16 



BULLETIN 477, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



In general it can be said that the range in prices indicates a range 

 in quality and loads to the conclusion that methods of grading and 

 packing could be much improved in all sections. Especially is this 

 true of sections that regularly show wide differences between their 

 good and poor qualities. They can profit by adopting the methods 

 of sections producing berries of excellent reputation, such as Ken- 

 tucky, which never showed a price range greater than 25 cents per 

 24-quart crate on the Pittsburgh market throughout the entire season. 

 Often there are individual growers who uniformly secure top prices 

 for their goods, while others always receive the lowest prices. The 

 difference between top prices and bottom prices is often a difference 





APRIL 

 3 27 



3 



MAY 



3 14 20 8 



ST 



MAY 



4 20 26 



PAUL 



MAY 



a 14 20 26 



MAY 

 20 26 



JUNC 

 7 12 



PRICE 

 $7.50 















































i\ 











































8.5 

























































































5.5 



\ 











































• 5.0 



\ 









































4.50 









































4.0 







i 







































3.5 







\ 







































3.0 









L 































/ 



v \ 





2.5 









\ 







V 



^ 









V 



<a 



f 



i 





1 



\l 









2.0 

















\ 



\ 









S 



V 

















1.50 



















} 











1 





























































LOUISIANA TENNESSEE ARKANSAS MISSOURI 



FiG. 11.— Jobbing prices of strawberries on the St. Paul market in 1915. 



between profit and loss, or success and failure. This emphasizes 

 the fact that berries of high quality usually pay for the extra cost 

 of their production. 



It should not be inferred, however, that the price range depends 

 entirely on quality. Other elements enter in, especially the element 

 of salesmanship. One salesman may habitually secure less than 

 another. Nevertheless the greatest single factor in price range in 

 one day is quality. 



DIFFERENCES IN PRICES CAUSED BY TIME OF SHIPPING. 



The curves showing the prices of berries from the different sections 

 show that first shipments from any section usually top the market. 

 As shipments increase, the market usually declines. Later there 

 may be a reaction and an advance. A notable exception to this rule 

 in 1915 was Louisiana, which showed an advancing and strengthen- 

 ing market in practically every city for 10 days after the season 



