Ma\ , 1929] Demand for Vegetables and Poultry 15 



Dependable Supplies 



The summer hotel business changes regularly with the weather. This 

 uncertainty causes the demand for food to vary daily. It is, therefore, 

 necessary that the stewards establish connections wih dependable parties 

 if the hotel is to be operated successfully. To secure the great variety 

 of items required for such operation, it is necessary to purchase them in 

 a terminal market. Orders are telephoned and filled on short notice. 

 The majority of hotels are able to obtain express delivery to their nearest 

 station within 24 hours after placing the order. The wholesalers in 

 Boston have been catering to this trade for some time and have built 

 up a reputation for dependal)ility in supplying products of the quality 

 desired. Also they are willing to make any needed adjustments where 

 dissatisfaction occurs. When the stewards are certain to receive services 

 of this kind they are not over-anxious to drop them and experiment with 

 products from local growers of unknown reputation. Previous ex- 

 perience with some local growers has been very unsatisfactory and ex- 

 asperating. The local grower may have failed to fill the orders as 

 agreed, making the excuse that it had rained or giving some other reason 

 of equal importance. Lack of grading or even trying to grade to satisfy 

 the hotel demand was another common complaint made against this type 

 of grower. The stewards stated they could not afford to bother with 

 these men because they had to regrade the products. 



Two classes of local growers are supplying vegetables to the White 

 Mountain hotels. At the present time the largest part comes from com- 

 mercial growers who depend on the hotel trade for their main source of 

 income. A smaller part is supplied by men who grow and sell vege- 

 tables as a sideline. Often the large grower has kept definite time and 

 production cost records on all the vegetables produced so that he can de- 

 termine which are the most profitable. The small grower with vegetables 

 as a sideline does not figure his production costs so definitely and looks 

 on this added income as practically all gain. Usually this type of grower 

 produces one crop. He does not make plantings at such regular intervals 

 as the large grower who plans to furnish a dependable supply of fresh 

 vegetables throughout the season. 



Competition between growers of these two classes causes difficulties 

 to arise. The small grower is often willing to sell his produce at a price 

 below the market, which has a demoralizing effect. Even though the 

 small grower sells for a short time, he may cause the price to be set at 

 a low level for a sufficient period to make the larger grower actually lose 

 money. 



To protect themselves from this type of competition some commercial 

 growers have found it advisable to contract with the stewards, agreeing 

 to supply them regularly throughout the growing season. Through 

 cost accounting methods covering several years one grower has learned 

 he cannot afford to grow peas and sell them for less than $4.00 a bushel. 

 He has made arrangements with the hotels to supply them regularly at 

 this price regardless of market prices or local competition. From the 

 hotel's point of view this is a very satisfactory arrangement. As has 

 been previously shown hotels are in a position to pay for quality goods. 



