The Ocala evening star., 1915-08-07


Of this section has for several months
been talking and working on a plan
to put in a big central orange pack
ing house in Ocala.
There is a great deal of fruit that
can be handled to advantage through
this packing house. At least 10000
boxes will be available this coming
season and, as many of the groves are
young and rapidly increasing in yield,
tEe number of boxes will increase
from year to year.
A Big Local Acreage
The acreage is about ATS acres in
this territory and much of it in young
groves, rapidly increasing their yield.
Transportation Facilities are Good
Local conditions are perfect for the
establishing of a packing house in
Ocala. First, possibly, in the matter
Of transportation. All of the roads
come into the city and fruit can ar
-AE i4Otil SCNGll DOlIllS Nld
rail. The Oklawaha river route is
also a great factor, both in shipping
in and shipping out, after the fruit
has been packed.
Mex, the labor problem is a point
to be cor 1idered in operating a sue
cessfui and economical packing house,
and with the large population of
Ocala this can always be had.
Crates and ice are very important,
and Ocala has one of the largest
crate and ice factories in the state
and can supply a good article in both
lines at a low rate.
Several good sites are available for
the location of the packing house,
easy of access to all of the roads.
An informal meeting of local citrus
growers was held yesterday and the
matter of general meeting of all the
growers of this section has been call
ed for Friday, August 13, when an or
ganization will be perfected and
plans made for erecting and equip
ping the packing house, to be in readi-
ness to handle the new crop.
DR.. Ross, president and Mr.. Jones,
for the Florida
Citrus> Exchange, of Tampa, will be
present at this meeting, as will Mr..
II. l.. Borland of Citra, Marion coun-
ty's director in the parent exchange.
The meeting will be called to order
in the offices of the Marion County
Sub Citrus Exchange, second floor of
the Munroe & Chambliss National
Bank block, at 8 o'clock Friday morn
ing
Every grower of citrus fruits and
every citizen interested in the erection
of the packing house is cordially in
vited to attend this organization meet
ing.
A Great Help to Other Enterprises
The railroads make a very low rate,
based on all business within certain
zones, for hauling fruit in packing
boxes Carried loose in boxes, stacked
one upon another in the carl to the
central packing houses, and carry the
empty packing boxes back to the
groves without charge. This rate is
so fixed that fruit can be shipped into
Ocala and from some distance, and
meet the through freight rate to Jack
sonville, in competition with other
points.
This fruit can come to Ocala eco
from as far as 40 miles in
some directions, be packed here and
forwarded at the minimum rate, so
that a big volume of fruit can even
tually come here to be handled at
this packing house, though, in the
figures given above the fruit from the
Immediately adjacent territory only
was reckoned on.
The establishing in Ocala of a big
central packing house for citrus
fruits will be one of the best pieces
of work done here in years and every
business man should lend helping
hand and give the plan their hearty
support.
The packing house has been one of
Mr. Sandlin's hobbies and he will
never be content till it is a reality
He has talked and worked and dream
ed it till he can see it coming.
4 feature of the matter, not to be
reckOned in dollars and cents, is the
advantage. Some tourists
are coming to Ocala and many others
are coming i'm the future. As a mat
ter Of fact, thousands each year pass
here and stay at least a few
hours, taking the Oklawaha river
trip. If there is a big orange pack
ing house here, these people can see
the orange industry in one Of its