10 BULLETIN 477, U. S. DEPABTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
MARKETING ARRANGEMENTS. 
The strawberry growers in Louisiana are well organized, practically 
all being members of local shipping associations. In fact, there are 
frequently two, three, or even four such associations at one station. 
There seems to be a rather unnecessary duplication of selling 
expense by reason of the operation of several associations at ship- 
ping points where the business is so limited that all of it could easily 
be handled by one association at a smaller cost. 
The northern houses usually send a large number of buyers to the 
district during the car-lot movement, and sales are made on a cash 
f. o. b. shipping-point basis, inspection being made and acceptance 
being taken before the cars move. In general, this method has 
proved satisfactory. At Ponchatoula practically all cars are sold at 
public auction. As this point has the reputation of producing 
superior berries, the auction has worked satisfactorily. It is unique 
in that it is the only point in the United States, so far as is known, 
where full carloads of strawberries are sold at auction. 
The association charge for selling berries usually is 5 cents per 
crate, a refund generally being made to the growers after expenses 
are paid. A considerable portion of the crop is handled by a dis- 
tributing company for the account of local associations, a fixed 
charge being made for this service. 
A very essential feature of the work of the local associations is the 
financing of the growers by supplying them with fertilizers, feed, 
crate material, etc. The purchase of supplies through the local 
associations is especially important in Louisiana, and this form of 
association activity is growing. 
QUALITY AND PACK. 
In general, Louisiana berries enjoy a fairly good reputation for 
quality and pack. Varieties are fairly well standardized, and when 
weather conditions have been favorable, deterioration in marketing 
has not been excessive. In certain seasons, when the weather has 
been unfavorable, the losses from deterioration have been heavy. 
Berries usually are carried from the field to the packing shed in 
picking trays, and are there packed in boxes. While the packing 
probably is as good as in most shipping sections, there is urgent need 
for improvement. A number of cars noted by the market reporters of 
the office showed very slack pack. One car in Pittsburgh was exam- 
ined and the cups were found to be barely half full. Several dealers were 
arrested in that city for selling these short-measure cups of berries. 
Two types of crates are in use, the unventilated (Hallock) with 
solid sides, and the ventilated (Dahlstrom) with slatted sides. Care- 
ful examination on the Chicago market showed that the berries 
packed in the ventilated crates consistently arrived in better con- 
dition, although in a few exceptional cases the reverse was true. 
Labels were used in 1915 for the first time. Wholesalers interviewed 
expressed themselves as pleased with the labeling of the crates and 
believed it added to the selling value. 
