ECONOMICS OF HORTICULTURE. 233 



to be kept more than a few weeks and frequently force the holder to 

 market his stock at an unfavorable stage of the market. Fruitmeu, 

 dairymen, and poultry men could well combine and operate a single 

 establishment. 



The cold storage business as sometimes carried on is detrimental to 

 the grower's interests. When storage is used as a last resort to save 

 produce that is ''going bad," the goods are not selected and enter in 

 poor condition and will, of course, spoil soon after coming out. Such 

 produce sells poorly. The storage establishments and transportation 

 companies profit temporarily, but the producer loses as do the others 

 in the long run, for shipments are discouraged by depressed prices. 



Another economic problem of prime importance is that of the division 

 of the fruit markets. Fruit-growers sell their product in two distinct 

 markets. These are better distinguished as the general and the 

 special markets rather than the wholesale and the retail. The two 

 differ in almost all respects and the differences are such that they must be 

 recognized by the producer. These may be set forth as follows: 



The general market handles fruit in large quantities; the special 

 market, in small quantities. In the general market the price is set by 

 the world's product; in the special market there is only local competi- 

 tion and often times this is eliminated as when one secures regular cus- 

 tomers. The margin of profit is much less in the general than in the 

 special market. Salesmen either through commission houses or fruit 

 unions are required in the general market; the fruit grower is his own 

 salesman in the special market and is thus directly responsible for his 

 wares. The general market demands a few standard varieties which are 

 commonl}'^ known by consumers ; in the special market the number of 

 varieties is unlimited and the varieties are gauged bj^ their intrinsic worth 

 — not by reputation. Fruit for the general market must be such as will 

 stand handling and more or less rough treatment ; in the private market 

 delicate texture and fine appearance at the expense of shipping qualities 

 are admissible. Packages differ in the two markets. The general mar- 

 ket requires standard packages which are always gifts to the consumer; 

 in direct sales any neat, clean package is acceptable or the fruit may be 

 sold direct from the bulk lots. The package need not be a gift. The 

 seasons differ for growers in the two classes. Fruit out of season is not 

 wanted in wholesale markets. The retail market will pay handsomely 

 in most cases for out-of-season products. These, in brief, are the par- 

 ticulars in which the two markets differ most. It is of the greatest 

 importance that the man who grows fruit for sale understands the re- 

 quirements of the market in which he sells. 



One of the considerations which in the past has been a minor one but 

 which now begins to assume large proportions in fruit production is 

 the utilization of wastes. In modern manufacturing industries the sav- 

 ing of the wastes and by-products are highly important parts of the 

 industry. There are manufacturing enterprises which lose money or only 

 pay expenses on the main output and rely upon the by-products to pay 

 dividends. One of the drawbacks to fruit-growing has been the serious 

 wastes. Not infrequently half of the crop because of unfavorable sea- 

 son, fungi, insects or other causes is unfit for the market. Profits which 

 may be squeezed from such wastes may often be made to pay expenses 

 and even give some profits. 

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