458 CITRUS FRUITS AND THEIR CULTURE. 



private trade is usually dependent for its existence upon 

 fruit consumers of considerable means. 



Commission Merchants. The commission merchant 

 either directly or indirectly handles the greater portion of 

 the citrus fruits put on the market in America. He seems 

 to be a necessity in reaching the consumer, both in large 

 cities and in out-of-the-way places. Much has been said 

 against him, little in his favor. We hear much of the dis- 

 honest commission man ; we hear little of the dishonest, 

 unscrupulous shipper, of the man who puts up false pack- 

 ages and who ships boxes, the contents of which are a 

 disgrace to the labels they bear. The truth of the state- 

 ment that the shipper is entirely at the mercy of the com- 

 mission merchant cannot be denied, the selling of the fruit 

 is left entirely in his hands. Still, there are honest men 

 in the commission business and there are always ways of 

 finding out whether a firm is reliable or not. Frequently 

 shippers themselves are responsible for the existence of 

 bogus commission houses. It may be well to discuss the 

 selling of citrus fruits through commission men under 

 separate heads. 



Irresponsible Firms. Every now and then one hears 

 of shippers who made a consignment to a certain house 

 from which no return came. The loss might as well be 

 placed on the credit side of the experience account. If 

 a shipper has been sending his fruit forward for a number 

 of seasons, he should know that his best policy is to stick 

 to the firm he knows. The new shipper should find out 

 whether the firm is reliable or not. Too frequently the 

 fruit is picked and packed before the shipper has the re- 

 motest idea of where or to whom to send it. A letter is 

 received giving glowing quotations, guaranteeing satis- 

 faction, smoothly written and well, the shipment is made 



