•r ‘V 
N %ht on the Market” Brou^hK^Q Daylight 
IX a DEPRESSING PICTURE.—In a recent 
series of “Hope Farm Notes.” under the 
caption “A Night On the Market." the Hope 
Farm man lias given us a strikingly vivid 
'cj fy,I word picture of marketing conditions on 
the Paterson. N. J., market, together with 
philosophical comments from his viewpoint on the 
situation. The scene is ingeniously drawn in simile 
of battle array, and that alone decrees that the 
colors must he dark and sombre. He himself tells 
us that it is a dark picture. It is all of that, 
and more: it is absolutely depressing. Rut facts 
are facts, and facts should be squarely faced. The 
one gleam of hope is that the artist in his zeal over¬ 
drew the real for art's sake, just as an artist paint¬ 
ing a dark cloud overshadowing a lovely Summer 
landscape might he tempted to paint in the lightning 
stroke that is not really there for added effect. Aside 
from that possibility I think the Hope Farm man 
will not he offended if I point out the fact that he 
probably is not a market man, as I do not now recall 
that he ever claimed to be. That certainly has a 
heavy hearing on the viewpoint. Somehow that was 
Pakt I. 
the most vivid and disconcerting description of 
market conditions, as they should not be, that I have 
ever read, and if they faithfully portray the condi¬ 
tions of that or any other market I am profoundly 
sorry for the producers and sellers, and just a shade 
less sorry for the buyers. 
LON<* EXPERIENCE.—I have grown and sold 
produce in great variety, both fruits and vegetables, 
in two widely separated sections of the country, 
during a period of 30 years, and I do not now recall 
that the idea ever occurred to me to compare trade 
with conflict and customers to enemies. Rather I 
have always, in the main, counted selling the goods 
a pleasure, second only to successful production: 
and customers in the main friends, between whom 
and myself there was mutual respect. Before going 
any further let us get it absolutely straight that 
not one iota of personal criticism is intended In this 
discussion. Every turn is intended only as a helpful 
lift iu the principles of successful marketing as 
gleaned from my exj>erienee, and every bit of help 
that can be given iu that direction, it goes without 
saying, the Hope Farm man will approve. 
OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS.—Certainly I could 
have written of my experience in marketing without 
reference to any other experience or observation, 
but that could not bring out the true values of two 
diametrically opposed views and their resultant 
practices. To be absolutely frank, in these opposed 
viewpoints, as concerns local marketing at least, 
The R. N.-Y. has consistently advocated and is 
advocating co-operation by the growers for the 
growers, and I am an unswerving individualist; 
my motto is free and fair play for all—both com¬ 
petitors and customers. As will be more fully 
pointed out later, "fair play" at least is not incom¬ 
patible with co-operation and individualism in itself 
does not insure an attitude of free and fair play; 
but very evidently the individualist is unhampered 
to pursue such policy. 
PLAYING A LONE HAND.—The R. N. Y. stands 
on its long and honorable record. As for me, the 
reader has only my word for my achievements, and 
has a natural right to discount my own estimates 
of them. Proceeding on that basis. I will say that 
in the 30 years of my experience in growing and 
