MARKETING 83 



The direct market requires a great variety of ma- 

 terials. This is in direct opposition to what is com- 

 monly found best in the wholesale market, where 

 only a few well-known varieties of any given prod- 

 uct are ordered. A constant supply throughout the 

 entire year is of prime importance, otherwise the 

 customers gained through a portion of the season 

 will be largely lost by the time another year rolls 

 round. One must so plan as to have something to 

 sell to his customers the entire year through. This 

 is not as difficult as it sounds at first thought, and is 

 absolutely essential to success. 



Another market, half way between the wholesale 

 and the direct, might be called the semi-direct. 

 This includes hotels and restaurants. These insti- 

 tutions are very particular both as to the quality 

 and the quantity they desire from day to day, but 

 when these demands are satisfactorily met excellent 

 prices can be secured. The knowledge and the 

 ability to intelligently select that particular method 

 or methods of marketing best adapted to a given 

 locality are without doubt the keynote to success. 

 While many advantages are obtained by the com- 

 mercial gardener close to the larger cities, many of 

 the towns and smaller cities are important markets 

 for large quantities of vegetable products. They 

 are not likely to be so discriminating as the larger 

 markets, yet appreciate good quality and are will- 

 ing to pay an advance price to secure the same. 

 Gluts and sudden breaks in prices are not nearly so 

 common in the smaller cities as in larger centers 

 of population. The tendency is for everyone to ship 

 their products to the larger markets and entirely 

 overlook the needs of small places that are forced 

 to secure their products by redistribution from the 



