The Florida agriculturist., 1907-10-23
TIMELY TOPICS.
Ocean Transportion Of Pineapp1es
Edited by w. E. Pabor.
Edited by w. E. Pabor.

considering the same step. FOr THIS
reason the station has undertaken a
study of the causes Of these losses and
has sought remedies.
Selected stock was purchased from
both lowland and upland plnerles the
last Of July presumably Of Iooo) some
were placed on their crowns II
the packing houses and packed the day
following; others were packed the day
they we're picked, sent to quarantine
wharf they were fumiated with form
aldchyde gas, though for what purpose
is not stated The crates were placed
in various decks, the ship sailed anc
in six days reached San Francisco
where the crates were removed, trans
ferred to cars and sent by rail to Port
land, Oregon. In two days they reached
their final destination and were at once
examined as to their condition. It may
be stated, in passing, that ten days
had elapsed from day of picking to ar
rival on the northwest coast. Exami-
nation of the fruit, both fumigated anC
unfumigated, showed heavy per cent
of loss. The temperature between
decks where the crates were stored
ranged, during the six days, from 7;
degrees to 81 degrees. The per cent
of loss on main deck was, Of course
lowest, being, on fumigated fruit TO-
per cent, while between decks it was
32.5. On unfumigated fruit the pei
cent. was rs. against 4o8. The size o.
the crate seemed to make no percepti-
bic difference, though the larger weigh
ed 200 and the smaller only 80 to &c
pounds; in this last only one tier o1
pines was packed. Says Mr.. Higgins
''the problem of the size of crates is
still unsolved and some medium
ground between the two mast be
found or more careful grading of the
fruit must be made for the single layer
package. Possibly a crumpled OF
corrugated straw board could be sue
cessfully used with pineapples for fancy
packages
The methods Of packing were with
hay, excelsior and paper, with hay 23.1
per cent. on fumigated and 32.5 on TN
fumigated fruit; with excelsior 49,:
against 40 per cent; in paper, ends
closed, 200 against 1873; open ends, 16.t
against 1873. Commenting on the bet
ter results from packing with hay in
stead of excelsior, which seemed tc
have been unexpected, Mr.. Higgins
says, ''why this should be is not clear
Excelsior is cleaner than hay anC
might be expected to be freer from
infection than any packing materia
that can be procured. The results
of this experiment are sufficiently
marked to suggest the importance o1
further experiments in the use Of these
two packing materials"
AS to wrapping in paper, no part1cu-
lar opinion as to it's value is expressed
except that saving in weight occurs
and that, if the fruit is fumigated, the
ends of the paper should be left oper
until after fumigation when they should
be closed. He estimates that there
would be saving of about So per tor
by using paper-that should be heavier
he intimates, than the quality used by
Florida growers than hay.
The foregoing paragraphs may-ir
view of the yearly increasing export O.
Florida pineaples to foreign ports-be
of interest to those engaged in such
shipments Considerable space is Civ
en- to the consideration of disinfectants
that do not seem to be required by
Our growers and so can be passed over
without further mention or comment
except to state that the rule of ordi
nary disinfection given by the state
Board of Health of Miami, is used