130 MAKING HORTICULTURE PAY 



" We set a reasonable price on our stuff from day 

 to day, and people may take it or leave it, just as 

 they choose. The man who cuts prices not only 

 injures himself, but his neighbor also. He will 

 always be expected to cut prices and will probably 

 find difficulty in selling his produce unless he does. 

 In his hurry to sell out and get home his price is 

 often lowered beyond what the supply would war- 

 rant, to the injury of every gardener and the benefit 

 of every dealer. 



"To illustrate my meaning: A season or two 

 ago cucumbers were selling at 40 cents a dozen, 

 and the dealers were retailing them 

 at 5 cents apiece. A certain gar- 

 dener came into the market with a 

 quantity and a desire to get away 

 quickly. He sold the load for 20 

 cents a dozen, thereby establish- 

 ing that price for this article for 

 the entire market, yet, on account 

 of the scarcity the dealer continued 

 to retail cucumbers at 5 cents each 

 for nearly three weeks. The gar- 

 weeders deners lost 20 cents a dozen and 



the dealer made 20 cents more 

 profit a dozen than supply and demand warranted. 

 " This is only one of scores of such instances. 

 Farmers are still too willing to ask what pros- 

 pective customers will give them, instead of reckon- 

 ing cost of production and percentage of profit and 

 then demanding a reasonable selling price. Of 

 course, it takes courage to break away from the 

 old-established custom and place a value on one's 

 own farm produce, and to refuse to sell for less. 

 But this becomes easier when the stuff is well 

 graded and shows superior quality." 



