Til.' ■■|.ittlr-( 



All-Head" Ciibbago 



Packinij^ and Shii)i)in^ Notes and Epilogue 



To the beginner this portion of the business is fraught with as much uncertainty as any other. 

 The method of packing varies materially with the locality. 

 We have been much interested in the subject this season and find that if a package is 

 good, and the principle based on common sense, backed by first-class products, the market 

 is glad to have it. 



One day during the height of the tomato season we made a pilgrimage among the markets and 

 commission houses. We saw the same article packed in many differing ways, each with some feature, 

 which must have appealed to the packer. Lastly we went to a commission house where we had been 

 shipping the farm's surplus and asked them the method in which they would rather have us pack toma- 

 toes. 



"Well, Mr. Fullerton, I'll tell you," said the young man in charge, "tomatoes usually come in 

 what we call Jersey crates. Here they are, rather heavy and hold about a bushel." 



"Then you don't care for our package of six baskets to the crate," said the Senior Partner. 



"Why, yes, we are doing well on those. Jersey crates are selling now for 50 cents and we are get- 

 ting $1.00 for yours right along. In fact, there is one buyer comes here and won't look at anything until 

 he knows whether you have a shipment in. Your goods are fine and wc know tliey're the same all 

 through. If I were you I'd keep on packing tomatoes your way." 



"I guess we will," was the rejoinder. 



One thing is certain, it pays to pack your fancy goods in a fancy style for the fancy trade, then 

 ship your seconds as such. Our tomatoes, as I have said before, were all sorted, w'hich left every day 

 from 3 to 8 bushels of seconds. These could have been disposed of easily in a local market for a reason- 

 able price, while "our fancies" were bringing just double the price of the usual shipment. 



The same holds good of other products. Young carrots washed and bunched, with the tops left 

 on and packed, we think, either in crates or bushel baskets, will bring far and beyond the price fully 

 matured carrots with the tops cut off, then barreled. One package appeals to the fancy grocer, the 

 other to the wholesale dealer. 



Some dealers wish a dozen bunches of carrots tied together, I imagine this is when they are shipped 

 by the barrel, for it is then easy to ship a barrel's contents without much handling. If, however, the 

 carrots are packed in bushel or half-bushel baskets this quantity is about what the retail dealer would 

 handle. 



The commission merchants are in need of some education also. When they calmly call four distinct 

 varieties of endive "esgrove," it shows they are not on the "fancy" scrJe; they should seek the "fancy" 

 trade when they have a shipper who sends them "fancy" goods, particularly varieties of the favorites 

 of foreign climes. 



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