Vol. LXII1. No. 2836. 
*1 PER YEAR. 
NEW YORK, JUNE 4, 1904. 
THE HOME MARKET FOR STRAWBERRIES. 
SOME GOOD ADVICE FROM INDIANA. 
How to Make It Profitable. 
STUDYING THE MARKET—In order to build up 
a home trade the grower must first study his market 
and learn the kind of berries it requires, and then 
produce what the people demand. In some markets the 
demand is for fruit of a medium grade, and the 
large berries only sell in a small way. 
No one would attempt to grow a large 
acreage of fancy berries and undertake 
to market them here. *On the other 
hand, there are customers in some cities 
with the means to pay the price for 
extra fancy berries that will leave the 
producer something besides experience. 
Fine berries carefully put up are always 
in demand at good prices. The nicer 
the berries the better the price. Our 
aim should be to secure a reputation for 
selling the best berries that come to our 
market, and a trade can be secured that 
will grow each year. It takes time to 
build up such a reputation, and it is val¬ 
uable to any grower, much more so than 
the few extra dollars we are sometimes 
tempted to secure by means that never 
were intended to build up a trade. 
FRUIT PACKAGES.—The success¬ 
ful grower for any market must prepare 
to handle the crop before it ripens, as 
there is no time afterwards, and during 
the berry season the fruit must be 
handled quickly and at the right time 
to realize a profit. All crates that will 
be needed should be made during the 
Winter. They should be made of heav¬ 
ier material than the ordinary shipping 
crate. If taken care of they will last 
several years. The sectional crates 
shown in Fig. 190 are best for the local 
market, especially in selling fancy ber¬ 
ries. The quarts may be filled fuller with¬ 
out the top berries being mashed. The 
sections may be taken apart when on the 
market, thus showing each quart and 
making a finer display which means 
more profitable sales, as in Fig. 191. If, 
however, the common-style crate is used 
they should be made higher and the par¬ 
tition also higher, which will help to 
prevent mashing the fruit. All crates 
should be painted one color, and this 
color continued from year to year. It 
will make them look neat and new. It 
will act as a sort of a trademark. I\ 
also prevents some man from selling 
your berries when he does not handle 
them, as his customers can see that he 
does not have the colored crates, and 
they will go where they are—that is, if 
you have built up a reputation for fine 
berries. 
THE PACKING SHED.—A good 
roomy packing shed is indispensable. 
The size will depend upon the acreage. 
It should be made so that part, at least, 
can be closed perfectly tight. Into this part the fruit 
can be kept during a rainy time, and the room closed, 
and the berries will keep much better by thus excluding 
the dampness. If the berries are perfectly dry it is 
best to keep them from the air at any time as much as 
possible, so as to have them retain their color. In 
order to be in direct communication with our customers 
in the local market at any time the packing shed should 
be connected by telephone. By this means we can watch 
the picking and packing, thus knowing in what condition 
our berries are sent to market, and at the same time 
know how the fruit is selling. It is a good plan for 
the small grower to sell direct to the consumer. While 
this plan has’ its advantages it also has its disadvantages. 
While by selling direct the grower usually realizes the 
retail prices for his fruit, saves part of the expense for 
baskets and crates and the berries ordinarily reach the 
consumer in better condition, yet there is a limit to the 
A LOAD OF STRAWBERRIES ALL READY. Fig. 188 
THE STRAWBERRY PICKERS AT THEIR WORK. Fig. 189 
amount of berries he can sell in this way, and while Ke 
is retailing his berries the picking and packing for the 
next day is no doubt not progressing as rapidly or as 
well as if the owner was on the ground, no matter how 
good a man is left in charge. No doubt the grading is 
slighted in the rush, and the next load or shipment will 
not be up to the standard, and a dissatisfied customer 
is worse than no customer at all. I belie”e the home 
market can be built up, a trade secured and held, the 
grower making a greater success and realizing a larger 
profit, by personally overseeing the grading and packing, 
delivering the berries to the market in good condition 
to be sold by the retailer. A reputation is far more 
valuable if we are making a life work of strawberry 
growing than the small per cent charged for selling our 
fruit. 
COMMISSION SALES. — Arrange with a few 
grocers to handle the berries on commission. They 
should be sold on a per cent of the retail 
price, and not by the quart regardless 
of the selling price. By the former 
method the retailer will do all he can to 
help hold up the price as long as possi¬ 
ble, as his profits will be larger. If the 
latter method is used the lower the price 
the more berries he can sell, and conse¬ 
quently the greater his profits, though 
the grower’s will be considerably re¬ 
duced. The berries should be delivered 
every morning by the grower, if possi¬ 
ble, and the retail price for that day 
established. Under no circumstances 
should the retailer be allowed to sell the 
berries for less without the producer’s 
consent. Here is where the telephone is 
indispensable. If the price is left with 
the retailers they will too often try to 
undersell one another, and the price will 
be cut when there is no necessity. To 
give the consumer satisfaction and to 
treat all the retailers right it must be an 
understood rule that the same grade of 
berries can never be bought any cheaper 
at one store than another. If it becomes 
necessary from any cause to reduce the 
price after being made in the morning, 
each retailer should be notified of the 
change. Only arrange with a few 
grocerymen at first, so as to be able to 
supply all the berries they can handle, 
thus shutting out anyone else from sup¬ 
plying them. Others may be added to 
the list each year as the business grows. 
By this method the grower controls the 
retail price of his fruit, regardless of 
anyone, and is able to keep up the price 
longer. If he has fine fruit he need no.t 
be afraid to set a good price, though the 
retailer may know it is too high. The 
grower is always more sure of where he 
can dispose of his load before it leaves 
the farm, and this is an item if he some¬ 
times sends some one else instead of 
going himself. He also saves much val¬ 
uable time in distributing the fruit, as 
he simply leaves each day what he 
thinks best. When the berries are scarce 
they should be divided among the vari¬ 
ous customers in proportion to their 
respective ability to handle them when 
the berries are more plentiful, and under 
no circumstances leave more than each 
one’s share. In a time of over-supply 
it is best to make a low enough price so 
the berries will sell. There would be no 
profit in shipping the surplus to a dis¬ 
tant and uncertain market, for that 
market no doubt would also be over-supplied. If the 
fruit is fine and properly put up and left on commission 
there is little risk of it not selling. A profitable Satur¬ 
day afternoon and evening trade can be built up by 
saving as many of the large berries as possible for this 
time. People want something extra for Sunday, and if 
they are sure of getting them late Saturday evening 
they will buy them. I often, in fact nearly always, make 
three trips to town on Saturday, one in the morning, 
