MARKETING EASTERN GRAPES. 21 



which specify definitely the price to be paid, but the common method 

 of sale is a contract to purchase the grower's entire crop at the market 

 price prevailing on the day of delivery. 



Confusion sometimes arises as to just what the market price is, 

 particularly when the consumption by juice factories is so great that 

 few bulk grapes are sold for outside shipment. This occurred in 

 Michigan in 1918 and to a less extent at the beginning of the season 

 of 1918 in the Chautauqua-Erie belt. As no ratio between the price 

 of 4-quart baskets and that of stock shipped in 12-quart baskets or 

 trays has ever been established, it is usually left to the juice factories 

 to pay what they think proper. Such situations are unfortunate, as 

 they furnish a chance for unfair practices, but in the main the leaders 

 of the grape-juice industry have the interests of the grower at heart 

 and may be relied on to pay a fair price for what they buy. A still 

 more effective insurance of a fair return to the grower is the fact 

 that the production of grape juice has not of late years equaled the 

 trade requirements. This has caused a very healthy competition be- 

 tween the various factories for the products of the vineyardist. 



Most of the grapes used by juice factories are produced within 

 hauling distance, but in 1918, on account of the short crop, much 

 stock was received by shipment, both by short hauls from within the 

 same district and by long hauls, as between Michigan and Westfield, 

 N. Y., and between Chautauqua County and Highland, N. Y. 



The common grape trays, usually owned by the factory, are the 

 standard package for grape- juice stock, though 12-quart Climax 

 baskets are often employed, into which grapes are picked directly 

 from the vines. Sales of stock in baskets are generally made on the 

 basis of the gross weight ; that is, with the baskets included. 



While juice factories generally prefer to buy from the grower, 

 they do not confine their purchases to this source, but. sometimes send 

 out representatives, who buy from local dealers or cooperative asso- 

 ciations or purchase stock on telegraphic orders. Growers in out- 

 lying sections who are able to ship in carload quantities would do 

 well to investigate the possibilities of this method of sale. On ac- 

 count of its acidity, the Concord comprises the great bulk of the 

 grape- juice stock, but the Worden is sometimes used, and the Clinton 

 is recommended as a valuable variety for this purpose. 



FREE-ON-BOARD SALES. 



In the early days of the grape-shipping industry, sales were made 

 almost exclusively at the point of destination. Of late years the 

 tendency has been toward the other extreme, until the great bulk of 

 shipments from the more important grape-growing sections are now 

 sold f. o. b. point of origin. 



