16 
BULLETIN" 861, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
shipments is added. The costs and profits of the buyer, car-lot dis- 
tributor, and the jobber are eliminated, and this saving should be 
shared between the farmer and the retailer to make this method 
satisfactory and profitable to all concerned. 
SHIPMENTS ON CONSIGNMENT. 
By far the most common method practiced by farmers who ship 
their own grapes is to consign to commission houses or brokers, who 
in turn sell to jobbers or sometimes direct to retailers. These factors 
act as the agent of the shipper, disposing of the grapes at the high- 
est price obtainable, paying transportation, icing, and drayage 
charges, deducting a certain rate as commission, and remitting the 
Fig. 2. — Icing cars in a large distributing center. 
balance to the shipper. In some cities, such as Washington, D. C, 
and Columbus, Ohio, the functions of these various factors are not 
always distinct, as some houses perform the duties of car-lot receiver, 
commission merchant, broker, and wholesaler. The commission 
charge ranges from 5 to 15 per cent on the gross sales, but is usually 
between 7 and 10 on large quantities. An understanding should be 
reached beforehand as to exact percentage of commission to be 
charged. 
Growers who have sufficient acreage to enable them to ship in car- 
load lots have a great advantage in this method of sale over growers 
who are forced to ship in less than carload lots, as the transportation 
costs are much less, temporary refrigeration while in transit (icing) 
is practicable, and the shipper has a much wider field of action, for 
he is able to forward his product to almost any market desired, either 
by direct billing or by diversion. By this method the farmer saves 
