206 MODERN FRUIT MARKETING 



from the Pacific Coast. When it reached this city it 

 was found that the markets were glutted for this kind 

 of pear. It was then diverted to Philadelphia, but on 

 reaching there the Eastern agent thought by continuing 

 them to New York the growers could realize a higher 

 price than the Philadelphia market afforded. It was 

 again diverted and, on reaching New York, was sold at 

 an advance of 50 cents a package over anything offered 

 in Chicago or Philadelphia. In this way large over- 

 supplies or deficiencies are avoided. 



Where consignments are made to regular commission 

 houses they are usually investigated by the management 

 of the exchange and are often required to give bonds for 

 the proper fulfillment of their business contracts. Such 

 commission houses usually work on a lesser margin than 

 where small shipments are handled. Where the agent 

 of the exchange is also located in the city in which the 

 commission men do business, he is much more apt to 

 do his best for the interest of the fruit growers than he 

 would otherwise. 



Another method is to ship fruit with the bill of lad- 

 ing attached. This is followed out by a number of well 

 established exchanges which have no agents. They 

 do their selling through the general office by means of 

 correspondence. This is the common method of the 

 cured fruit exchanges or the various almond or walnut 

 exchanges, where the fruit is capable of being kept for 

 a little longer period of time. 



One California exchange found that it was not neces- 

 sary to have any selling force at all after the first year 

 of the organization. Its method of selling could be 

 illustrated by the following. The commodity is such 



