238 FIELD AND GARDEN PRODUCTS 



able goods are subjected to their greatest ordeal, and too much care 

 cannot be given to make this test as light as possible. A proper 

 understanding of this by the shipper would save many a disap- 

 pointment, and many a hard word for the consignee. Of course, 

 all else being equal, it is much safer and more satisfactory to sell 

 on the track. However, this is not always possible, nor is it always 

 advisable when possible. It would be unjust to demand or to expect 

 the buyer to pay you the net price of the big city market for your 

 goods at your home town. 



In buying from you there, he takes the risk of transportation, 

 of the fluctuations of the market, and pays all selling charges, and it 

 is but just and right that he should be allowed a fair margin for 

 these risks. On the other hand, human nature is the same the 

 world over, and unless you watch Mr. Buyer closely, you will find 

 he shows a decided tendency to make this margin unnecessarily 

 large. To sell on track, intelligently and advantageously, therefore, 

 you must make a close study of the market conditions. It is not 

 enough to know what stuff sold for last week. You should know 

 what it sold for the day before, and what the conditions of supply 

 and demand are. Is the crop a large one? Is the movement to 

 your market large or light? Is the demand brisk or dull? Is 

 your railroad service efficient? All these questions should be con- 

 sidered, and unless the farmer recognizes that the disposal of his 

 crop is a business, and adopts business methods, he is sure to come 

 to grief. In order to do this, it is necessary to have some reliable 

 source of information. For this purpose, select some reliable com- 

 mission house, and if necessary, pay them to furnish you daily 

 market reports by wire during the shipping season. Do not begrudge 

 the little money these telegrams will cost, for they will frequently 

 save you many a dollar, even on one carload. (La. St. U. & A. 

 & M. Col. 81.) 



CANNING VEGETABLES IN THE HOME. 



One of the many problems that confront the American house- 

 wife is the supply of vegetables for her table during the winter 

 months. "What can I have for dinner today?" is a question often 

 heard. Since the advent of the modern greenhouse and the forcing 

 of vegetables under glass, fresh vegetables can usually be found at 

 any time in the markets of the large cities. But the cost of forcing 

 vegetables or growing them out of season is and will continue to be 

 very great. This makes the price so high as almost to prohibit their 

 use by people of moderate means, except as a luxury. A healthful 

 diet, however, must include vegetables, and therefore the housewife 

 turns to canned goods as the only alternative. These are sometimes 

 poor substitutes for the fresh article, especially the cheaper commer- 

 cial grades, which necessarily lack the delicate flavor of the fresh 

 vegetable. There is practically no danger, however, from contami- 

 nation with tin or other metals providing the containers are made 

 of proper materials and handled carefully. In some cases the proper 

 care is not taken in packing vegetables for market. The decayed and 

 refuse portions are not so carefully removed as they should be and 



