MARKETING EASTERN GRAPES. 37 



There are few large plantations. In fact, this section is interesting 

 from a commercial viewpoint merely as a shipper of Niagaras, for 

 nowhere does this variety reach such a high quality as near Lake 

 Ontario, and particularly in Niagara County. 



Methods of Sale. 



A large percentage of the sales by growers in the counties of 

 Genesee, Monroe, Orleans, and Wayne are made direct to retailers or 

 to city markets in the near-by cities and towns. An important outlet 

 is the shipment in less-than-carload lots on consignment to cities 

 within the State, as to Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Rome. Some 

 of the sales in these counties are made through local dealers who 

 specialize in other fruits and handle grapes only as a side line. 



While there is some carlot shipping by growers, the greater part 

 of the commercial distribution is effected by an association formed 

 by growers for the marketing of their product. This association also 

 handles some grapes in the Central Lakes district. The principal 

 outlet for the carlot shipments from this district is in the large cities 

 of the East — New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, and also in 

 Pittsburgh. 



Insect pests are not particularly troublesome in this section, but 

 fungus diseases, especially black rot, to which the Niagara is very 

 susceptible, does considerable damage and necessitates careful trim- 

 ming in years of infection. 



MICHIGAN. 



Location. 



While the quantity production of Michigan grapes does not equal 

 that of New York State, nevertheless, as the shipments of table stock 

 are heavier, the distribution more extensive, and the industry local- 

 ized in a single section, southwestern Michigan may be regarded as 

 the leading grape section of the East. 



While carlot shipments have been made from 10 Michigan counties 

 during the last three years, the industry is relatively unimportant 

 outside the counties of Van Buren and Berrien, and reaches its 

 highest development around the towns of Lawton, Paw Paw, and 

 Mattawan in the former county and Benton Harbor and St. Joseph 

 in the latter. 



Table 6 shows the loading at the various stations throughout the 

 State as reported to the Bureau of Markets by the various originating 

 railroads. 



