RURAL ECONOMICS. g93 



" The shipper who starts a car toward market should notify the consignee in 

 such detail that prompt disposition of the goods may be made after the arrival 

 of the car. ... As perishables .should always be inspected promptly on arrival 

 at destination, the shipper should give shipping instructions which permit in- 

 spection witJiout unnecessary delay at destination. . . . 



" In case a buy(T rejects a car the shipper has the option of selling elsewhere 

 or making an allowance to the original purchaser in order to close the transac- 

 tion inmiediately. Claims against railroads should be filed in proper form and 

 supported by a presentation of the facts in the case. . . . 



" Brokers act as shippers' or buyers' agents. They handle car lots only and 

 offer their services at very low rates. While many brokers are charged with 

 abusing their privileges, they often save the shipper several times the brokerage 

 fee by insuring the acceptance of goods at destination. 



" Fruit auctions sell goods for shippers, dealers, and others who have local 

 representatives to withdraw offerings if prices are unsatisfactory. They secure 

 their revenue by levying definite assessments against each package sold, and by 

 attracting buyers and stimulating competition often expand the market for par- 

 ticular commodities. . . . 



"The commission merchant receive goods on consignment and acts as the 

 shipper's agent in disposing of these products to the jobbing and retail trade. 

 While the commission merchant is viewed with much suspicion by many ship- 

 pers, he nevertheless is a very important factor in that he furnishes to shippers 

 the services of a skilled specialist in salesmanship. 



"The jobber acts as a secondary distributor, buying from car-lot receivers 

 and selling largely to the retail trade. His chief usefulness lies in facilitating 

 rapid distribution of highly perishable products and in preventing a congestion 

 of business on large wholesale markets. 



" Public markets are not important in distributing fruits and vegetables 

 arriving at market in car lots, but do offer direct outlets for neighboring pro- 

 ducers. . . . 



" Losses and wastes are a very heavy tax on food distribution. The preven- 

 tion of much needless waste would reduce present marketing costs very mate- 

 rially. 



" One of the most practical steps the shipper can take to better his condition 

 is to familiarize himself with business practices and to secure a better knowl- 

 edge of the way his produce is handled on the market." 



A glossary of trade terms is included. 



Markets for potatoes (Univ. Oreg. Bui., n. ser., 12 {1915), No. 5, pp. 41). — 

 This study was made in an effort to determine possible markets and methods 

 for making the production of potatoes in Oregon more profitable. The author 

 concludes his discussion with the following suggestions : 



"A solution of the problem of profitable potato growing and marketing might 

 be found in a cooperative plan that would assure the farmer of his full share 

 of every cent of profit there might be extracted from the business. To this 

 end it might be advisable to establish a central depot at a convenient shipping 

 point readily accessible to the growers of the district in which the association 

 is formed. To this depot all of the growers would ship all of their potatoes, 

 where they would be inspected and sorted. 



" Only those of the very highest quality in every respect would be marketed 

 for seed and table use. and these carefully packed and sold under a name or 

 brand that would establish their reputation. . . . All culls and surplus then 

 could be worked up for industrial purposes, and the volume of supply probably 

 would warrant the erection, and operation of the necessary plants for drying, 

 starch manufacturing, and alcohoj distilling. The peelings from the dryer 



