WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 3 
ing. Production during the last decade has increased greatly, and as 
a natural consequence improved methods and facilities for handling 
the increase have become necessary. Keeping pace with increased 
production has come the demand of consumers for more elaborate 
and efficient service. Little thought is given to the fact that service 
can become a very expensive luxury. With the widening of the 
distance between the city and the sources of its fruit and vegetable 
supplies there has arisen the necessity for special agencies to meet 
the changed conditions. 
The fact should be recognized that present distributive machinery, 
with all its strong points and its weaknesses, has been created of 
necessity, and it has weathered the storm of much adverse criticism, 
because every part of the country is now enjoying the perishable 
products of the most remote districts. Any readjustment of present 
market practices must be based upon the fact that some agency must 
continue to perform the functions of the present-day middleman. 
Handling goods through a large market is a very complex process. 
The problems involved differ greatly from those of production. 
Usually one man or one firm can not handle both production and 
distribution and succeed at both. The vast volume of business 
transacted at large market centers makes necessary some special 
agencies which can devote all their energies to distribution. 
Especially does the machinery for efficient marketing become neces- 
sary when perishable goods are to be handled. Commodities of this 
sort must be moved rapidly, must be distributed evenly, and from 
their very nature permit of no weakness in distributive machinery, 
if they are to be sold at a profit. 
METHODS OF RECEIVING. 
As soon as a shipper stares a car of perishables toward the market, 
he should notify the consignee. This one important detail is often 
omitted or neglected by shippers. Little thought is given to the fact 
that the consignee, especially if a large firm, may have many other 
shipments en route or on hand. The viewpoint of the small shipper 
whose annual output may be from 1 to 10 carloads is narrowed. The 
one or two cars which he may be rolling toward market are very im- 
portant to him, and he usually loses sight of the fact that his prop- 
erty on arrival at the market will be only a very insignificant portion 
of the total receipts. The firm to which the shipment is made may 
have more carloads on track and for sale in one day than the shipper 
would forward in five years. 
Keeping records of all these shipments is a great burden on large, 
wholesale, distributing concerns, and lack of proper notification often 
causes much needless confusion and costly delay at distributing cen- 
