16 



BULLETIN 1109, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTTTRE. 



was that cranberries would have a very slow and moderate sale no 

 matter what price was asked. But largely as the result of advertis- 

 ing and efficient marketing methods, cranberries had an unusually 

 successful season. The price mounted steadily from the middle of 

 November to the last week in December, when it reached $22 a barrel. 



The advertisements were along educational lines. Much emphasis 

 was placed upon methods of serving the fruit in such a way as to 

 arouse and please the appetite. Because of the sugar shortage, 

 attention was also given to methods of cooking the cranberry with 

 much less than the usual amount of sugar. 



The following are a 'few expressions received by the exchange 

 from the same agents and customers in widely scattered markets 

 just before and just after the advertising campaign: 



A. Broker. — October 26: "Refuse con- 

 firmation. Deaf, dumb, and blind to 

 cranbenies." 



B. Broker. — October 24: "We can not 

 encourage any shipments in here until 

 there is a better demand. Still have 

 about 80 barrels of the last car Mayflower 

 on hand." 



C. Broker. — October 24: "Cranberries 

 are moving very slowly. I should be 

 able to sell the car you wish to ship 

 Friday but to be frank it will be a hard 

 job." 



D. Broker. — October 25: "The jobbers 

 seem to have it in their heads that cran- 

 berries are not going to sell here to any 

 great extent." 



E. Broker. — October 25: "Our cus- 

 tomers are badly stuck with early blacks; 

 one still has over 100 barrels on hand 

 because there is absolutely no sale for 

 cranberries at present." 



A. Sold six cars in November. 



B. Sold 12 cars in November. Novem- 

 ber 20: "The trade has waked up here in 

 the last 24 hours and now seems to want 

 its cranberries delivered at once. We 

 congratulate you on the way you have 

 handled the situation." 



C. Sold seven cars in November and 

 could have sold many more. November 

 29: "This mode of procedure is like 

 frenzied finance, and it makes me dizzy 

 to keep up. I hardly know where I 

 stand, only I must have another car or 

 two shortly and will look to you to get 

 some for me." 



D. December 4: "Jobbers all out of 

 cranberries. Can't you possibly divert 

 or ship car? Would like to get enough 

 to make a minimum car from Chicago. 

 Want them to cost not more than $17.40 

 delivered." 



E. November 27: "I find everybody 

 demands their full share of berries; 

 therefore I am in a pinch. I can not 

 fill all my orders even if the next car 

 contains 240 barrels. Of course I will be 

 obliged to cut some of my customers 

 down and they will squeal, because the 

 demand has been very large and so much 

 better than we expected." 



It is the belief of those in authority that if no advertising had 

 been done during the year the crop would have netted less than $6 

 a barrel, which was not considered a profitable price to the grower. 



