The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1912-02-15
Poultry Department
Buyer and Seller.

Some time ago the editor of this
department received from one of our
subscribers a complaint against one
of The Ranch advertisers regarding
some breeding birds shipped by the
latter, and it seemed serious enough
to warrant investigation. On looking
into the matter 1t appeared to as that
there was no intent on the part of the
seller to defraud the buyer, and that
except in the matter of condition, the
fowls we're equal to the sellers repre-
sensations. But the fowls had arriv-
ed in apparently shocking bad con-
dition, and though this was in part
caused by delays en- route 1t was large
ly contributed to by the sellers fail
ure to pack the fowls properly for
shipment and in consequence the
birds; after their unduly long journey,
arrived in a very messy condition
and, being Of white variety, made
very bad impression on their new
owner and gave rise to a mistaken
opinion of their real quality. They
had been shipped in a miscellaneous
collection of coal oil and cracker
boxes and badly overcrowded at that.
Cans of water had been nailed to the
inside of the boxes and in the course
of the handling they received the
water had been spilled out OF all OF
them and by the time their journey
ended birds and boxes were in a
sickeningly filthy condition.
There is no excuse for such care
lessness, or possibly it is only ignor
ance, on the part of shipper. 1t Is
true that the proper kind of packages
for use in making shipment are rather
expensive, but that should be taken.
into account in fixing the price of
the fowls Undoubtedly the best
carriers for single males or for trios
are the "Eyrie' coops made with
pasteboard sides and light wooden
tops and bottoms, costing from So 30
to ST. 90 per dozen and weighing six
and one-half to nine pounds each. A
good shipping coop could be made OF
half inch lumber at lower cost but
| the weight is greater, and so are the
express charges in consequence, and
| the buyer s interests ought to be con-
sidered. Sc far as | know there is
no satisfactory watering device for
fowls in transit and the wise breeder,
instead Of can of water which is
sure to be spilled out the first time
the COOP is moved, places one or more
potatoes therein; and if the fowls
are to be several days on the road
forcibly administers several spoOnfuls
of water to each fowl before cOoping.
1t is pleasing to note that so few
complaints have been received con-
corning our advertisers. Two years
have elapsed since we have received
so we'll grounded a complaint as to
cause us to eject an advertiser from
the columns OF this department. or
course nothing less than we'll
grounded belief of Intentional fraud
or Misrepresentation on the part of
an advertiser would justify such
stringent action on our part. 1t is
for the intending buyer to weigh such
enthusiastic statements as 'best in
the west, greatest prize winning
strain and others dear to the heart
of certain class of advertisers who
deal largely in superlatives. A seller
must be allowed little latitude in
which to display his salesmanship
and may be expected to have a firm
belief in the merits of his goods.
And after all more kicks result from
the buyers disappointment at failing
to receive twenty dollar article for
two dollars than from actual failure
to get his moneys worth. 1t is we'll
to remem Der that in the long run we
must expect to pay for a thing just
about what it is worth and are not
doing so badly when we receive just
our moneys worth. And the writer s
opinion, founded on the experience
of quite few years in business, is
that it is the eXceDtiOnaI case when