FROM PRODUCER TO CONSUMER 165 



market reports on the condition of the crop, $2.75 

 to $3 a barrel would be a fair price for apples of the 

 best grade. This was the price, therefore, which 

 the farmer asked. During the preceding year, when 

 the crop was smaller and the export demand greater, 

 the farmer had been receiving only $1.50 and $2 a 

 barrel from the dealers. As a result of the experi- 

 ment with apples the consumer bought his apples 

 at one-third less than in the previous year despite 

 the higher prices received by the producer. The 

 department made an arrangement with several of 

 the large retail chain stores by which they bought 

 the apples daily at auction and agreed to sell them 

 at a price not to exceed 20 per cent, advance. The 

 press gave the whole matter much publicity, which 

 resulted in a generally lower price for apples to the 

 consumer. 



When the department tried a similar experiment 

 with hay it failed because the railroads would not 

 permit it to make sales on railroad premises, a right 

 which they freely accorded the private dealers. 

 They would not even give any assurances as to the 

 time of delivery of the hay, probably at the request 

 of the dealers. Yet these same railroads, particu- 

 larly the New York Central, have made strenuous 

 efforts to develop the handling of California fruits 

 to New York and equipped an auction-room on 

 their premises on the mere prospect of getting this 

 trade. There is, of course, greater profit in the 



