324 AGRICULTURE 



tion of seven branches, five of which have 

 erected their own auction halls with borrowed 

 capital, while in two cases the auctions are 

 held in hired buildings. Sales are held every 

 night in summer, three times a week in the late 

 autumn, and once a week in winter. These 

 sales are largely attended by dealers and 

 commission agents from Rotterdam, Amster- 

 dam and the Hague and Delft, who arrange 

 for the transport of their purchases to these 

 towns, either for local consumption or for 

 export. 



Members of the society bring their 

 produce to the auction mart in barges, 

 and arrange their goods on the stands. 

 When a large consignment of potatoes or 

 other vegetables is offered for sale the 

 purchase is made by sample, in other cases, 

 the dealer sees the entire lot of the article 

 he buys. 



Each lot of produce to be put up for 

 auction is entered on a delivery note by 

 the member concerned, and this note is 



