The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1913-05-23
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
An Act to Define Immature Citrus
Fruit and to Fix Standards for
Mature Citrus Fruit.
Be it Enacted by the Legislature of

Be it Enacted by the Legislature OF
the State of Florida:
Section /. That all oranges OF
grapefruit that are the result of
bloom occurring during the calendar
year shall be defined as immature cit
rus fruit, when detached from the
tree prior to September 1st of the
year in which the bloom occurred,
which produced the fruit
That from September 1st to Octo-
Der 31st Of each year all oranges
grown from the current calendar
years bloom, the juice of which con-
tains more than lao per cent by
weight of acid, circulated as crys-
tallized citric acid, and all grapefruit
grown from the current calendar
years bloom, the juice of which con-
tains more than It's per cent, by
weight of acid, calculated as crystal
liked acid, shall be considered as i'm
mature.
Oranges showing lao per cent. or
less of acid, calculated as crystallized
citric acid, and grapefruit showing
LIS per cent. or less of acid, calcu-
lated as crystalized citric acid, shall
be considered mature.
That oranges or grapefruit, the re-
suit of bloom occurring during the
previous calendar year, shall be ex-
cepted from the above standards.
Section 2. This act shall be con-
strued in connection with CHAPTER
6236 of the Laws of Florida, approved
June 5, 1911, entitled, "An Act to
Prohibit Certain Dispositions of Git
rus Fruits which are Immature or
otherwise Unfit for Consumption, and
the Misbranding of Citrus Fruits"
and it is the purpose of this act to
define mature and immature citrus
fruits, and to fix standards of matur-
ity in order to make clear the terms
used in said Chapter 6236.
Section 3. That this. law shall take
effect three months after its approval
by the Governor.
~ May 16, 1913.
To Palatka News.
Sirs:-The above bill, am advised,
will be presented by legislative com
mlttee as substitute for the one
which was approved by the Florida
Palatka, Florida, May 10Th, 10.
Palatka News.
SrS:-
The above bill, am advised, will be
presented by legislative committee as
substitute for the one which was an.
proved by the Florida Horticural Socie-
ty at DeLand.
One who runs may read" in this
bill the intention TO kill, in effect. the
citrus fruit law as il stands on
our statute books. If the proposed acid
test OF LAO is not enough TO make this
law OF no effect the clause, THAT
oranges or grape fruit, the result of
bloom occurring during the previous
calender year, shall be excepted from
the above standards, would certainly
do so. How is il possible for an in.
Spector 10 prove whether certain fruit
was produced from February or March,
a June or an October bloom? As against
a statement from the shipper any effec.
live evidence would be impossibIe
This bill is an obvious attempt TO make
our immature citrus fruit law practically
We citrus growers have striyep for
he law as ii stands and the oyerwhelm-
ing sentiment for its retention has been
in keeping il intact against a
multiplying amendment We
nave spoken most emphatically our sen
iments regarding the standards bv
which this law is to be executed, through
hree conventions. Now it is up 10 us
o individually appeal TO our representa-
ives and senators in no uncertain Ian.
.uage demanding that the Rose bill
he one approved at DeLand-be made
aw: AS you know, the tests specified
this bill were approved by the open
OF citrus growers at Tampa
y majority OF more than ten TO one
unanimously by the Citrus Exchange
onvertion at the same city, and by !.
Majority OF nearly three to one at De |
and. Notwithstanding the strenuous
tempt by the green fruit men" TO q
larShai all their forces and carry the =
ay for 1.40 test. !
We have thoro ii yhly threshed out the v
natter and it seems unnecessary TO 90
yer the ground which we have already I
aVeled so we'll in arriving at a conclu. =
on as TO what we want in the way of :
immature fruit law and the wav in Z
hich we want il executed. The vital t
leStion before US now is, shall we per.
1T the few special interests"-the 7
rokerS and buyers who are interested =
lrties in defeating the will of the G
eat majority of growers-to so iniIu. c.
ice our legislature that our past efforts 81
i'll be nullified and the curse of green W
nit shipments be foisted on the grow.
S AGAIN. Let each and every one Of
appeal to our representatives and 81
majors NOW. We have spoken 10 St
EN- through three conventions in Ct
amer there should be no miStaking. te
'rhapS, the special interests" have q
anaged in some way TO speak louder -
DIV let US appeal Northumberland
ten for the answer. N
Sincerely, dr
~