The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-11-03
packing HOUSE
ALMOST PERFECT
Success Of the Enterprise is
Assured
At PACKING PLANT OF THE OCAA CITRUS
ASSOCIATION SATISFIED ALL PRESENT

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The demonstration at the new
packing plant of the Ocala Citrus As
sociation yesterday afternoon proved
that is is about as nearly perfect as
machinery can be made. Everything
moved off like clock work when the
electric power was turned on.
The washing, drying and sizing is
done with the Skinner process, a ma
chine made by the Skinner Manufac-
turing Company at Dunedin, Florida.
Mr.. B. C. Skinner of the company
superintended the erection of the
plant and was on hand at the trial
run made yesterday.
The fruit is first run through clear
water into brush-lined, inclined
trough, the inclined movement being
obtained from set of brush-covered
spirals. From this the oranges are
placed on a set of rolls for dripping,
afterward being conveyed to the dry
er shaft. The dryer is a hollow metal
shaft about forty feet long, through
which the fruit is carried very slow
ly on wooden rolls attached to
sprocket chain, and at no time does
the revolving motion stop until it is
delivered into the polisher. 1t is
found that the polisher is seldom
needed en- the fruit in this section as
it takes on a beautiful gloss naturally
on account Of the fine pores of the
fruit grown IN the upper fruit belt. A
lager blower is used for drying off
the fruit during its passage through
the long metal shaft, and though the
temperature of the air thus furnish
err is slightly higher than normal,
when it reaches the end of the shaft
it is only four degrees higher than
normal. Thus the fruit is not sub
jected to any material change in the
operation.
From the dryer the fruit goes on to
an 18-inch cotton belt which slowly
carries it to the stand of the sorter,
who grades it, placing each of the
four grades IN their proper place on
the rolls. from whence it is taken
directly into the sizers.
These sizars are, like the other por-
tions of the machinery, built in such
a way as to keep the fruit constantly
revolving. There is no time during
the process that the fruit slides or
has an opportunity to become bruised
from falling, as gravity is not de-
pended upon for single movement.
The sizers, of which there are four,
are about thirty-five feet long, and
each one handles only its grade of
fruit. Each sizer is fitted up for de-
livering eight sizes, thus with the
four grades, there are constantly in
the bins, properly sized, thirty-two
distinct packs.
At these binds is where The fruit is
wrapped and packed into the boxes
for shipment. When box is full it
is placed on an endless chain carrier
and taken to the mailer after being
tagged with the number Of oranges
contained, the grade and the packers
number. At the end of this conveyor
is a compressing machine which
presses the fruit firmly into the box
and holds the lid on while it is being
nailed and strapped.
The fruit is then ready for loading
into the car, which in this plant is al
ways near by, as the Atlantic Coast
Line spur is on one side Of the build
ing and the Seaboard on the other.
The boxes of the Ocala Citrus As
sociation all have a neatly printed
heading containing the brand under
which it IS being marketed, and also
the trade mark Of the Florida Citrus
Exchange under which they are
The present capacity of the dryer
apparatus is four cars a day, but this
can easily be added TO when it be-
comes necessary.
The packing operations viii be un-
der the direct supervision of Mr.. S.
P. Cook. an expert fruit man with
many years Of experience, while the
management Of the entire plant is
under Mr.. Al. Z. Barnes, also an ex-
perienced man in this line Of business.
The Ocala Citrus Association is
composed of the following officers: E.
4. Carney, president; ]. A. Hampton,
vice president; j NJ. Thomas, secre-