26 BULLETIN" 266, U. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE. 
GLOSSARY OF TRADE TERMS AND EXPRESSIONS AS USED IN THIS 
BULLETIN. 
Account sales. The statement which a commission merchant renders to a shipper 
accounting for the shipper's goods. 
Allowance. The concession in price made to a buyer in order to induce him to 
accept a car which he has rejected. 
Auctions. Organizations, usually in the form of stock companies, whose business 
is to sell fruits at public sale to the highest bidder, charging a definite fee for this 
service. 
Brokers. Agents who negotiate the purchase or sale of goods. They have no finan- 
cial interest in the goods they handle, and are paid by a definite fee. • 
Car-lot assemblers. A term commonly applied to the country merchants or 
buyers who purchase in small lots and combine into car-lot quantities. 
Car-lot wholesalers. Distributors who buy outright fruits and vegetables in car-lot 
quantities, and who sell to the jobbing or retail trade. 
C. I. Abbreviation for "car lot." 
Car peddling. The practice of growers accompanying cars of produce to markets 
and selling from the car door in the railroad yards. 
Commercial rating. Extent of financial and general credit responsibility of a firm 
or individual, as determined by unbiased credit agencies. 
Commission merchant. A dealer on the market who receives shipments or con- 
signments and sells to the best advantage, remitting the proceeds to the shipper 
after deducting a specified commission. 
Consignments. Shipments forwarded or delivered to a representative on the 
market to be sold or disposed of by him for the account of the shipper. 
Cooperative association. Mutual organizations of producers formed for the pur- 
pose of grading, packing, shipping, and selling products grown by members of the 
association. 
Country buyers of special products. Buyers located at central points in districts 
producing special crops, such as potatoes, who buy on their own account and ship 
in car-lot quantities. 
Country collecting agents. Country dealers or buyers who drive from farm to 
farm buying on their own account small quantities of produce and assembling 
them into larger units. 
Delivered sales. Sales in which the terms specify that the goods shall be delivered 
free of charge at a specified point. 
Distributors. Individuals, corporations, or associations whose business it is to 
route, distribute, or market agricultural products. 
Diversion point. A point at which the carrier will permit the destination of a car 
to be changed, so located geographically that it is possible for the consignor to 
change the routing of the car before it reaches this point. 
F. o. b. point of origin. Indicates that goods must be loaded "free on board " cars 
at point of origin by the shipper. 
F. o. b. destination. Indicates that freight to destination must be paid by the 
shipper. 
F. o. b. usual terms. Same as "f. o. b. destination." 
Invoice. A statement sent to a consignee containing a list of the goods which have 
been shipped to the consignee in question. 
Jobbers. Dealers at distributing centers who buy usually in less than car-lot quan- 
tities from car-lot wholesalers or commission merchants and, in turn, sell to the 
retail trade. 
L. c. 1. Abbreviation for "Less car-lot" or "Less than car-lot" shipments. 
Margin. Difference between the buying and selling price. 
