The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-11-08

dDOut one ana One-ndlf cars, winch
he is selling around $3.50 to S., but
they are moving very slowly, and at
the present rate it will require two
weeks for him to clean up. n. j.
Ward & Co. have about one and a
half cars. This firm appears to be
moving them faster than Heitmuller,
the main reason being they are bet.
ter quality. Heitmullers cars are
MODS, while Wards are from the
Exchange. 1t is more than probable
that there will not be another car
of Nalencias sold in this market"
Similar information reaches US from
all oyer the country.
Good Valencias are selling from So
to $3.50 delivered by the carload, and
there is no reason why any good or
ange should go out of Florida under
1925 f. o. b. The best packs OF Par
son Browns are today in strong de
mand at this price and better. The
opening of the orange season will
probably date from November 5, as
that date has been fixed by the grow
ers in convention assembled at Gaines
Vile as the time that the same stunt
can be pulled off with oranges. as
With grapefruit on October l. The
ereen orange fiends are already max
ing their preparations to Iusn this
stuff out promptly on the 9TH. 1t is
understood that nothing that shows
less than two-thjrds color Will be in
condition TO ship under the law Ey-
cry grower should make il his bust
ness to see that no fruit is permit
tod to leave his station that is not
fully two-thirds colored alter the 9Th
OF November A number OF cars have
left the state, which have been pass
ed by the Inspector. as showing less
than l Ia per cent. citric acid. The
shippers have assumed that inasmuch
as this fruit aid not show exceeding
l IA per cent c.tric acid. it was in
merchantable condition, but, as a
matter OF fact, the analyses of these
show that practically none
OF them have reached seven times as
much sugar as citric acid. Every
shipper OF a car of oranges that does
not come up to the standard Of to
! lays himself liable under the law,
and it is the duty of every orange
grower in the state, every loyal citi.
zen OF Florida and every well-wisher
of the state who has cOgniZance of
of this kind, to make it his
business to protect the industry by
bringing these attractions of the law
to the attention of the proper officials
and to take such steps as will stop it.
The demand for Florida oranges to.
day is very limited, for the reason
that there is an abundance of Cali
fornias that are sweet; there is an
abundance of deciduous fruit: there
is a great abundance of apples at low
prices; and the weather continues
warm throughout the country. 1t re
quires cool weather to develop the
market for oranges, as it requires hot
weather to develop the market for
lemons. There was never a fairer
prospect for a good season than there
is Just now for Florida, if the grow
ers and shippers will content them.
selves and wait until their fruit is
good to eat.
This was so thoroughly pounded
into them last season, and the results
were such conclusive proof of the
correctness of this view that 1t seems
absurd to have to repeat it. Never
theless, when Veteran Shippers" and
others of that ilk, who are accustom.
ed to exploiting the growers of this
state. feel it incumbent upon them
selves to promulgate as a fact the
statement that the very satisfactory
prices obtained for Florida oranges
last season was due to the freeze in
Galifornia-when, as a matter of fact,
the Florida Citrus Exchange sold all
of it's earlier shipments at 1925, f.
o. b., and opened the Christmas bust
ness at $1.75, f. o. b., and raised it
to $500 f. o. b. before Christmas, the
freeze in California occurring on
Christmas Day Could it be that the
people who bought this fruit from the
Exchange anticipated the freeze in
California? If so, what did they do
with the fruit they bought before
Christmas? If the packing houses in
this state will refrain from packing
oranges until they are sufficiently col
ored and sweet. planning to take care
OF the Thanksgiving trade. and will
then close their houses until the
Thanksgiving fruit is off the market,
it will require every packing house in
the state running at its fullest capac,
ity to take care of the Christmas
trade at 81 per box f. o. b. for every
orange that can be shipped. Will you