54 BULLETIN 861, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
THE PRACTICES. 
Until comparatively recent years indiscriminate consignment to 
the nearest large cities was the rule, but with the development of 
f. o. b. selling, much more attention is rightly being paid to the 1, 
2, and 3 car towns. The table given in the Appendix shows the 
present stage of this development. A study of the relative popula- 
tions in the different destinations, shown in this table, will reveal 
the fact that some markets are relatively oversupplied and others 
greatly undersupplied, but it will be noticed also that this situa- 
tion seems to bear definite relation to the distance of these centers 
of population from the producing sections supplying them. For 
example, in 1918 Baltimore, a city of over 500,000 population, re- 
ceived 2-1 cars of grapes, while Cleveland, which is only slightly 
larger, received 75 straight cars, besides heavy less-than-carload re- 
ceipts and local haulings. 
CONCLUSION. 
A careful consideration of the facts presented in this study will 
convince the thoughtful reader that there is no universal panacea for 
marketing difficulties. Success in marketing the grape crop can come 
only when all those connected with the industry work efficiently in 
the production, preparation, and distribution of their product. 
The vineyardist should devote his attention to the production of 
the varieties demanded by the trade in his section, should guard 
against picking his crop either too early or too late, should pay par- 
ticular attention to putting out a good, full, honest pack, free from 
diseased berries or clusters, and should choose his marketing agency, 
be it local buyer, grape- juice factory, or cooperative association, with 
care and with due consideration of the relative economic efficiency of 
these various types of factors. 
The shipper should devote special attention to the intensive 
and extensive distribution of the crop, should supply the various 
markets with the varieties in the containers they require, and should 
do everything in his power to prevent inequalities in the supply on 
the various terminal markets. 
The city handlers, of all the various types from carlot receiver to 
retailer, should strive to effect the uninterrupted passage of the 
grapes from car door to the consumer and should make special 
efforts to increase the consumptive demand when supplies begin to 
accumulate. 
If these most fundamental principles are carefully followed, and 
they are being followed more and more every year, there is no reason 
why the grape industry should not continue to be a very profitable 
one to all concerned. 
