The Chicago Market. 475 



receipts meets the conditions exacted, so that the 

 amount that can be disposed of to this class of 

 buyers is limited, and their requirements are also 

 about in the same proportion 



"The next grade is of really good quality and 

 good condition, so that it can be handled with a 

 reasonable degree of safety, and good for, say, 

 twenty -four hours' transit to other points, or to be 

 handled safely by the average retail grocer who 

 supplies the well-to-do classes. The competition for 

 this class of fruit is the greatest, and often a sale 

 turns on the condition only, the shipper often turn- 

 ing from a good line of fruit and accepting some- 

 thing not so desirable in quality, to secure that 

 which will reach his customers in good condition. 

 It is very much better to have a medium grade of 

 quality in good condition than a fancy line of fruit 

 as to flavor, size, etc., worthless on account of de- 

 cay. That fruit which lacks the carrying qualities 

 desired by the shipper is just right for the retail 

 dealer, and, as a rule, will class good to choice. 



"There are then left the inferior grades, both as 

 to quality and condition. For these, buyers are 

 found among the grocery keepers in the poorer sec- 

 tions of the city, among the foreign populations. 

 They are good judges of fruit, and buy to meet the 

 wants of their customers. With them, also, there 

 are the peddlers, a numerous class and an influen- 

 tial one, whose trade is necessary in handling large 

 receipts. These latter also use the refuse, the 'off 

 condition' of all grades, and the poorest qualitie* 



