APPLE MARKET INVESTIGATIONS, 1914-15. 



The profits derived from the sale of cheaper grades of apples to 

 the poorer class of consumers are not so large. It was learned that 

 those catering to such trade operated on a margin of 75 to 100 per 

 cent of the purchase price. Table 1 shows the purchase and selling 

 prices of certain varieties of apples handled by retail grocers in St. 

 Louis, Mo., on October 13 and 14, 1914. 



Table 1. — Purchase and selling prices of apples handled by retail grocers in St. Louis, 



October 13 and 14, 1914. 



Variety. 



Purchase price 

 per barrel. 



Selling price, per peck, 1 received by 10 retail grocers. 



No. 1. 



No. 2. 



No. 3. 



No. 4. 



No. 5. 



No. 6. 



No. 7. 



No. 8. 



No. 9. 



No. 10. 





$1.55 to §1.75.. 



2.25 to 3.00.. 

 2 1.00 to 1.25.. 



2.75 to 3.00.. 



Cts. 

 25 

 35 

 40 



Cts. 



Cts. 



Cts. 



25 



Cts. 



25 



Cts. 



Cts. 



30 

 40 



Cts. 

 30 

 40 



Cts. 



Cls. 



York Imperial 

















40 



50 





40 



Spy 



40 



















25 

 30 



50 

 35 



25 

 40 













Rome Beauty 



1.65 to 2.60.. 

















1.75 to 2.50.. 



















1.30 to 1.65.. 

















ib 







2.00 to 2.15.. 



















25-i0 



























1 Grocers secure 12 to 13 pecks from a barrel of apples; 4 pecks from a box of apples. 



2 Per box. 



By keeping prices at a rather high level, the stores move, only a 

 small quantity each day. Considering the fact that overhead and 

 operating charges are not so high as in the case given above, and 

 that there is a greater proportion of strictly cash trade, it appears 

 that the margin of profit is rather great. It is reasonable to believe 

 that sales could be made on a very much closer margin and still 

 offer ample protection and profit to the dealer. ' These grocers, how- 

 ever, seem to prefer handling small quantities rather than moving 

 large quantities upon small margins. 



The peddler and pushcart men truly may be called distributors. 

 These dealers are large factors in creating a demand for fruit. They 

 make an effort to find customers and by so doing dispose of a large 

 quantity. As a rule, they handle only the poorer grades, buying 

 extra fancy and fancy boxed apples only when the price is extremely 

 low. This year they handled more box apples than ever before, and 

 the margins were small. The circumstances under which they work 

 enable them to make a close price, and it seems certain that any 

 reduction they could afford to make would not affect materially the 

 rale of consumption. In general, it appeared that retail apple prices 

 were too high this year, and then; is little doubt that the amount 

 used would be increased greatly if grocers would buy in larger quan- 

 tity •-. and sell at a price sufficiency low to attract, public attention. 



In a middle western market there is a chain of retail stores which 

 handle apples in a very original manner. They sell for cash, make do 



