8 
BULLETIN 1441, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
guess. Because of inexperience it is evident that they lack initiative 
in methods of selling and display. 
Men engaged in the business of retailing meats were interviewed 
who only a few months before had been in the business of mending 
shoes. Others were interviewed who had stepped from a machinist 
bench to position of meat cutter and operator of retail markets, and 
in one case a proprietor of a shoe-shining shop had changed to the 
actual operation of a meat market. None of these had had any 
previous knowledge of the meat business. Most of them were dis- 
couraged because of losses, and were looking for an opportunity to 
go back to their old lines of work. These, and numerous other cases 
were found where inexperience and lack of practical knowledge 
resulted in failure, discouragement, or dissatisfaction. Cost of oper- 
ation was unknown and inventories were seldom taken. 
Recognizing the effect such practices have on the meat industry in 
general, efficient retail meat dealers in the cities studied, strongly 
advocate a compulsory apprenticeship period and a license system 
based on definite qualifications of the applicant. 
10 
PER CENT 
20 
30 
4-0 
5 YEARS OR LESS 
6-15 YEARS 
16 - 25 YEARS' 
OVER 25 YEARS 
M Delivery and cash-and-carry stores 
Fig. 3. — Percentage grouping of delivery and cash-and-carry stores according to number of years the 
owner or manager had been in the retail meat business. Questions relating to experience were 
asked in each case to determine the extent of practical knowledge possessed by the operator 
Another type of dealer was found in all cities who fails to appreciate 
modern merchandising methods. They generally follow closely 
rather well-defined practices of their fathers from whom the business 
was inherited. A characteristic reply in defense of their antiquated 
methods is "my father did this for 40 years." In stores of this type 
records usually are absent or very incomplete. A striking illustration 
was found where a retail dealer, in business for over 30 years, was in- 
duced at the beginning of 1923 to install a simple bookkeeping system 
the first he had ever used. In all other respects his business was con- 
tinued as before. At the close of 1923 his salary for the year was 
$1,200 and his profit and loss statement for the year showed a loss. 
Similar conditions had probably existed from year to year over a 
long period and yet the proprietor had thought he was making money. 
On the other hand the results of thorough application of practical 
knowledge to a business handed down from father to sons, in which 
due recognition was given to the effect of economic changes on modes 
of living, was shown by a detailed study of an outstanding efficient 
