11 



receipts are not available, but the following estimate is thought to closely 

 approximate it. 



Thus it will be seen that the retail trade of San Francisco and vicinity 

 during the season of 1915 absorbed 51 per cent of the shipments to that 

 point, or some 9,600,000 pounds of asparagus. 



[For range of prices see Appendix A.] 



According to the books of one of the largest handlers of asparagus in 

 San Francisco, the season of 1915 business, as handled, averaged as 

 follows : 



Received by growers 2^ cents per pound - 



Handling charges cent per pound 



Wholesale price 



3 cents per pound 



These handling charges include 10 per cent commission, freight 

 charges of 8J cents per box on asparagus received, one cent per box for 

 returning same empty and 2J cents per box for drayage from dock to 

 commission house or jobber. There are some firms who charge against 

 the grower ^ cent a box drayage for returning empties to the dock, but 

 it would seem that the general practice is to include this in the 2^ cent 

 charge for drayage from the dock. 



The retail price varies according to class of stores and consumers. It 

 is cheapest in the Chinatown and North Beach districts, next cheapest 

 in the .Mission and the large Market street markets, and highest in the 

 outlying districts and the stores catering to the "gilt-edge" trade, in 

 the order named. Retail figures for 1915 are not available, but using one 

 day of the present season (March 28, 1916), the actual figures were as 

 follows : 



Market (wholesale) quotations. 



$1.2r> to .$."><i a box, with 5 to 5A cents a pound for Fancy or Graded. 

 Retail prices (average of 1< stores) per pound: 



Fancy, 81-10 cents; Field Run, 76-10 cents: Low Grade. ." cents. Kange of 

 prices from 10 cents to 3 cents. 



This gives the following averages: 



Per box. 



Received by grower $l.(ixo 



Freight to San Francisco .0!r 



Ih'aya-e .<r_'r> 



Commission merchant 10 per cent .2(10 



AVbolesale price $L'.<Min 



Added by retailer__ . 1.3*10 



Retail price $3.300 



Cents 

 l>er pound. 



3.36 

 Otl9 

 0.05 



0.40 



LO 

 2.60 



6.60 



