466 AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 



The demand for fresh fruits is influenced by weather conditions, 

 quality and appearance, packing, container, advertising, stability of 

 market, and the price. 



The weather is often a greater factor than the price in creating 

 or retarding the demand to an abnormal degree. For example 

 lemons, cantaloupes, strawberries, etc., are in greater demand when 

 the weather is hot; whereas apples, cranberries, sweet potatoes, 

 cabbage, etc., enjoy the greatest demand hi cool weather. Ask 

 almost any market expert to hazard an opinion as to the probable 

 market price of fresh fruits, even as much as one week ahead, and he 

 usually prefaces his answer by providing for weather conditions. 



The quality and appearance of fresh fruit more easily influence 

 the desire of the consumer than the price. The desire seems to be 

 more easily created by sight than by taste. Quality and packing of 

 fresh fruit are of such importance that proper standards of quality or 

 grading of all varieties of fruit and produce should be established, 

 either by the government or by growers' or trade organizations. 

 Producers everywhere should be educated to the supreme importance 

 of quality and appearance. Fruit should be picked hi prime condi- 

 tion, and it should be stored and packed so that it will reach the con- 

 sumer while it is attractive and sound. 



Good packing influences the demand decidedly. The highest 

 quality of fruit often has a large percentage of its value wasted by 

 careless, improper packing, even though packed in proper packages. 

 Much of the trouble is caused by lack of knowledge of how to pack 

 properly. Especially is this true among small growers. Much of it 

 is caused by growers' inability to secure experienced, trained packers. 

 This is especially true in new producing districts. Some of the poor 

 packing is caused by the lack of appreciation of the producer as to its 

 importance, and coupled with this is his desire to pack cheaply, and 

 such an offender usually disregards advice until he has tried out all 

 markets and various sales agents in an effort to get full price for 

 cheaper packing. To some degree every shipment of poorly packed 

 fruit reduces the value of all receipts of similar fruit in the market 

 that it reaches. 



The container should be such as will best insure the safe trans- 

 portation of its contents, be of convenient size, and be neat and clean 

 in appearance, and when opened it should so display its contents 

 as to attract the consumer's attention. The necessity of national 

 standardization of containers is constantly growing in importance. 



