MARKETING EASTERN GRAPES. 17 
the costs and profits of the local carlot assembler, whose functions 
he has himself assumed. It should be remembered, however, that the 
business of growing grapes and the business of marketing grapes are 
as different and distinct as the business of manufacturing agricul- 
tural implements and the business of running a rural hardware store. 
The fact that a farmer is able to produce grapes of high quality 
in abundance is no sure indication of his ability to dispose of them at 
a profit, and he should not attempt to enter this highly specialized 
field without a very clear understanding of the methods to be fol- 
lowed and an intimate knowledge of the demands and requirements 
of the various markets. 
TTn fortunately very unbusinesslike methods of consignment are em- 
ployed by many growers who ship their products indiscriminately 
to the nearest large market whenever they happen to be ready to 
pick, without any study of the existing conditions on that market, or 
even a notification to their agent of their intention to ship. 
OVERLOADING MARKETS. 
Every market has a definite limit to its daily consuming capacity. 
When the carlot receivers or jobbers on any market find that the 
supplies of grapes on hand do not meet the demand, they naturally 
take steps to purchase them at the nearest producing section where 
the desired varieties and quality may be profitably obtained. On 
the other hand, if city dealers have several cars a day rolling toward 
their market, and in addition to these several shippers forward cars 
unsold to the same market, and they all arrive together, with per- 
haps heavy arrivals of freight and express less-than-carload ship- 
ments, it is probable that these arrivals will exceed the demand, and 
there will be a decline in price. Moreover, any continued surplusage 
of supplies will clog the channels of trade and result in severe loss 
to all concerned. Shippers should study the receipts on all markets 
to which they intend to ship and avoid those that are congested. In 
addition, when they ship on consignment, they should write or tele- 
graph to their dealers giving date of shipment, number and size of 
packages, varieties included, and a fair statement as to the quality 
and condition of the shipment. When shipping in carlot quantities, 
they should also specify car number and initials and should forward 
the bill of lading. 
CONSIGNMENT DECLINING. 
Principally on account of the difficulties mentioned above, the 
straight commission-house business in the grape industry seems to 
be on the decline. Many city dealers prefer the more businesslike 
method of purchasing outright in the producing sections the stock 
they need. In sections of large acreage, where marketing methods 
178922°— 20 3 
