THE MARKETING OF FARM PRODUCTS 879 



mentioned. The freight to Paris is 11.35 francs the 100 kilos 

 (113.30 the ton) and the total cost for selling fruit in Paris on 

 commission is about 30 francs the 100 kilos. 



The containers most commonly used are crates holding two 

 layers of average peaches or three layers of small fruit. They 

 hold about 10 kilos of peaches with about 36 in each layer. For 

 fine fruit similar crates are used which are shallower, and the 

 peaches are packed in one layer only. Both styles of crate cost 

 roughly a franc apiece and this price is required as a deposit 

 from all the buyers. These are the property of the commission 

 agents, and a rent of 1 5 centimes is charged to senders for their 

 use. There are several methods of packing in these crates. For 

 poorer fruit excelsior alone is usually used. The better grade 

 peaches are often separated from each other by strips of paper. 

 The selected peaches, especially when placed in cold storage, 

 are each carefully wrapped in specially prepared, sulphurized 

 paper and packed in cotton. High-grade fruit to be sold in 

 Vichy and other nearby watering places is packed in large open 

 wicker baskets holding about 1 7 kilos and costing 3 francs. These 

 are lined with paper and excelsior, and the four layers of fruit 

 are separated by paper and excelsior. The packers, who are all 

 women, get from 35 to 50 centimes an hour. Small cardboard 

 boxes are also used, holding 12 or 16 peaches, each packed in 

 cotton in a separate compartment. Due to the presence of a 

 cardboard-manufacturing business dependent on the silk industry 

 of Lyons, these boxes and packing cost only 25 centimes apiece. 

 They are packed in large crates for shipment. Open wooden 

 baskets costing 50 centimes and holding about 5 kilos are also 

 somewhat used. 



The freight from Lyons to Paris is 11 1.25 francs per ton for 

 shipments of over 50 kilos and 2.25 per package of 10 kilos. 

 In Paris large quantities of peaches are sold in the central 

 market. A charge of 3 francs a day is made for the use of the 

 stalls. The very high-grade fruit is usually sold at auction, but 

 the greater part of the peaches are sold privately. There are also 

 numerous commission firms with selling rooms near the market. 

 The expenses of selling at Paris are as follows : 



