44 FACTS A.XD FIGURES OR THE 



CHAPTER VIII. 



MARKETING YOUR CROPS. 



No matter how fine a crop you raise, unless you make 

 some money out of it, your time and labor are lost. 



The principal thing is to put your vegetables up in the 

 best shape possible. Grade them very carefully. Pack in 

 .standard crates and be sure to have the crates clean. You 

 will find the most successful truckers put their produce up 

 in first-class shape. The majority have a trade mark for 

 their fanc)- stock, and you will find it advisable to do like- 

 wise ; but under no conditions pack anything but extra fancy 

 stock uder it. If you will do this, it will not be long before 

 you will have a reputation worked up on your brand, and 

 can get a good price when other stock not so carefully grad- 

 ed is hardly bringing freight charges. Choice produce put 

 up m firsr-class shape will bring more money than extra 

 fancy stock that is put up in a shoddy manner. It is best 

 to try an'l plant enough of. one kind of vegetable to be able 

 tc load a car, for if you have good stock and can load cars, 

 straight or mixed, you can nearly always sell them f. o. b. 

 your station, which is much more satisfactory than consign- 

 ing your shipments. I always make it a point to sell f. o. b. 

 my station when possible, even taking twenty-five cents a 

 crate less than the market is offering, for if you take chances 

 and ship, }ou run the risk of your shipments going into 

 market in a poor condition, or having the market drop be- 

 fore they arrive. If you can not plant a large enough 

 acreage to ship this way, get several of your neighbors to 

 go in with you, each planting the same vegetable at the same 

 time, so that when they are matured you can pool the lot. 

 Find on; or two good commission houses on each market, 

 and when you find a good one stick to it, no matter what kind 



