78 HARVESTING, STORING, AND MARKETING 



If the grower or his agent does not perform these functions, 

 someone else must do so, and the cost of the service must be 

 deducted from the returns to the grower. 



The farther down the line the grower continues control of 

 his product, the greater the possibility of increased financial 

 reward, because each agent seeks to protect himself by a safe 



(Pennsylvania R. B. Go.) 



Fig. 41. Piers of the Penn. R. R. Co. in New York City for handling 

 fruits and vegetables. Cars are ferried on floats holding 10 cars each. 

 The piers have unloading space for 190 cars at a time. Their total 

 capacity is 750 cars, 600 cars being the largest number handled to date. 

 Nights are the periods of chief activity, preparing for the buyers who 

 come early in the morning. Negroes and some Portuguese are employed 

 to unload the cars, since these races appear best able to stand the heavy 

 labor. These men work 12 hours on Sunday nights, and 8 hours per 

 night during the remainder of the week. The railroad provides an 

 inspection service in addition to that available through State and Fed- 

 eral sources. Fifty coopers are commonly employed to repair broken 

 packages; 35 groups of men of 8 men each to unload cars, and 35 tally 

 clerks. Auctions are held in special rooms, beginning about 8:00 a.m., 

 delivery of products occurring immediately thereafter. 



margin, but also the greater the risk that the grower runs. 

 Even community or central packing house associations with 

 large outputs usually sell their fruit through a commission 

 house, or broker, indicating that there is a point in the mar- 

 keting process at which it is desirable for a special agency or 

 organization closely in touch with market affairs to step in 

 and take over responsibility. 



