THE MARKETS 423 
developed satisfactorily and will pay the small producer much 
better than the larger city trade. 
A great variety of markets are open to the poultryman, and, 
according to his location and production, he may choose any one 
of the following methods: (1) Selling direct to the consumer; (2) 
selling direct to the retailer; (3) shipping to commission merchants. 
Selling direct to the consumer insures the largest revenue, as 
all expense of commission and extra handling is eliminated. This 
market is usually limited, unless one lives near a small city or 
village, in which case he can generally build up a retail route 
which will take his entire output. A disadvantage is the amount 
of time consumed in taking orders and distributing. To determine 
whether or not this method pays best, the time spent in dis- 
tribution should be balanced against the lower price and extra 
expense of commission when shipping by the third method, the 
cost of production being in each case the same. 
The most satisfactory way of selling direct to consumers is 
to supply hotels, restaurants, and clubs, as they usually contract 
for the entire output and are willing to pay a good price, and it 
is much easier to ship the entire output to one place at certain 
specified times than to spend time and labor in disposing of it 
among many small consumers. This last method offers an ex- 
cellent chance of advertising,—an advantage to both the poultry- 
man and the purchaser of the products. 
Selling Direct to Retailer—Often one can sell both eggs and 
dressed poultry direct to some retail grocer, who is glad to get 
them and to pay a good price. Knowing they are perfectly fresh, 
he can sell them to his high-class trade and develop a good mar- 
ket for the poultryman. It may be necessary to go to a distant 
city or distribution point to find his market, but it will always 
pay when once secured. 
Shipping to Commission Merchants.—The easiest and simplest 
way in which to dispose of the bulk of poultry products is through 
the commission merchant for sale in the open market. In iso- 
lated cases the merchant can. perhaps secure a special market 
for a guaranteed product, and this is becoming easier each year. 
But by this method the cost of marketing is very high and the 
price realized is the lowest. The commission, transportation, 
cartage, and, in most cases, loss by breakage, are always charged 
to the shipper. The commission usually amounts to five per 
cent of the gross receipts. 
