The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-07-07
FARMPRODUCEIN MARKET
Poor Condition of Fruits and Veg.
etables When Placed on Sale.
Improper Pack--g the Reason for
Small Prices Being Obtained. and
Necessarily Small Profits Being
Made-SuEEestiOns for Improve
ment - Views of an AgricuIturIst.

IF anyone Will but take a walk through
any of the local markets." said a promi-
nent official of the Agricultural Depart
ment, to a representative of The Times
today, lit will be quite evident that there
is ample room for improvement in the
marketing of farm products A very little
enquiry into the subject will reveal a con-
dition of things. which. involving as it does
a waste Of material ard labor on the part
Of the producer aggregating an enormous
loss, may be described without exaggera-
ton as disastrous. IL has been asserted
with much truth that the success OF the
average farmer depends upon an aggre'
gate OF small profits. and it may be stated
with equal truth that failure is often. il not
usually. due to- an aggregate Of small loss
es
The waste In American households has
become prOverbial. and it is popularity bo-
lieved, and with good grounds, that the
waste OF an average American household
would support an average French or Ger
man family. This loss, however, falls upon
the consumer, whether farmer or towns
mans, whereas that which IL is my
purpose TO discuss. is the loss
due to ignorance or csrelessness in mar.
ketinG farm products, falls upon the pro-
Queer
Genius has been described by some great
writer the art CT taking Infinite
pains Whether this be so or not. il Caa
not be denied that in marketing farm
products the art Of taking Infinite pains
is essential TO profit and the lack OF L
ensures certain loss or this anyone who
will take short walk through the mar
kets or market streets OF our cities or
visit the wharyes or depots where farm
products are extensively handled can
speedily convince himself On every side
he viii see farm produce of good quality
selling at reduced prices, owing to tTe
form or manner in which II is put up, and,
in not few cases. cast aside by the dc al
eTs as not worth handling. owing to a
damaged condition. which With Htti. care
would have been avoided In such clses
the only profit accrues 10 the trans pOTta-
ton companies, whose charges for cary
ing freight Of course pend not uron
quality but quantity The gsgrefa sum
yearly paid TO railroads and steamships
for carrying farm products which on arri-
val prove unstable no one can estim tie
but it must foot up enormously. To say
nothing CT the freight charges paid On
goods sold far below market rates because
put up carelessly or in unsuitable o. IN
popular packages.
ORGANIZATION of the Trade.
The trade in the varieties Of produce
under consideration is so organized that
between the producer and the consumer
it generally. except in the case OF fruits.
which are usually shipped by the grower.
passes through the hands OF three middle
men. namely. the local buyer and shipper
the commission man. and the retail grocer.
IRIS has a tendency TO leave the producer
in ignorance OF the tastes Of the consumer
which are invariably the ultimate stand
ards by which the values Of his produce
are liked In some instances. far-seeing
shippers take pains to acquaint their eli
ents with the demands OF the market to
which they ship. In others they endeavor
TO augment their own profits by buying at
The lowest prices and repacking or other
wise adapting the goods TO the require
ments Of their customers. and more com
monty they simply accept the produce as
they find IL. ship it practically as they re-
ce:ye ii. and take such profit as they can
obtain with the least effort
1t is not my purpose to discuss
the present organization &C the trade.
but rather. taking the trade as il
IS, 10 give 10 the producer and shipper the
benefit OF such information as can be OBJ
tanned by a careful study OF the situation
at the market end. and so enable both to
obtain higher prices In this connection IL
may be well 10 state that my information
has been obtained from reliable and ex-
tensive commission men. each an expert
IN MS own line. and from careful and ex-
tenslve observation in the market.
1t may not be-amiss. before proceeding
TO discuss packing, TO present a plea in
favor OF selling By weight eggs and many
vegetables which are handled In bulk
ana do not reach consumers in the orfgi-
nal packages. This would inure quite as
much to the benefit OF the producer as To
that OF the consumer. u is essentially
fair TO both In the case OF original
packages destined to eventulIy find their
way into the hands of the consumers.
the producers best method to protect him
self from dishonest competitors is to
mark the exact measured contents of his
package II this practice were to be
generally adopted unmarked packages
would soon be at 4 discount.
characteristics of Products.
While each Of the various products
OF the farm and garden has to a greater
or less extent its own particular charac-
teristics. and requires a more or less diff
ferent treatment there are some general
rules which apply equally 70 every kind