UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



BULLETIN No. 1002 



\Jr Contributed from the Bureau of Markets and Crop Estimates J>J 



H. C. TAYLOR, Chief }q^"^SL 



Washington, D. C. 



7 



December 23, 1921 



OPEN TYPES OF PUBLIC MARKETS. 



By McFall Kerbey, Formerly in Charge of City Marketing Investigations. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Introduction 1 



Function of public markets 3 



Retail and wholesale markets 4 



Ownership and control '. 5 



Page. 

 Essential conditions for successful 



open market 7 



Establishment of a market 10 



Operation of a market 17 



Summary 18 



INTRODUCTION. 



There are several types of public markets in the United States for 

 the sale of food products. Some farmers may and probably do sell 

 through each of the types, but the typical " farmers' market " in 

 most sections of the country is of the so-called open type, which is 

 held either along street curbs or on tracts of ground especially set 

 aside for market purposes. Markets of the latter type though pro- 

 tected by sheds are still considered open markets. In common usage 

 the term " open market " refers to all markets other than those con- 

 sisting of stalls, booths, or store spaces housed in buildings. The 

 latter are most commonly referred to as " inclosed markets." In this 

 bulletin the term " open markets " will be used as including " curb 

 markets " and " shed-protected markets," and as practically synony- 

 mous with " farmers' markets " and " producers' markets." 



A public market differs radically from a store, shop, or group 

 of shops under one ownership. In such stores and shops the person 

 owning or controlling the agency also owns and controls the goods 

 sold. In public markets, on the other hand, the agency — that is, the 

 market — and the actual selling of the goods are in different hands. 

 A " market " in the sense meant in this publication is merely a place 

 in which and a group of conditions under which sales may be made 

 by numerous owners of goods. The market establishment, in other 



60762°— 21 1 



