3 



Of the apples which were graded, 13 per cent were Fancy; 51 per cent were 

 A's; 22 per cent were B's; while 14 per cent were the inferior stock, called 

 ''ungraded," left after the higher grades were sorted out. Some few of the 

 growers graded into all grades, but most of them did not. Sixteen per cent 

 report apples of the Fancy gi-ade; 41 per cent sold apples of A grade; 27 

 per cent sold B grade; and 17 per cent sold ungraded stock which remained 

 after the higher grades had been sorted out. 

 Methods of Sale. , 



Probably the most important single factor in determining the price received 

 for apples*^ is the method of sale. Obviously, whether the highest price means 

 also the greatest profits depends upon costs of production and costs of mar- 

 keting. 



Several methods of sale were found in current use among the growers vis- 

 ited : 



1. To the buyer, who comes to the orchard or packing shed, usually pro- 

 vides his own containers, and may be a huckster, a jobber or a wholesaler. 

 This method is common throughout the state. 



2. To the wholesaler, to whom the apples are usuallj' delivered by the 

 grower. 



3. On commission, the rate of commission varying from 7 Y>er cent of the 

 selling price for apples which are exported, to 12 \)QY cent which is the com- 

 mon rate on the Worcester market. 



4. To the retailer, the grower generally paying the delivery charges, al- 

 though in at least one instance the retailer buj's the entire crop of the grower 

 and hauls it awaj' on his own trucks, a distance of 30 miles. 



5. Cooperatively, there being one cooperative packing association and one 

 cooperative roadside market selling apples. 



6. At retail, at the door or at a roadside market maintained by the grower. 



7. From door to door, probably the most expensive method of sale. 



8. At a farmers' market. One grower only reports sales by this method 

 and his fruit is sold chiefly to retailers and hucksters. 



Sale to buyers who come to the door is probably the most common way of 

 selling throughout the state, 55 per cent of the growers visited selling all or 

 part of their crop to buyers at the door. Some of the buyers are hucksters 

 and sell in various cities throughout the state. Some are wholesalers and some 

 few are retailers. Frequently the fruit is bought ''orchard run" at the fai-m 

 and the grower has no responsibility for it after it is picked and hauled from 

 the orchard. Most of these buyers seem to make the best bargain possible 

 with each individual grower, having neither fixed price nor fixed terms of 

 purchase, and these terms may differ widely in any community. Particularly 

 is this true in the western part of the state. One grower sells his apples on 

 the trees, the buyer picking, sorting and packing them and hauling them to 

 the station. Another grower picks his apj^les, hauls them to the packing shed, 

 supplies one packer, while the buyer supplies one or two. Sometimes the 

 grower furnishes two or three packers and boards another who is hired by 

 the buyer. The grower may or may not deliver the apples f.o.b. his loading 

 station. 



The same variations appear in the prices paid by these buyers, who some- 

 times request the growers not to reveal the price paid. The range of prices 

 for the different grades of the crop of 1923 varied as follows: 



A $3.00 to $5.00, per bbl. with eight different prices. 



B $2.75 to $3.60, per bbl. with five different prices. 



Ungraded $1.00 to $4.00, per bbl. with twelve different prices. 



More than half the apples reported for this studj' by Franklin County 

 growers are sold absolutely ungraded; while but 6 per cent are sold as the 

 inferior' lot, misnamed "ungraded," remaining after the better grades are 

 sorted out. 



With the exception of those who sold their apples on the tree, the gi'owers 

 who sold to these buyers always paid two items in the cost of marketing — 

 picking and hauling from the orchard to the packing shed. From this point, 



