INDIAXA HOKTICULTURAL SOCIKTY. 353 



tJie proper one to handle sti'awberries. He furuishes the people with 

 other groceries, and if you can get a good groceryman to handle your 

 berries in large w.ay I believe it is the best way. I sell my berries in 

 Chicago. I went to Chicago and secured my first groceryman for my 

 strawberries. I went over there and tried to find the best grocerymen 

 and told them I was in the berry business and wanted to sell my berries 

 direct to them, and that I would guarantee them much better berries than 

 they could get at South Water Street from anj' commission merchant, 

 and at this time I secured three gi'ocerymen as customers. I can say 

 today that I have those same three. I sold berries this year from the 

 28th of May to the 25th of July, every day during that time excepting 

 Sunday. This is always my understanding with these gentlemen, that 

 they are to pay my price, and if the berries or the price don't suit they 

 are not to accept. I am careful about giving fine berries, and I make mj' 

 price so that they can make a profit, too. I watch the Chicago market 

 and always try to price mine at 10 or 20 cents higher. These grocerymen 

 have a class of customers that want these berries. These grocerymen 

 could buy berries a great deal cheaper on South Water Street, but they 

 would not suit their customers, and they could not sell them. I sold 

 my berries from $1 to $1.50 a crate; I averaged $1.15. I did this when 

 the quotations in Chicago were from 60 to 90 cents. You can't do this 

 unless you make up your mind that you will put nothing but the best 

 goods on the market. I can't keep this trade and use all the berries on 

 the vines. It is cheaper to let the inferior ones go to waste than to put 

 your berries on the market at a reduced rate. It will spoil your trade and 

 you can't hold your customers. 



Then my answer to "How to market berries for the top price?" 

 would be "Raise the best berries that can be raised, put them on the 

 market in the best condition that it is possible to put them on; don't put 

 all your berries on the market." You can't dispose of something that is 

 not first-class at a first-class price. If your berries are worth 25 cents 

 you will get it and if they are worth 8 cents you will get it. I'll tell you 

 what I did. One morning this season I took my berries down to sell them 

 at $1.10 a crate, and there was another man in front of the store begging 

 to sell his berries at 75 cents. I told the storekeeper to take them for I 

 could send my berries to Chicago, but he said "I don't want them at any 

 price." He had the nicest ones on top, and soft ones, little ones and all 

 kinds below. I have an instrument here (sho^\ing a handhoe) if any man 

 will use it properly he can get the top price for his berries. This, in my 

 estimation, is the best instrument made. I will present this hoe to Amos 

 Garrctson, and i hope he will take it home and use it to the best advantage 

 possible. 



Amos Garrotson: I can't make a speech before an audience, but I will 

 say that I will use this instrument in the strawberry patch. This is a 



2.'$-Apri. 



