Red labels were
for Grade B fruit
and Green labels
were for Grade C
fruit.
Florida Growers
Press in Tampa
produced many
Florida Citrus
labels. The size
of the fruit crate
determined the
size of the pasted
label. The most
popular citrus
label sizes were
9.0” x 9.0” (standard crate), 7.0”
x 7.0” (half crate) and 3.5” x 9.0”
(tangerine crate). Unlike today’s
crack and peel labels, they pasted
citrus labels on the crate. It took a
skilled craftsman to apply a label
properly to a crate.
The Schmidt Lithograph
Company published a pamphlet,
Proper Method of Labeling
Shipping Containers. It explained
step-by-step instructions on label
soaking to guarantee a wrinklefree
label when applied to the
wood crate. Schmidt Lithograph
took pride in its labels,
concluding in the pamphlet
with “We appreciate the value
of fine labels and the necessity
for applying them in a manner
that will not mar their beauty nor
detract from their label value.”
Indian River growers on Florida’s
East Coast used Native Americans
and many inland growers used
labels featuring flowers and trees.
The Lake Wales Citrus Growers
Association used royalty to market
its products to the public.
Fruit shipped used the names
“Crown Jewel,”
“Royal Guard,”
and “Prince of
Wales.”
After World War
II, it proved to
be economical
p r i n t i n g the
citrus packer’s
information and
c o n t e n t s o n
the side of the
box, instead of
slapping a label
on a crate.
Continued on Page 9
Citrus Labels…
Continued from Page 3