38 BULLETIN 1044, U. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE. 
insist on tearing open the ears and even on squeezing the kernels. 
For these reasons, some self-serve operators make no effort to sell 
sweet corn. Others attempt to solve the problem by exposing only a 
relatively small number of ears at a time, replenishing the supply 
only when the preceding lot is almost exhausted. 
Loose greens, such as spinach, kale, mustard, and endive, can not 
be dealt in as easily under self-service as some of the other vegetable 
products, but when the matter is handled rightly these products, too. 
may be sold successfully. One of the best methods of handling 
greens is to expose them in bulk in bins or trays with paper bags of 
several sizes in reach, pricing the products by the pound. The pur- 
chaser can then place in a bag about the quantity desired and the 
purchase can be weighed by the checker. A number of products of 
the other groups also may often be sold most satisfactorily by weight. 
Several methods have been tried in handling under self-service the 
bulkier vegetables of low unit value, such as potatoes, dry onions, 
mature beets, carrots, parsnips, and sweet potatoes. In some stores 
such products are exposed in bulk with large paper bags, into which 
the purchaser may place the units desired. In other stores the 
amounts for which there is the greatest demand are placed in bags, 
often with the tops open to permit inspection. Still other operators 
display the products in baskets of various sizes, from which they are 
transferred to bags by the wrapper. On the whole, the most satis- 
factory method seems to be to expose some of each product in baskets 
in connection with a bulk display accompanied by empty bags. Such 
an arrangement meets the desires both of those customers who wish 
to pick over the stock and those who prefer to save time and trouble 
by taking a filled container. 
In pricing many fresh fruits and vegetables, it may be found ad- 
visable to base the price on a small unit, as making the price per 
orange. This may have a tendency to reduce the size of each sale, 
but it is much more satisfactory to the customer, as it is always easier 
for him to figure out what three or four oranges will cost than when 
the price is quoted per dozen. 
The placing of tender-skinned fruits or vegetables in display 
containers which are likely to cause injury and consequent decay to 
the product, such as rough wire baskets, should be avoided. 
SPOILAGE. 
The percentage of spoilage of fresh fruits and vegetables has been 
variously estimated from 1 per cent to 10 per cent. Few accurate 
figures are obtainable, but probably the percentage of spoilage de- 
pends more upon the method of handling the fresh fruits and vege- 
tables than upon any other one factor. In order to reduce this per- 
centage of spoilage to a minimum, careful buying as to price and 
