The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-03-19

cleansed them of all dirt, dust and
leaves, then through wonderful
sorting machine which quickly threw |
out all the damaged and specked fruit,
the rest passing through sizer'
where every orange finds its grade |
according to size and is then conveyed |
in cloth troughs to its proper bin.
There are separate bins for the differ
ent sizes, ranging from the two and
one half up to the four and one-half
inches in diameter. In front of each
bin were from one to three girls wrap
ping each orange in turn in tissue
paper and packing it snugly into a
box-seventy- two Of the largest down
to two hundred and sixty of the
smallest filling a box. A boy then
seizes the box and slides it along a
bench to man who rapidly puts on
the covers The top layer of oranges
comes up above the edge of the box
nearly the full size of the orange, but
the cover is laid on over them and a
big lever forces it firmly down and
the cover is then nailed on and the
box goes to the car. In the car all
the boxes are stood on end and are
nailed to strips of lath which in turn
are nailed to the floor On the upper
end of the boxes are two strips of
board which reach from one side of
the car to the OTHER and to which is
nailed every box. When one tier is
filled in, covering the entire floor of
the car, another is placed thereon un-
til the car is filed, and all are so
firmly nailed together that it cannot
be moved a particle. there being from
800 to $50 boxes co car. The cars
are all ventilated refrigerator cars,
and when filled are sealed and not
broken into until they reach their
destination. The car packed while
we were there went out the next day
and was due in New York twelve days
after. In 1t is a box Of oranges per-
sonally picked out for the office force,
hoping they will taste as good to yon
all as they do to us here
Today Mr. John Seabury. formerly
of Waterbury, drove us through plan
tations where they have gathered
200 boxes, and have some 1900 or
more boxes to pick. On this same
plantation they have about 600 boxes
of grape fruit and great quantity
of little tangerines, of which | gath
cred one branch holding seventeen of
! these little beauties, and branch OF
grape fruit with seven fruits on it
measuring from fifteen to eighteen
i inches each in circumference. The
| lemon picker goes about with a steel
ring in his hand and if this ring slips
over the lemon he does not pluck it.
but if IT, will not pass through the
ring he gathers it for market. Thus
a lemon tree holds fruit for two or
three months before it is large enough
to pass through the ring.
Just think of these groves extend
ing as far as the eye can see, in all
directions, perfect wilderness of
green and gold and milk-white bios
SONS, overshadowed by the towering
snow capped mountains. the rays OF
the setting sun gllnt'ng down the val
ley, ., sending long purple shadows
through the mountains, side by side
with isles of golden light. the whole
forming picture of rare beauty and
splendor
We drove slowly down the slope in
the mellow twilight and the new
moon shone out-a mere silver rim
in the western skies, and one single
bright star looked down upon us over
the distant heights, like sentinel
eye, watching till the morning sun
shine again flooded the winsome flower
laden valley, and kissed back to life
the solemn old peaks. Surely all this
wealth and beauty OF nature amply
repays for the long journey we have
taken.
Our home at the La Casa Iona
Hotel is delightful, and the courteous
attentions of our friends here bring tC
us many pleasures and guide us to the
choicest drives and finest views. To-
morrow Mr.. and Mrs. Carl Wells take
us for long drive which we are an
ticipating. We have seen all of Mr.
Jesse Colby's family, who are wei
and happy.
FRED E SMITH.