314 The Commercial Apple Industry 



of marketing can be made invaluable to the producer. A 

 grower should carefully investigate the standing of the 

 firm with which he proposes to deal. 



Cash sales are desirable but in years of heavy produc- 

 tion and for the grower with miscellaneous and odd lot 

 shipments, consignment is sometimes the only alternative. 

 Not infrequently growers have established relations with 

 certain commission merchants and employ these same firms 

 year after year. 



SELLING TO CASH BUYERS 



At present the cash buyer is the dominant figure in the 

 marketing of the commercial apple crop. The legitimate 

 cash buyer performs a necessary service in the distribution 

 of the commercial crop. He buys for an established trade 

 and requires only a limited margin to insure a fair profit. 

 In most instances he is an experienced salesman, always 

 seeking to develop and open new markets. The cash buyer 

 is a figure of growing importance in the apple industry. 



Much has been said with reference to the popular 

 demand " direct to the consumer." The fact remains, 

 however, that the middle-man performs an important 

 service in the distribution of any crop. It must be re- 

 membered, furthermore, that even the present cooperative 

 selling organizations sell largely through brokers or to cash 

 buyers on the market but operate in such circumstances 

 as to secure more consideration than individuals can com- 

 mand. Buyers must have profits commensurate with the 

 risk and sufficient to cover their overhead, and if they lose 

 in one operation they quite naturally must receive suf- 

 ficient profit to make up for such losses. 



The best and most satisfactory system for dealing with 



