36 BULLETIN 1206, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
trade, mean that the shipper assumes the cost and risk of delivering 
the car to its destination. If the freight is not prepaid the purchaser 
deducts it from the price agreed upon. Sales of sweet potatoes "in 
transit " are uncommon as it is not a good practice to ship cars without 
having made prior arrangements for their disposition. The extent 
to which sales can be made by wire depends partly on market con- 
ditions and partly on the reputation, or lack of reputation, of the 
shipper. On a declining market buyers hesitate to purchase for 
future delivery, and when they do, rejections are frequent. At all 
times they hesitate to purchase "sight unseen" from shippers who 
have not established reputations for the quality of their brand or 
grade. Some shippers obtain as good results from their consignments 
as from their wire sales, but it is generally recognized that selling is 
preferable. Most shippers quote their offerings f. o. b. the shipping 
point. 
SALES THROUGH BROKERS. 
Ordinarily brokers do not receive shipments, but act as the repre- 
sentatives of shippers in negotiating sales to car-lot buyers. While 
brokers often render valuable assistance in preventing rejections, or 
in securing proper allowances where rejections are justified, it is not 
customary for them to make collections and remittances. After a 
broker arranges a sale the shipper usually deals direct with the buyer. 
The shipper names the price at which the broker is to sell or confirms 
an offer obtained by the broker. Brokers' charges are not based on 
selling prices but on the carload. The brokerage on sweet potatoes 
usually ranges from $15 to $25 a car. The practice of billing cars 
direct to brokers is uncommon, although it is occasionally done in 
accordance with a previous agreement. Cooperative associations 
and large distributors are often represented by brokers in the large 
markets. 
SALES THROUGH DISTRIBUTORS. 
Distributors are usually companies that undertake to distribute the 
car-lot shipments of both individual shippers and cooperative asso- 
ciations. They charge either a percentage or a fixed amount per car, 
usually the latter. Contracts are made between the distributor and 
the shipper. Inasmuch as these contracts vary, according to the con- 
ditions in each deal, it is difficult to determine an average charge. In 
general, distributors charge about the same as private brokers, plus 
the cost of any additional service they agree to render. In the larger 
markets, distributors usually sell through their salaried representa- 
tives or private brokers. Collections are made from buyers, adjust- 
ments are made, and claims are handled. 
QUOTING PRICES. 
In offering sweet potatoes for sale the shipper should state the 
probable date of shipment; the variety, grade, number of packages, 
kind of packages, and any other information necessary to describe the 
offering accurately. A telegram, which the shipper should prepay, 
may be worded like the following: 
Yemassee, S. ('., March 10, 1923. 
Jones A: Smith. Pittsburgh, Pa.: 
I offer subject t<> i ■oiilinnation shipment to-day number one Porto Rico sweet pota- 
toes in bushel crates dollar fifty fob here. 
John Doe. 
