Educating the Market 



CHAPTER XL 



One morning while preparing for the second edition, I in- 

 vaded the down-town streets of the biggest city, where Commis- 

 sion Houses are thickest. I interviewed men whom I knew to 

 have been selling Indian Runner eggs, and men I had never heard 

 of. I questioned small dealers in produce from the farms, and 

 the oldest and largest firm, I think, in the business in New York. 

 At least, I was told that they were one of the oldest and largest, 

 and knew eggs from A. to Z., and back again! 



At this last place, I struck what seems to me the key to the 

 situation, in this as in other matters. And it is along the line 

 of what I said last year. "We can't educate the market," said 

 th-e firm's representative, protestingly ; "we aren't near enough to 

 the consumers. We have to take what comes to us, and sell it 

 if we can, and that is the whole of the Commission business. 

 If the market is to be educated to the use of duck eggs, some 

 one else must do it !" 



Very few firms would allow that Indian Runner or any 

 other duck eggs were wanted in New York, during the latter part 

 of the year. The market has not been used to them, and a large 

 proportion of the buyers are prejudiced against them. There 

 are some nationalities that like them, however. The Irish, it is 

 said, are so partial to green that they even prefer a green duck 



■egg- 



The tgg situation in New York in November may be like 

 this: "Very few near-by eggs are arriving, and these, even 

 when from henneries, are often badly mixed with old eggs. New 



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