The Raymer enterprise., 1912-08-29
SELL DIRECT TO. CONSUMER
Farmer VIII Come Into His Own
When He Learns to Avoid Com.
mission Merchants and Mid.
dIemen.

| o'oIu ComlulbbIOu merchants ana mlu-
dlemen. then he will come into his
own.
The profits made by middlemen
nearly in every case exceed 100 per
cent: this added to what the farmer
actually gets. would give him fair
return for the products Of the farm.
load Of peaches sold at commits.
sion house the past summer for 20
cents q basket, was taken to the re-
tall market by the driver Of the team
1.-THE peaches were never unloaded)
and unloaded at the purchasers stall,
writes Royal o. Claget In the Success
ful Farming. The writer priced the
peaches while they were being unload.
cd from the wagon and had quite a
nervous shock when the dealer said
7b cents. A profit Of 275 per cent.
The story Of the farmer who sold a
dressed hog to meat dealer and
afterward wanted to buy the hams
and shoulders back and found that he
would be several dollars out, is moth
ing In comparison with the profits
made by the middlemen on fruits and
vegetables.
During the past summer the writer
sold peaches at Is cents a basket.
Wondering at the very low price, he
priced the same peaches through a
friend and found to his surprise that
they were selling at 15 cents for one.
quarter peck. a profit Of 500 per cent
This Is not only true of peaches.
but Of all fruits and vegetables raised
on the farm. The following table
gives Wholesale and retail prices and
profits made by middlemen:
Apples-Wholesale price. rs cents
barrel; retail price. s cents quarter
peck; profit, $1.s5.
Corn-Wholesale price. S cents
dozen; retail price. Is cents dozen;
profit, 20 cents.
Potatoes-Wholesale price. so cents
bushel; retail price. 80 cents peck;
profit, 10 cents.
Cantaloupes-Wholesal price. 10
cents basket; retail price. 30 cents
basket: profit. 20 cents.
Grapes-Wholesale price. 40 cents
basket: retail price. 15 cents quarter
peck; profit, so cents.
Lima Beans-Wholesale price, rs
cents peck: retail price 25 cents
quart: profit, $1.25.
Peaches-Wholesale price. Is cents
basket: retail price, is cents quarter
peck: profit. Is cents.
Onions-Wholesale price, 65 cents
bushel; retail price, 10 cents Y peck:
prifit, IS cents.
Wholesale price. so cents
basket; retail price. $1.00 peck: profit
31.00.
Crab Apples-Wholesale price. 30
cents basket; retail price, 10 cents Y
peck; profit. 40 cents.
Plums-Wholesale price. Is cents
basket; retail price, 8 cents Y peck:
profit, SO cents.
Keifer Pears-Wholesale price, 10
cents basket: retail price. s cents V
peck; profit. 20 cents.
Pickles-Wholesale price. 30 cents
hundred; retail price. rs cents hun.
dred; profit. 45 cents.
Yellow Tomatoes-Wholesale price.
Is cents basket; retail price, s cents
Y peck; profit. is cents.
The wholesale prices in the list
were taken from the wholesale mar.
ket and commission houses. The re.
tall prices were taken from the retail
markets. and nearly in every case
upon the same goods.
Many farmers are now awakening
to the fact that they are being
done by the middlemen and are es.
tablishing routes in the cities. selling
direct to the consumer and obtaining
the highest prices possible. This is
not only an advantage to the farmer
but Is more satisfactory to the con.
sumer. obtaining their fruits and veg.
etables, as we'll as poultry, eggs and
butter, in the freshest possible condi.
ton.
When eggs were selling at 25 cents
a dozen wholesale. farmers selling di.
rect to consumers were getting 40
cents dozen. This Is not only true
Of eggs. increases OF the same proper.
ton over wholesale prices we're made
on all Of the products OF the farm.
Another important point to be con.
sidered is to have all products Of the
farm put up in the cleanest and most
attractive way. Fruits and vegetables
put up In clean and attractive pack.
ages. bring from 25 to so per cent.
over those which are packed In an
inferior way.
Then again. when selling through
commission merchants you have to
take II for granted that they are hon.
est. When 1t comes down to a mat.
ter Of dollars and doughnuts you have
to be very particular with whom you
are dealing.
Cond lnvocfnon}