MARKETING 
I63 
beyond the middleman. lie may be jubilant over sales 
to the retailer or the wholesaler, but let 11s follow the 
vegetables to the consumer’s table. The vegetables look 
fairly well perhaps when delivered and when served on 
the table, but nobody asks for a second helping and 
there is no request for the same vegetable the next meal 
or the next day. Thousands of experiences of this kind 
in a great city reduce subsequent purchases. In other 
words, poor quality necessarily results in low prices and 
slow sales. Now, suppose the vegetables are extra fine 
in quality. Every member of the family is pleased; each 
becomes enthusiastic and tells the neighbors; the demand 
increases, prices are maintained or raised and the prob- 
lem of disposition has been solved. 
The following considerations must be taken into ac- 
count in the attempt to win the consumer: (1) High 
quality is essential. (2) Attractive appearance is ex- 
ceedingly important. If an article appeals to the eye the 
sale is more than half made. This idea involves the grad- 
ing of produce with reference to size, color, shape, ripe- 
ness and soundness; packages which are attractive; 
package ornaments, as laced paper and fancy covers ; 
tying materials and branding. (3) Honesty in packing 
is essential. (4) The vegetable must be seasonable; i. e., 
ready for market when the consumer is most anxious for 
it. (5) The package must be convenient in size and 
shape; a neat handle is often a great advantage. (6) If 
vegetables are of high quality the package should con- 
tain the grower’s name and address. 
223. Harvesting. — Some classes of vegetables, as sweet 
potatoes, are harvested at one time; that is, the entire 
crop on a given area is removed the same day, perhaps, 
and the ground is then available for something else. 
Other crops, as tomatoes, are not all ripe at one time 
and several or many pickings are required. Again, some 
vegetables, as melons, must be harvested and marketed 
