UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
BULLETIN No. 267 
Contribution from Office of Markets and Rural Organization 
S&P'^SU CHARLES J. BRAND, Chief -jfC^T^VA. 
Washington, D. C. 
August 16, 1915 
METHODS OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION OF FRUITS 
AND VEGETABLES ON LARGE MARKETS. 1 
By J. H. Collins and J. W. Fisher, Jr., Scientific Assistants, and Wells A. 
Sherman, Specialist in Market St 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
Introduction 1 
Necessity for distributing agencies 2 
Methods of receiving 3 
Inspection 4 
- Rejections . 5 
Terminal distribution and sales 
methods 8 
Causes of complicated methods- 11 
Sales by brokers 11 
Auction sales 14 
Car-lot wholesalers 16 
Page. 
Terminal distribution, etc. — Contd. 
Sales through commission mer- 
chants 17 
Jobber's sales 19' 
Public markets 20 
Distribution channels 21 
Losses and wastes 23 
Conclusion 24 
Summary 24 
Glossary 26 
INTRODUCTION. 
The details of our present system of terminal distribution at large 
market centers are practically unknown to many producers and con- 
sumers. The elaborate commercial machinery whereby fruits and 
yegetables are brought from distant production areas to our large 
cities and are there received, divided into smaller lots, and finally 
passed on to the consumer is an unknown mechanism to the layman. 
Much confusion and unnecessary explanation could be avoided if 
those outside the produce trade had a clearer idea of the processes 
incident to the marketing and distribution of perishable food prod- 
ucts. This is especially true in the case of the small shipper. Goods 
which have reached a large market usually have passed from the pro- 
ducer's control, but the fact remains that an accurate knowledge of 
1 For a discussion of outlets and methods of sale for shippers of fruits and vegetables, 
see Bui. 266, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, by Fisher, J. W., jr. ; Collins, J. H., and Sher- 
man, Wells, A. 
Note. — This bulletin should be of interest to shippers, dealers, and consumers of fruits 
and vegetables throughout the United States. 
96017°— Bull. 267—15 1 
