Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-08-19
A GROWING CUSTOM
Farmers Are Adopting Roadside Sell
ing to Dispose of Goods

| Wherever one motors nowadays, all
manner of things may be bought by the
| wayside, SAYS the Christian Science
Monitor Along the Massachusetts, high
ways in midsummer. almost every farm
house has its little stand out In front,
sometimes sheltered by more permanent
wooden roof. A very simple sign may
be marked with the single word "aspara-
gus or "gooseberries. That is about
all the advertising that seems necessary.
On the stand are arranged, rather naively,
perhaps a few boxes of the fruit or
vegetables. In the background how
ever. the people of the place, one may
be sure, are busilv gathering fresh
supply in the garden. AS the season adj
vances. the Strawberries are succeeded
by the blueberries and the currants, and
the asparagus gives way to the wax
/ beans and the tomatoes. Thus the way
side vending continues. from spring until
! the end of the apple time, 10 he a pleas
ing and attractive business wherever
there are passable roads. In California
one finds, of course, the oranges, tho
lemons and the fresh figs: and between
Massachusetts and California n motor
ing party would encounter a very con-
siderable range Of things to buy.
With the immense multiplication of
possibilities of the business will constant
ly be developed, Already many other
commodities than things to eat are thus
displayed. Flowers, from the violets and
Mayflowers, to the chrysanthemums. are
almost as plentiful on the stands as
fruits. Then there are AL sorts of plants
with here and there sign that reads
Bedding for plants" Even nurseries of
trees put out their signs, though not
many a picnic party perhaps, will wish
to carry home a young tree from tho
country. Still one is not necessarily OK
pected to carry home every sort of thing
that is thus sold by the wayside. Here
and there a farmhouse or an estate adj
vertises itself for sale: and cftentimes
a real estate company opens a very active
little branch Office conveniently by the
highway In a region where houses or
apartments are being built. or things
that can be carried home in the automo-
bile one must not forget the famous toy
windmils Of Cape Cod There, too. one
farmhouse has as Its sign Little pigs
for sale" Whether they are to be carried
in the car or not or where they are 20
be put when one arrives at ones apart
ment, Is not stated.
Much OF this business activity began,
probably. when the farmers first PM In
| their own little gasoline stations. When
the earlier motorists were continually
finding themselves in need of gasoline,
and seeking aid at the nearest farm
houses, it would naturally occur to those
| farmers that 1t might be well to put in
regular gasoline stations. One thing.
! then, led to another. motorist cannot
stop at farmhouse without glancinS
about him When he gees fresh eggs in
tho kitchen. or interrupts the housewife
in her putting up of jelies and jams, he
is naturally inclined TO make a purchase
Farmers and their wives are not averse
to selling almost anything, for q sufficient
consideration; so, as these wayside en-
! terprses spread still more throughout
the country the congestion of business
! in the cities may be somewhat diminished,
especially when every one. from boot
black to millionaire has his own car
! All this greater hexibility of transporta-
ton means much 70 the country districts
One wonders, however how roadside SELL
ing will be adjusted to the aeroplane
when aeroplaning becomes half as COM
mon as motoring Is now, or as bicycling
was two decades ago. One of the chief
pleasures I'm any kind of travelling ia i'm
the stopping, every once In n while, 10
look about; and wherever people stop
there IL an opportunity for business,
Shrewd farmers know this and hasten
to take advantage Of II.