Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-08-18
INTERESTS ON THE FARM.

Few farmers realize the importance
OF proper marketing of fruit and yege-
tables. The fruit is the harvest. the
reward of long and laborious efforts.
Institute Speakers and some OF our
agricultural and horticultural journals
go into the details Of explaining how
to prepare the soil, to plant, cultivate.
combat insects and fungous pests.
but unfortunately they do not tell
what is the most lucrative way for
farmers to market their crops. saws
G. c. Sevey in the Country Gentleman.
To grow the crop is important, in fact
indispensable, but | believe the mar
keting is quite as important and Is
co-equal factor with it when it comes
to the question of dollars and cents
gained. Therefore | urge my brother
farmers to give this end of the bust
ness more attention. Study the mar
kets more, and learn their require
ments. 1t is uphill business selling
people what they don't like. 1t is
much easier to sell them the amount
of vegetables they want and done up
in package which pleases them, and
in the end will be found more remun-
erative.
The majority of farmers know
there are two markets, general and
special, burt they do not know what
each requires. There is a sharp line
of division between the two, and
man must adapt himself to whichever
one he is catering. The general or
wholesale market handles produce in
2rge quantities, the special or retail
n small. The producer when he sells
In quantities sells through middle
man or commission agent. but when
he sells in small quantities he is mis-
own salesman. If he be fruit man
and sells to the general market, he
should have few varieties and these
should be the standard ones, whereas
If his market be special, various vare-
ties are desired, as they are more apt
| 70 suit the different fancies of different
| people. Then again, the Wholesale
market cares little for quality, but
goes almost entirely by appearance.
special market Many make hand
some sums in growing fruit and vege-
tables out of season. The special
market gives extra prices for such
| produce. while the general market
wouldn't look at the stuff out of sea
son at all. These questions confront
every grower, and he must decide for
himself which market he can best
adapt himself to and work to that
end. Do one or the other; have an
end in view, and make all your steps
| lead to that end.
The picking counts for much in
marketing a crop successfully. With
fruits, the general tendency is to pick
too late. When allowed to become too
far advanced the fruit will bruise cas-
Ter, will go bad sooner, and is no way
desirable to put on the market APP
pies and pears are always taken from
the tree before they are fully ripe,
ana plums are picked while really
green. If the market is nearby one,
however, it is best to let them get
fairly ripe as they will be better flaw
ored and juicier. Blackberries are
picked as soon as they will separate
from the receptacle, and are evenly
colored. Red raspberries are gather
ed when they begin to soften slightly,
and Strawberries as soon as they show
good color. Experience is the best
factor in determining when to pick,
burt the amateur should remember ne
is more likely to wait too long than to
be too early. He must learn to be
judge of his own conditions and mar
ket and act accordingly.
If one is in business extensively
enough to necessitate the securing of
extra help during the picking season,
watch your help closely. Do not
stand over them with a club. but know
what they are doing. Assign each a
tree or row. as the case may be. and
require the work to be done right. II
a little tact is used with the workers,
you can get lot of good work out OF
them, and still have them call you a
good fellow. The average failure OF
man to get along with his help can be
traced to his lack of tact and unfamil-
iarity with the laborer's disposition.
BY all means grade your fruit and
vegetables, The fruit from the big
orange groves of the South and West
is subjected to a vigorous grading, be
cause growers have found it pays
The better produce is graded. the bet
ter it sells. j. H, Hale. the big peach
man OF New England. tells now he
grew cantaloupes in his southern
peach orchards. He had a botmtiful
crop, but there was no sale for them
in the northern markets. He graded
them carefully and deliberately threw
away ~ per cent of the crop, retain
ing only the most fancy stock. He
sold his remaining % per cent at a.
fine profit. Grade uniformly and use
good Judgment. Never leave il for
the boy TO do, and above all do not do
X with q machine. 1t requires brains |
and skill % properly sort and grade |
horticultural products. and machines I