2 
BULLETIN" 1362, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
organizations, but there has been a gradual increase in the number of 
such organizations. 
The selling of fruits and produce at auction has increased sub- 
stantially in recent years. It is developing into a more and more 
important factor in the distribution of these commodities, and is 
steadily gaining a larger place in the attention of the public. 
In addition to the established auction companies, which in most 
cases carry on a regular business throughout the year in the large 
terminal markets, a number of strawberry sales have been conducted 
at shipping points. Such sales have been carried on successfully for 
several seasons at Hammond, La., and have been tried at Monett. 
Mo., and Judsonia, Ark. At Hayward, Calif., auction selling has 
become rather well established in recent seasons in disposing of the 
green peas controlled by an association of growers. Two attempts 
have been made to auction California citrus fruits at point of origin. 
LOCATION OF AMERICAN FRUIT 
AND VEGETABLE AUCTIONS 
Fig. 1. — Auctions operate in the more populous parts of the United States 
The sales were started in Los Angeles in February, 1910, and con- 
tinued until the severe freeze in December, 1912/ In 1914 an at- 
tempt was made by the department of farms and markets of Xew 
York State to conduct fruit auctions in the orchard, but after a few 
sales which met with somewhat indifferent success they were dis- 
continued. 
At present there are 24 fruit and produce auction companies oper- 
ating in 14 of the principal distributing centers of the L^nited States. 
(See Fig. 1.) This number includes two new companies which were 
organized in 1923 for the purpose of selling car lots of fruits and 
vegetables at auction while the cars are still at the loading stations, 
in transit, or in storage. These auctions are commonly referred to 
as " f. o. b. auctions." Their sales are conducted over leased tele- 
graph wires which connect the sales rooms maintained by each 
company in various markets. 
