MARKETING HAY THROUGH TERMINAL MARKETS. 51 
orders constitute an important part of the business of most whole- 
salers in southern markets. Retailers sell mostly in small quantities 
to consumers. 
WEIGHTS. 
In those sections where tagged weights are used the hay is sold on 
the weights indicated on the tags. The advantage to the dealers of 
using these weights is that it eliminates any loss from shrinkage or 
handling because they sell the hay by the same weight by which they 
buy it and any loss is thus passed to the consumer. 
In many distributing markets all hay is weighed as it is sold. By 
this method the consumer gets what he pays for but the dealer, to 
cover the loss caused by handling, etc., must charge slightly more for 
his hay. In a few places hay is still retailed by the bale, the dealer 
basing the price per bale on the average weight of the bales as indi- 
cated by his invoice for the car. Unless the weight of the bales is 
uniform this method is an unsatisfactory one to the purchaser. 
GRADES. 
In retailing only a few grade terms are used. Hay is almost always 
sold as No. 1 or good hay. If the dealer has some mixed hay the 
amount of the mixture is usually stated. In some instances the use 
for which the hay is best suited is stated when describing the char- 
acter, for example, " Good rabbit hay," " Choice dairy alfalfa," or 
" Good sheep hay." When the hay offered is not considered first 
class it is usually not given a grade designation but the dealers de- 
scribe it as " good feeding hay, just a little ripe," or " No. 1 hay con- 
taining just a few weeds," or possibly " good hay that is a little 
dark," etc. In general very few consumers have*any conception of the 
quality represented by any grade terms other than Choice and No. 1 
hay and these terms are, therefore, used with such modifications as 
have been mentioned. 
TERMS OF SETTLEMENT. 
No sight or arrival drafts are used by retailers and the time of 
settlement depends on the character of business done. Some dealers 
sell for cash only, others allow 30 days' credit, and still others allow 
accounts to run as long as a year. In dairy sections the time of 
settlement is frequently made to coincide with the date upon which 
the dairymen receive pay for their products, which may be once a 
month. In the South settlement for the whole season is commonly 
made when farmers market their cotton. It will be seen that no 
single method of settlement is used throughout consuming sections, 
but that that method is used which is best suited to local conditions. 
