M.
Hunt, an orange grower of Covina. re-
marked that, as in all questions of finan-
cial value. its definite determination of
exact marketable condition by indisput-
- l@.- l. - l. -
buyer and seller. as the seller is invari-
ably willing to pay more for and profit
less by sure value than for an uncer-
tain one.
G. w. Burton, editor of the Commercial
Bulletin, brought out the point that with
this definite detector and legal recorder
of damage by frost in fruit In the hands
of the eastern buyer, the California ship
per would be far less apt to take the
chances of shipping frosted oranges or
even of shipping oranges that he was not
sure were not frosted. In this respect,
at least, whether its use be adopted by
the local grower or shipper or not, the
discovery of the new use for the x-ray
will benefit the California fruit grower in
raising the standard of his fruit by de-
terring the shipment of frozen oranges.
Experiments yesterday with green or
anges were not conclusive. The only
samples obtainable were sold as ripe
fruit, and were SO nearly ripe that the
difference between them and those more
fully matured was less distinguishable
in their shadows cast upon the fiuores-
cent screen than in the fruit itself as
tested by hand and eye.
Further comparison Of ripe and un-
ripe oranges and of frosted and unfrost-
ed lemons will be made by DR.. Yoakum,
and the result will be given The Herald
readers within few days.
DR.. L. M. Powers. the city's health off,
GER, who was an interested spectator at
the tests yesterday. says that all fruit
ought to be officially inspected. the same
as meats. "Toxalbumens, toxines, pto-
maines, etc." he says. ''are the product
of bacteria which thrive best in nitrog-
enous matter. There being more nitro
gen in meat than in fruit, bacteria are
more apt to occur in meats. Hence in
spection laws for meat and none for
fruits. Then, too, fruits are generally
more protected from exposure than are
meats, by means Of their skins and
rinds; but there is sufficient danger
from affected fruits to demand inspec-
tion for them also. 1t should be looked
after by the government or the state.
This subject has not received the at
tention it should have and undoubtedly
will have In the future. 1t seems to me,
the Importance Of keeping up the good
trade reputation of a great fruit-gr
ing locality like this would commend
official fruit inspection to fruit growers
and shippers upon commercial grounds
as well as for sanitary reasons"