436 TUKEY 



on the "cast-your-bread-upon-the-waters" type. No reflection is meant upon 

 the abihties of highly trained research workers, but much of the developmental 

 research can be carried on even better by advisers and practical men in 

 industry. 



It goes without saying that this type of research does not mean laziness, 

 disorder, and lack of imagination. Columbus may have discovered the New 

 World by accident, but at least he was on the high seas looking for something. 

 This should be the privilege or reward offered only to the best-trained, the 

 most industrious, the most imaginative, the most well-intentioned research 

 worker and research institution. The returns of research are fabulous, even 

 fantastic, as any will recognize who will look about for a moment and per- 

 haps glance only at the contributions to Horticulture from chemistry in 2,4-D 

 and DDT, or of Kidd and West upon storage, or in virus-free stone-fruit 

 stocks. Research is the great opportunity for the modern investor. 



THE AFFAIRS, OR BUSINESS SIDE, OF HORTICULTURE 



The discussion so far has been aimed primarily at problems of production. 

 But the greatest change that has come to research in American Horticulture 

 during the past decade has not been along the lines of production ; it has been 

 along the lines of outlets, markets, and consumer acceptance. 



This has been brought about by the tremendous competition between food- 

 stuffs on the American market. In 1951 there were 125 different fruits and 

 vegetables offered for sale in competition, 98 of these in larger-than-carload 

 lots. Some of these products are relatively newcomers in quantity, such as 

 escarole, dasheens, cranshaws, papayas, mangoes, kumquats, avocados, and 

 prickly pears. The housewife is no longer required by necessity to take what 

 is set before her, but may select what she wishes; and she is a very shrewd and 

 efficient buyer. 



Studies of the purchasing activities of Mrs. Housewife and the retail store 

 have revealed interesting facts. As an example, it has been found that in 

 the Detroit market between November and February the sale of oranges 

 averaged $32.00 and of apples $29.00, both together constituting two-thirds 

 of the fresh-fruit sales. Retailers set aside an average of 97 square feet of 

 floor for display of fruits, of which 25 per cent was for apples. Apple sales 

 averaged $1.19 for each square foot of display space. When the display space 

 was increased 10 per cent, sales increased 4 per cent. A 2-pound unit of sale 

 moved less fruit than larger units up to 6 pounds. Bulk displays placed 

 alongside packaged displays increased sales as much as 35 per cent. 



This is the kind of research and information which is being explained to 

 growers. The result is that they are concerned as never before with matters 

 of outlet and consumer acceptance. It is being realized that the channels of 

 marketing are like a chain — a very pwor instrument with which to push, but 



