14 BULLETIN 26". U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. 
THE BROKER S PLACE IX DISTRIBUTION. 
Brokers act as market salesmen for those producers who are unable 
to make direct sales and who have no other market representative. 
They represent shippers at large distribution centers, and by the 
payment of the very small brokerage fee the shipper can be certain 
that his goods will be accepted on arrival. The broker, by making 
prompt disposition of a consignment immediately upon arrival, often 
saves the shipper many times the brokerage fee. Brokers stimulate 
and expand the market to a certain extent by their expert canvassing 
of the trade and anv influence that stimulates active buvino- and 
selling must be regarded favorably. In general, their chief useful- 
ness lies in the fact that their activities on the market tend to main- 
tain a steady flow of business. 
AUCTION SALES. 
Auction companies are organizations (usually incorporated as 
stock companies) which sell fruits at public sale to the highest 
bidder. The auction offers an outlet for a great deal of produce 
that can not find immediate, direct sale. Those who sell through an 
auction may be brokers (representing shippers and associations), 
speculators, operators, car-lot wholesalers, and in rare cases indi- 
vidual shippers. Sales are made largely to jobbers. Before sales 
are started a display is made in the showrooms. Produce to be sold 
is divided into " lines " which consist of from 1 to 100 or more 
packages. Each line is marked with a designating number and 
listed in definite order on the various sheets which make up the 
" catalogue." Before bidding starts buyers who are interested hi the 
day's offerings make careful inspection of the various lines and make 
notes on the catalogue as to comparative values. By the time of the 
opening of a sale each buyer has a pretty definite idea of the value 
of the various lines in which he is interested. 
SaleS start at a definite hour and are conducted much as other auc- 
tion sales are handled. Bids are started at a fairly low figure and the 
final price received is dependent to a large extent on the size of the 
day's offerings and the activity of the bidding. After other offer- 
ings have been disposed of miscellaneous broken packages are sold. 
As sales are made prices are listed opposite the number of the line 
on the catalogue. A complete catalogue with the prices received for 
the goods listed opposite the lines is known as a i; realizer." Sales 
are supposed to be strictly for cash, and since, as a rule, single lines 
are not of any great size the amounts due in each case are not very 
larire. 
