MARKETING WESTERN BOXED APPLES 1S 
AUCTIONS ON F. O. B. BASIS 
The growth in facilities for official inspection at shipping points 
has tended to increase the sale of apples on the f. 0. b. basis. Often 
the sales of cars f. 0. b. are “rollers” en route. Some sales are 
effected by a comparatively new institution, the f. o. b. auction sale. 
These auctions are held in the city market centers, the inspected 
car lot being sold on description to the highest bidder among the 
competing buyers. Bids are made personally or sent to the auction 
by wire. Prices from distant cities are about the same as the city 
market price less transportation costs. Being positive, uncon- 
ditioned, cash sales they are usually a little lower than the basis of 
regular f. 0. b. sales at shipping points, although it is asserted that 
the difference in price levels in various cities tends to give the f. o. b. 
auction seller the benefit of the markets where highest prices prevail 
at the time of sale. 
TRANSPORTATION 
As the boxes leave the packing room they are segregated and 
stacked as to variety, grade, and size. They are then trucked either 
into storage or, in case of immediate shipment, into cars. Some 
houses are equipped with moving belts and gravity conveyors which 
carry the boxes from the packing room to storage or to the car. 
Refrigerator cars are required for transporting the apples but 
when refrigerator cars are in short supply a few shipments are made 
to near-by points, in the fall, in box cars. No safe and economical 
method has been devised to protect box-car shipments from the 
hazards of freezing in winter weather or damage from high temper- 
atures during the early fall. 
KINDS OF SERVICE 
Four arrangements are provided for the protection of apple ship- 
ments and definite tariffs are provided for each kind of service. 
“Standard ventilation” is used extensively in the late fall when 
shipments will encounter cool weather in transit. From October 15 
to April 15 shipments can not be billed ‘‘standard ventilation” as 
the carriers will not assume freezing risks. 
Between October 15 and April 15 a shipper may ship under 
“shippers protective service.’’ Such service is used if the shipper 
believes that the apples will carry without refrigeration and he 
usually furnishes a caretaker who either ventilates or heats the car 
while in transit. The railroad does not assume freezing risks on 
such shipments but allows free transportation for the caretaker to 
the destination and return. The shipper not only furnishes a care- 
taker but furnishes any equipment such as stoves and fuel used in 
heating the car. 
Under ‘carriers’ protective service against cold”’ a charge is made 
in addition to the freight rate and the railroad assumes the freezing 
risk in transit. This service is available between October 15 and 
April 15 and it is used by the shippers for the bulk of the winter ship- 
ments. Only those railroads that operate west of Chicago offer 
heater service for the protection of perishables. These roads pro- 
tect the load by placing an oil or charcoal heater in each bunker. 
“Standard iverson” provides for the refrigeration of the 
shipments and an additional charge over the freight rate is paid by 
