WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. \) 
ties being carried on cause the market to present an appearance 
peculiar to the produce trade. A great amount is moved by the 
wholesale trade in the very early morning. At this time, before most 
of the activities in the city have started, produce distributors find 
their busiest period. Trucks of fruit and vegetables from freshly 
" broken " cars are being unloaded on the walk before each business 
house; ranks of crates, boxes, and baskets nearly block all passage- 
ways; and more or less elaborate displays of the day's offerings are 
being arranged to attract passing buyers. Jobbers, grocers, huck- 
sters, and fruitstand vendors elbow their way through narrow pas- 
sageways between the tiers of produce, stopping every few feet to 
inspect goods and ask prices. Street salesmen for each produce firm 
endeavor to withstand the assault of the throng and each attempts 
to devote attention to three or four buyers at once. Prices are 
quoted and violent arguments take place as to quality, pack, and 
price. " After much wrangling and discussion of price and terms, 
sales are finally made. 
Figure 1 shows South Water Street, Chicago, at 8.30 a. m., which 
is after the rush hours. There is not sufficient light to secure a 
good picture when the congestion is greatest. 
. Where a few years ago goods coming to market passed, as a rule, 
by definite, direct channels to the consumer, to-day the same goods 
may take any one of a great number of channels, whose directness 
may or may not be in proportion to the size, type, or quality of the 
shipment. Large distributing organizations and firms have grown 
and spread their business activities over much wider fields, but each 
has worked along its own lines, and each by itself to a certain 
extent ; hence the present lack of uniform practices and systems. In 
other words, there is no continuous articulation between the different 
phases of distribution. This does not mean that members of the 
trade have no common interests. As a matter of fact, their business 
success depends to a large extent on their ability to secure when 
needed the help and cooperation of certain of their associates. 
This community of interests, however, does not obtain among all 
those engaged in distribution. Distributors are often working at 
cross-purposes, so that general economy and efficiency are lost in 
the conflict of interests. 
In this discussion rather arbitrary lines are laid down as bound- 
aries for the activities of various types of middlemen, yet in actual 
practice these activities so overlap and encroach upon each other 
that resulting market practices are exceedingly complicated. 
Goods do not pass in regular order through definite channels, but 
are sold by any available means. While for purposes of clearness the 
distinction between the various types of distributing agencies has 
96017°— Bull. 207—15 2 
