Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-12-30
DISCUSS PLAN
TO ESTABLISH
FRUIT GRADES
Application of u. S.
System to Vail e Y
Fruit Proposed BY
Specialist
Especial to The Herald)

HARLlNGEN. Dee. 29.-Standard
T. >. grades for Valley citrus fruit
may be established as an expert.
ment the last month or so of this
season and probably will be estab-
Ilshed permanently at the beginning
q next season. il was indicated IN
statements made here by W. r
LeIgh, associate marketing s~pecial-
ist with the grades and standards
o~ision Of the United States De
psrtment Of Agriculture.
Mr.. Leigh is in the Valley study
ing citrus conditions. in order that
ne may write grades for Valley
iruit- he spent the past month and
. naif IN Florida Studying the grades
established there. and their effect on
the producer, shipper. jobher and
consumer.
n establishment of this system
of grading citrus fruit will depend
on the wishes of Valley people, the
lumber OF requests received for such
trades. and the attitude OF grower
and shippers with whom he has talk
ed indicate the section desires such
grades, Mr. Leigh said.
ihes grades, in their general az
piication. will be similar to the
grades in Florida. and will also be
similar to the grading system used
on vegetables moving out Of the
valley now. The U. s. grades have
been used on Valley vegetables f1r
the past six years.
Gives Details Of Ian
Mr.. Leigh is visiting parts Of the
Valley with Hart T. Longino. ass5-
ciate marketing specialist with the
I. $. department of agriculture. who
IL handling the application of the
v. ). grades in cooperation with j. +.
Narkum. state Inspector. stationed
II Donna. IL the grades are put into
use in the Valley, Mr.. Longino and
Mr. Markum with their assistants
viii have charge Of the application.
Mr. Leigh explained some OF the
details of the grading system used
IN Florida and its benefit. There are
three grades there: fancy. T., s. No.
], and U. s. No. 2. The No. . grade
is very ordinary fruit, he said, and
nothing under IL moves out as a
general rule. N o. I Is the middle
grade Of fruit. and fancy is the best
class fruit that the state produces.
The fruit is graded at the pack
Ing plants, and is labeled bv the in.
spectors. II then is shipped under
these grades, giving the shipper. as
surance that his fruit. ordered as U.
s. No. I or as some other grade. will
be accepted without question at the
other end OF the line.
Assures Uniform Quality
II also gives the buyer at the mar
ket the certainty of getting what he
orders. ard the consumer is assured
Of a uniform quality of fruit when
he buys ". s. graded fruit.
The grade takes into consideration
the thickness Of the peel. the size.
flavor and color Of the fruit. prevail
ence OF scale or other blemishcs, and
some other factors which separate
the various qualities Of citrus fruit.
The same set Of grades are used
IN the handling of grapefruit. tan
eerines and oranges.
In Florida the use OF these grades.
although not compulsory, is very
general. Mr.. Leigh said. and hiss
proved satisfactory 70 ali concerned.
He is making n special study Of
the citrus in the Valley to determine
what differences IN grades would
have TO be made from that of Flor
ida to suit local conditions. Mr..
Leigh expects to spend some time
On the packing plants. TO determine
the amount Of scale and blemishes
Of Their kinds. and other attributes
or the fruit
He also will study spraying condi-
tipns in the Valley. 10 determine
whether there will he much scaly
fruit that can be cleaned in the
washing and brushing in the plant.
He explained that fruit may have
scale on it. and come out Of the plant
rlcsn. il the fruit has been sprayed
some time before picking. and the
scale killed. If il has not been
sprayed. the scale will stick on.
We have received many requests
from rover and shippers in the
Valley FIR grading of citrus fruit"
Mr.. Leigh said. "Some requests have
also been made by congressman
from this section. who wanted to
know why the department has not
given the Valley this service ooner
IF the people OF the Valley want
this service. the federal department
will arrange to furnish IL, and the
present study is being made to de-
tcrmine what kind of grades will be
necessary"
Mr.. Leigh at the conclusion Of his
survey OF the Valley. will write =
set Of grades for this section. turn
ing them over with an Interpretation
of their application, 70 Mr.. Longino
and others who are entrusted with
the application. of them.
In all probability some Valley
fruit will be moved out the latter
part OF this season with L. s. grad
ing. And IL the present indication
II borne out. the standard Z. s.
grading will be available TO all VAL
lev persons desiring IL by the open
ing Of the next shipping season.