i66 THE CONNECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



The prices in Boston markets are liable to great ciiangcs 

 from day to day, and sometimes from hour to hour of the 

 same day, so a first-class salesman will make his collections 

 promptl}' and thus avoid much friction with customers. 



The sales are always for cash. That is one very good 

 feature of the business. Sonie of our stuff is very perishable 

 in summer ; it must be fresh every day and be sold as soon 

 as it arrives in the market. On some farms, one load chases 

 another to market, so that in the busy season the salesman is 

 kept in the market all the time from 3.30 A. AI. till 5 V. M., 

 and he and his helpers handle some days as many as 2,000 

 bushels of produce. It requires a man of good executive 

 ability to dispose of so much to advantage. There is hardly 

 a farmer who does not hear from his salesman by telephone 

 during the market day, and by keeping in touch with each 

 other they can work to the best advantage. It enables the 

 farmer to govern his supply according to the demand for 

 goods. 



There is in Boston a market district reserved for farmers' 

 wagons : South Market street. Commercial and State streets, 

 and part of Atlantic avenue. All the available space is some- 

 times filled in with wagons in double rows, and during the 

 market hours presents a picturesque sight. 



There are a few farmers who do not unhitch, but drive 

 through the market, selling out usually before passing all the 

 wholesalers. No market-gardener expects to make a profit 

 on half crops or poor vegetables, nor is he satisfied with any 

 but good crops of fancy vegetables. 



The manure pile is a good index of the amount of busi- 

 ness done. Little manure means little stufif and poor; lots 

 of manure means lots of stuff of first quality. 



Most of the farmers about Boston run large manure 

 wagons every day collecting fresh stable manure in loads of 

 from one to two cords. This manure is put into piles as 

 compactly as possible, covering not much ground surface and 

 built as high as the drivers will throw it. A pile is started 

 with a given bottom and a layer of fresh manure is added to 

 cover the whole top of the pile each day, till the pile con- 



