774 READINGS IN RURAL ECONOMICS 



reason for such a procedure can only be understood in connec- 

 tion with the buying practices of the jobbing houses. Competition 

 in securing or holding trade from local shippers had gradually 

 led jobbers to offer premiums in the purchase of butter, such 

 premiums to consist of a given margin above the Elgin quota- 

 tions. The thought of getting a premium above market prices 

 was, of course, attractive to local creameries, since it enabled 

 them to make a good showing on the quality of the butter. To 

 the extent that the same jobbers could have the market quota- 

 tions as determined upon by their own board at Elgin appear 

 lower than actual sales warranted, the offering of premiums was 

 an easy matter. However, after action was later taken by the 

 courts against the practice of the butter board, leading to a drop- 

 ping of official quotations and to the publication of actual sales 

 on the street, the practice of offering local shippers an apparent 

 bonus over the market price has had to be modified accordingly. 



Thus far our discussion of jobbing has centered mainly on the 

 relation of the jobber to the source of supply. Attention will now 

 be given more particularly to the selling activity of the jobber. 



Two sets of problems confront these middleman agencies in 

 the sale of their produce: (i) the disposition of regular supplies 

 through a more or less well-developed trade, and (2) the unloading 

 of additional amounts of produce at times of a surplus. 



To meet the demands of regular buyers it is oftentimes neces- 

 sary to work over the produce in order to put it in a condition 

 that will appeal to the trade. It is also necessary to deliver the 

 goods in the desired amount at the time and place it is wanted. 



Relatively little attention was given by commission men twenty 

 or thirty years ago to the work of sorting and repacking produce. 

 The tendency was to pass it on to city retailers in much the same 

 condition it was received by the commission man. This meant 

 that the retail agencies were called upon to do whatever sorting 

 or packing was demanded by the consumer. 



In order to get the trade of the city retail agencies and to take 

 advantage of the better prices which go with standardized goods, 

 the jobbers soon took up the work of sorting and repacking. 

 Wherever a gradual improvement has taken place in the quality 



