12 BULLETIX 1002, TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



certain parts of the country to the handling of fresh meats and 

 dressed poultry on open markets, especially if sales are confined in 

 the case of meats to pieces of considerable size cut before they are 

 brought to market. If an open market is to be devoted to any con- 

 siderable extent to the sale of the more perishable farm products, it 

 will be advisable to locate it on special market property, since sanita- 

 tion can be controlled more satisfactorily under such circumstances 

 than when the market is conducted in a street or along curbs. 



Products that may be sold satisfactorily on open markets under 

 ordinary conditions include fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, live 

 poultry and rabbits, plants, flowers, herbs, canned goods, packaged 

 butter, and cheese. Fruits and vegetables make up the bulk of the 

 products handled on open markets. 



In determining the nature of the market to be established the scope 

 in regard to the classes of salesmen permitted on the market should 

 be given consideration. From this point of view open markets are 

 broadly either strictly " producers' " or t; farmers' markets." on the 

 one hand, or " producers' and hucksters' markets " on the other. In 

 a very few cases exclusive "'hucksters' markets" exist. In some com- 

 munities it has been felt that complications that might result or evils 

 that might grow from permitting commercial peddlers on the market 

 with producers would more than overbalance any advantages owing to 

 a broadening of the market. This is undoubtedly true if no restric- 

 tions are placed on the admission of commercial peddlers, but many 

 communities have found it decidedly advantageous to permit such 

 peddlers or hucksters on the market under proper regulations. The 

 advantage of having hucksters on the market is that they add tropical 

 fruits and other shipped-in products to the otherwise relatively mea- 

 ger assortment which local products alone provide, especially during 

 certain seasons. 



The problem of the admission of hucksters often can be satisfac- 

 torily solved by jDermitting them only on a separate section of the 

 market, labeled " Hucksters." As a further restriction only licensed 

 peddlers may be admitted and they may be compelled to exhibit their 

 license tags conspicuously. The matter is sometimes approached 

 from another direction by supplying all bona fide producers with 

 signs reading " Producer." These steps are taken on the theory that 

 consumers have a right to know with what class of vendor they are 

 dealing. 



The choice of a site for an open public market should be deter- 

 mined after the type and kind of market to be established have been 

 decided on. In general it may be said that other conditions being 

 favorable a retail market should be placed as near as practicable to 

 the retail shopping district or to important subordinate retail busi- 

 ness districts, while a wholesale market should be situated as near as 



