280 



MARKETING 



The special market, too, will usually respond at once to any 

 improvement in quality or pack (Figs. 144, 145, 146 and 147). 

 If you are selling through a good grocery store, which is one of 

 the very best methods, the consumer knows who furnishes the 

 fruit, and if it is good he asks for more of your brand; while 

 if you ship into the general market there is much less chance 

 that special effort will receive special reward. "Where the 

 grower can secure such a market he should, if possible, retain 

 control of the price for which the fruit is sold. If he is reason- 

 ably close to his market, and if he has confidence in his grocery- 

 man, he can usually afford 

 to assume any loss due to 

 decay. When this is done the 

 grocer is usually willing to 

 accept really good fruit on the 

 commission basis. 



When the grower does keep 

 control of the price he can 

 lower it if necessary to move 

 his crop of perishable fruit 

 faster; and at the same time 

 that he is getting more for his 

 fruit the consumer is usually 

 paying less for it. 



Then if a man is to develop 

 and maintain this special mar- 

 ket, it is very desirable that 

 he should keep up a continu- 

 ous supply of each fruit. 

 This was discussed under varieties, but is worth mention- 

 ing again. If your customers are watching for your brand 

 do not disappoint them at any point in the season. The writer 

 recalls an instance where a man actually refused a dollar a 

 barrel more for his Spies than he could get at his regular 

 market because he did not want to disappoint and lose his 

 customers. To carry out this plan the fruit grower must not 

 only have a good list of varieties but he should have good 

 storage facilities as well. 



Fir;, 141. — Pastrbnard carton for fanry 

 apples. This package will carry the fruit 

 perfectly, but it is too costly for anything 

 but very high-grade fruit. 



