APPLE MARKET INVESTIGATIONS, 1914-15. 5 



as the retail dealers. Further, a considerable part of the retail business 

 is handled by hucksters, from whom it is difficult to get much satis- 

 factory information with regard to sales and expenses, even if it 

 were possible to find out from the wholesaler or the jobber what 

 particular hucksters had purchased the apples that were being traced. 

 And, in addition to the lack of records on the part of the dealers, 

 the problem is often complicated by the fact that in some cities half 

 a dozen nationalities may be represented in those receiving parts of a 

 single original shipment. This is especially true in New York City. 



RETAIL METHODS AND COSTS. 



In studying the various phases of city apple marketing, special 

 attention was given to retail methods and costs. The purpose of 

 this study was chiefly to learn whether the wholesale supply con- 

 trols the price. The cost of operation as a factor in determining retail 

 prices also was investigated as far as possible. 



Retail apple distributors may be classed as follows: 



(a) Fruit-stand vendors. 



(b) Fancy grocers, fruiterers, etc., catering almost exclusively to 

 high-class or fashionable trade and doing a verv extensive credit 

 business. 



(c) Grocers catering to a cheaper class of trade, largely upon a 

 cash basis. 



(d) Hucksters or street peddlers. 



Relatively high prices were charged for apples purchased at fruit 

 stands. Extra fancy Northwestern and Colorado Jonathans were sold 

 to the dealers during October and November at prices ranging from $1 

 to $1.25 per box. Apples which grade 150 to the box retailed at 

 2 for 5 cents, or $3.75 per box. This meant a gross profit of about 

 250 per cent. In the 96 size, extra fancy Jonathans sold at 3 for 

 10 cents, or $3.20 per box, showing a gross profit of about 200 per 

 cent. 



In the East Side tenement section of New York City it was learned 

 that by reason of the cheap prices prevailing and the heavy supply 

 of apples arriving the peddlers were operating to the detriment of 

 fruit stands. The fruit-stand dealers were selling only about one- 

 third to one-half the quantity of fruit handled in former seasons. 

 The pushcart and wagon peddlers as a rule buy packed or loose 

 fruit cheap and go direct to the homes of the residents, selling at 

 prices considerably below the fruit-stand men. The peddlers handle 

 a large, quantity) make quick cash, sales, and pay no rents. Other 

 dealers incur heavy operating expenses and generally sell not for the 

 purpose of moving a large quantity, but for the highest price ob- 

 bainabfo. Consequently, the movement is restricted. 



