The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-11-14
P|CK|NGANDPACK|NG
FLORIDA GROWER PUBLISHES A
BULLETIN OF INTEREST TO
EVERY ORANGE MAN.
CLOSECULLERS MAKE MONEY
Points in Handling Citrus Fruit That
Should Receive Most Careful
Attention.
Pickinu.


tant phases of citrus growing, that of
picking and packing, and while there
is not much to tell that is not already
known or learned by experience, yet
there are some points that should re-
ceive most careful attention.
A grower about whom the neigh
bors jeer because he throws away
box after box of perfectly good fruit"
is one who is doing good packing. 1t is
the packer who culls closely that
makes the money Citrus fruits are
easily damaged. 4 clipper cut, finger
nail abrasion, thorn prick or drop of
SIX inches will ruin their carrying
qualities.
CHppers-Only clippers of the most
approved pattern should be used.
Those that have sharp edges and so
curved as to make it possible to cut
the stem close to the fruit Professor
Hume recommends clipper of the
Weiss type, others, careful growers
of large experience, either the Kyle or
Hart clipper The picker should, if
possible, be men of some experience,
careful, as clipper cuts are the most
prolific source of decay of fruit while
in transit. Pickers as we'll as all who
handle the fruit should be required to
wear white cotton gloves and keep
their finger nails trimmed.
Field Boxes.-Field boxes should be
small enough so that one man can
handle them with ease, to prevent jar
ring when it is set down. Quite
number of different styles are in use
among the growers, but it is believed
that the one invented by w. S. Hart
OF Hawks Park, Fla, is the best.
1t is 26 SIS inches long on the bottom,
81 5-S inches between heads. Heads
are 1x10x12 inches and have a rabbit
set down inside the head about l
inch. 1t has two hand holds 2 1-2
inches down from the upper edge of
the head. These boxes hold about two
thirds of a standard box of fruit, and
can be piled one above another as
high as a person can reach without
danger of crushing the fruit The
rabbits hold them from slipping when
TERED up for hauling and as there is
of fruit in any one box, they can be
stacked up in the packing house and
left until the fruit is needed with as
little danger of injury as though they
were in Slated bins.
Field Baskets and Bags.-There is
considerable difference of opinion as
to the use of bags or baskets The
of rio
tacle is the familiar canvas bag slung
across the shoulder with the mouth
opening on the left-hand side. The
objection to this is that the fruit may
| become jammed or bruised through
| the sack against the sides and rounds
! of the ladder or branches of the tree.
! Further, there is always a strong
temptation to pour the fruit into the
| box without removing it from the
| shoulder. This should never be per.
mitted, as it results in damage to the
| fruit, which will show up when the
| fruit reaches it's destination. The
wicker basket has been highly recon-
mended by competent authority as OBJ.
| Waiting the danger Of damaging fruit
|
| ing into the field boxes, but the prin.
| cipal objection to it is that it is very
!, unhandy in getting around the tree
| and among the branches. A new pick
! ing bag or coat was tried out last
| season by some up-tO-date growers
. and is said to have given satisfaction
It is made of bedticking, resembles a
| picking shirt and the openings are sc
| placed that the picker can throw the
| fruit into the coat There is a hook
underneath the lap of the coat, and
when the coat is full, he unsnaps the
ring and pours the fruit out of one
side; then he unsnaps the ring On
the other side and lets the fruit out
of that side Then he buttons 1t UP
and goes back to work.
Handling of Ladders-The greatest
care should be exercised in handling
the ladders among the trees, as the
picker who threshes his ladder about
among the branches to secure a firm
resting place, bruises more, or thorn
pricks, more fruit than his days work
is worth Suitable ladders should be
provided and the pickers required te
handle them with care.
Field Wagons.-A low spring truck
or wagon should always be used in
hauling the fruit, as a high springless
wagon will do untold damage by jar
ring the frsit in the field boxes, be
sides the extra eXertion of having tc
lift the boxes from a height will tel
in a days work on the man who doe:
the lifting into the packing house, es
pecially if he is handling large crop
You will get better days work FOL
the low lift in the number Of boxes
that can be handled: besides there i:
ALWAYS the danger of a jar from the