Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1882-08-25
Marketing Fnrm Produce.

Raising farm produce and selling II a
retail, is two as distinct trades as Is the
manufacturing of dry goods, and selling
them to consumers. IL it is profitable
for one to retail their products why not
the otherp Is 1t possible that those who
sell farm produce are more dishonest, or
more avaricious than those who sell dry
goodsP No doubt they have n larger
commission where they buy to sell on
their own risk; this is made necessary by
the perishable nature Of the articles sold.
We have no doubt that they sometimes
get commission too large; so we pre-
sumo the dealers in dry goods do. The
question with the farmer, who lives near
a good market is: can he get enough
more for his produce by peddling it, TO
pay for the loss of time, and the expense
of tho horse and wagon required in the
driving season to sell itp This is an i'm
portant question, and one that each
farmer must answer for himself. If he
has intelligent boys who have taste for
the business of selling, he may find it for
his interest to sell his produce at retail,
but If he has no such boys, and has to
depend on common laborers to work on
his farm, or to sell his produce, he will
find it very difficult to run his farm to
the best advantages and at the same time
peddlc out his produce to his own or his
customers satisfaction.
While the farmer who lives in the vi
cinity of a city, or large village, has the
choice of retailing his produce or of sell
ing tito the dealer, the farmers who live
at distance from market must of ne
cessitv coniine their sales to those who
buy to sell again. This class need not
consider the advantages and disadvant
tages of retailing their produce, but they
have to consider which is best, to send it
to the dealer and have him sell on COM
mission, or have him buy the produce on
his own risk at wholesale prices. As a
rule, if the dealer be honest, larger
price will be obtained by sending it to
be sold on commission; if he is not hon
est it is best to have nothing to do with
him. As q class we believe that the
dealers in produce are as honest and re-
liable rs dealers in any other merchan-
disc. That there is choice in them
there is no doubt.
If the farmer understands his business,
grows good produce, puts it up in an at
tractive form, and always does just as
he agrees, he viii! meet with no difficulty
in obtaining good reliable man to sell
for him. When two honest men once
open trade with each other, they, as o
rule, find it for their interest to contin-
ue but if either party falls from the po-
sition of strict integrity he will be driven
to deal with some one of similar type
of business principles.
The farmer must never lose sight OF
the fact, that if he would get q fail
price for his produce, he must neverrep
resent second-class article as tirst-class
nor must he put the best specimens OF
the outside and hide all of the imperfec
specimens in the inside, This applies
to both the wholesale and retail trade.
High prices can never be long main
tanned by those who misrepresent or at
tempt to deceive in the quality of an,
article offered for sale. The successful
farmer values his word above money
and gradually establishes q reputation
which secures to him the confidence C
all with whom he deals, and finally re
suits in o. great gain in money as we
as character. What applies to the fai
mer in this respect, also applies to tn
dealer in farm produce. e.-MdssachuSct
Ptoughman.