80 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 169. 



local dealer and are often less responsible financially. Sales should not 

 be made to representatives of unknown firms until their business responsi- 

 bility and the accredited standing of the representatives have been carefully 

 investigated. In late years these traveling buyers have purchased largel.y 

 through the local dealers, chiefly because they then have some guarantee 

 that the onions will be fairly well graded; they are also protected against 

 the possibility of losing onions made unfit by lax and faulty preparation 

 for market. 



Commission Men. 



The commission men are dealers who receive shipments or consignments 

 and remit the proceeds to the shipper after deducting a specified commis- 

 sion for selling, which for onions is usually 8 per cent, of the selling price. 

 Some commission men, however, take 10 cents a bag commission; others 

 ask S50 per car. In New York the rate of commission is usually less 

 because of the larger market. Very few distributors of onions are com- 

 mission men pure and simple. Ordinarily they combine the functions of 

 jobbers and car-lot wholesalers with those of commission men. Three or 

 four commission men in the Boston market specialize in Connecticut 

 Valley onions. 



In recent years there has been a decided falling off in the straight com- 

 mission business, dealers and farmers preferring the more businesslike 

 method of selling outright, either at the point of origin or at the destina- 

 tion. In cases where for any reason shipments are refused, commission 

 men are frequently called into service. 



Occasionally, agreements are made between the local dealer or shipper 

 and a market representative, generally a commission man, for the purchase 

 of onions on joint account. In such cases the latter contributes his knowl- 

 edge of marketing conditions, and the former his knowledge of conditions 

 at the producing end. Such agreements have been made frequently 

 between certain large dealers in the valley and big commission firms in 

 Boston. The division of expenses and profits varies greatly in different 

 contracts, but the usual method is to divide net i^rofits between shipper 

 and market representative. 



Sales for Lnmtediate Shipment. 



All onions from sets are sold from the field for immediate shipment. 

 They are intended to supply the market after the Texas crop is gone and 

 until the seed onions are harvested. When these appear, generally the 

 latter part of August, sets should be entirely cleaned up. 



A very large percentage of the seed onions of the valley is sold for 

 immediate shipment. Such sales are made from the opening of the 

 harvesting season until the first week in November. The exact quantity 

 by weeks for three seasons is shown in the chart of shipments (Fig. 28). 

 In nearly all cases the bags are furnished by the buyer. 



The advantages of selling directly are obvious. The farmer gets 



