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To Our Patrons and the Public...
Former Publications:........... ee
sl hatig HA hea, ereeosteeceoeeseee se &
The Future Out. ts eseeaeonoeree ©
Loeation—Shipping Pe
gece H ing
To.
in Rewara to Packing.
Some facts to Consider
ee ry Ex-
erecoe
SB he 662 8 8, 66's) @
eoeeseee
Who to Ship To Special Notice. tis i |
re eee ease cece er eeeece
he First Receir Sis esta oe oles 14 |
hippers. ecoee ee a | .
o Strawberry
see berries... eveocesneee eCeeee%
Black Raspberries
eeeoeeeeoes va
Red Raspberries oe Sane AP 28-24 |
Gooseberries and com cers cae ee |
27-28 |
Whortileberries orHuckleberries 28 |
The Damson Plum-—Quinces... 29-30 |
Grapes—The First Receipts. ...32-34 |
Gooseberries........-----++
Nectarines—Apricots.......-.
Peaches—Pears—Plums.....36-41-46
Deciduous chelates ooo 048 49
; ee On oie Wisse
termelons —Cantaloupes- Le .B4-BT
Oranges—Pineapples........--.59-61 |
Grape Fruit, or Pomelo.......-. 63
Tangerines and Mandarins. eccce 64 i
Pawpawsand Persimmons—Figs
Japanese Persimmon Ria
Mulberries—Pecans.. yoeseeesen ee
Kumquats ;
FLOWERS— Shipments pile, Ce 08 a
Cape Jessamine............+-.-- 68 |
MISCELLANEOUS MATT ER B—
About Irresponsible pouner Dieta) acu
About Commissions ..........-. 72 |
Dividing Shipments .. Fa gee Oe, Dati es
The New Shipper.. Pee a sine Ga
Some Popular Errors;..-0.... 74 |
The Drumming Question... Wer kh de
Receivers U niustlv Blamed..... 76
You Charged Me Too Much.... 77 |
Slow Returs.........+cseeess00+ cE
Hints to Shippers........-...... 78
Transportation Ch:-rges. 80 |
Dried and Evaporate
Evaporating..
Breaking Down ‘the Market. ed). ne
About Distribution...... apes ae 84 |
Benefit of Organizing.
Good Missionary 1 eae 90 |
SCOOPS OSSCOOSHISOSSSOHOHSSSHOSHHSOHOOSOSE
3
4
Ce 5 |
6
‘
| Prepay
| Amount of Seed Necessary for an
Fruits. 82 |
To Shippers ot Dried Fruits.... 82 |
83 | Would gum Let i, sp than
Rage |
What of the Futhin ee as ds ae
Highland (Arkansas) Peaches.. 92
The Apple Traffic...... dae eee
Why the Commission Merehant
Does Not: Buy.....-3..5.- see
95
| VEGETABLES— abbage........-- 98
al eas.... 102-105 —
Cucumbers—Green
String Beans—Tomatoes.... 108-112
Texas Bermuda Onions.......-.. 119
lrish Potatoes rn
Sweet Potatoes—Cauliflower 125-127
Celery—Lettuce..... 129-131
eooctoonere
Damage and Loss to Shippers.. 133 _
ARR erate US..+0s 005003 en
Sales Onions, Leek andShallots 136
she
s—Okea or Saipan > 137-139
Egg Plants—Squash......... 140-141
Horseradish— Peppers ...... 142-143
Spinach—Turnij See aseoeecaen - 143-144
Suggestions to hippers........ 145
Less Important Vegetables..... 146
Early Corn, Care Parsley,
Kobhlrabi, Parsnips, Mustard
Greens, Oyster-P1 lant or er
_ sify, Rhubarb, Etc........-... 146
Big ocal Cro TOPSs»'.\ eo bean 147
The Ever Changing and Shifting
Cond iti OnS.... eee je 25 se 5 eee 147
Give Them a Chanee... alas ean 148
Your Telegrams. aa »
ae pee Nahe of Pounds to “
|.“ Bushel..t.... ss.) eee
| N Saee of ‘Trees’ or Plants to the |
| Acre eoweeneeveve 141
| The Commission Houses. . «1
Consigning vs. Selling F. O. B.... 152
A Model |
Approximate Time an ai to
Germinate... PP
Business Laws in Brief.../s.ss.0: 160°
Poultry Raising Very Profitabie.. 161
The National League of Conn
sion Merchants. 65
eoerereeeeeseree ei:
| Our Interests Mutual........---+- 169
| Uniform Package Leg . 178
Distribution Too Expensive. see «te
Mixed Cars......-«++-+0- Pel
Collecting fos Loss or Dama C..
eooceeoraevnee- oe ange 2 08
“utine ‘
Poultry paiise Profitable...... .. 180
eeoesnee eeeeoeneeeeesee
ontract—Cow Peas. 157-158
Southern
Fruits and Vegetables
For Northern Markets
WHAT TO GROW, HOW TO SHIP
AND PACK, THE BEST VARIETIES,
AND THE PRICES PREVAILING
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
A VARIETY OF INFORMATION OF
SPECIAL INTEREST TO SOUTH-
ERN GROWERS AND SHIPPERS.
Es, My LEY,
ST. LOU, Mo.
TO OUR PATRONS AND THE PUBLI C.
fe
<)- Vv
oY \)%
2?
&
From every Section of the South we are constantly re-
oe
ceiving letters in relation to the shipping of fruits and veg-.
etables to this and other markets, the mest profitable kinds
to grow, how to pack and ship, the kind of packages re-
quired, the prices prevailing throughout the year for the
various articles, the names of qood firms in other markets,
and the great fund of information in connection with the
trade, so important to everybody embarking in the busi-
ness. As new farties are steadily going into business, we
are besieged each season with the same questions. To sup-
ply this infermation, in a concise and convenient form, we
have published this pamphlet, believing it covers most of
the questions usually asked. We gather the information
given from forty-five years’ experience in the business in
this city, and also from what we have learned through
years of business experience with prominent merchants in
other leading markets, one. of whom represents each '
leading city in this paniehiok and we trust it will be
of service to the many who will receive it. The present
edition is a decided improvement on the many editions sent
out during the past 30 years, and covers a wider field.
% _ P.M. KIELY & CO.
‘2 a PPmn wom.
re f
Fee
€ ckA3B16119
The Spring Season.
oH. FORMER PUBLICATIONS.
i ;
~ Nine years ago we published a pamphlet similar to the
present work—printing an edition of 11,000 copies, to
meet the demand for the work which now comes to us
steadily throughout the year. Upward of 3,000 copies
went out at once through our local agents in the South
and by mail, to our patrons and the various parties through-
out the Southwest seeking it. We reserved the remainder
for new applicants, but found the supply about exhausted
toward the spring of 1911. After that time the demand
became quite general for the new edition, which we form-
erly promised to issue every four or five years. |
The many new parties going into the business through-
out the South, coupled with the warm endorsements of the
work by the trade papers and agricultural journals, created
a demand for it far beyond our expectation. Indeed, we
find it is generally regarded by growers and shippers the
most practical work they know of and usually held as a
book of reference until the next issue was announced. The
ealls for it came from Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri,
Illinois and occasionally from points further North and
Past, also from a few parties in Cuba and Mexico. We
find now the work is looked for every five or six years, and
we shall continue to print a new and improved edition
that often. We know of no other work of the kind offered
to the public. |
| RETROSPECTIVE.
In connection with our subject. a few words concerning
the growth and history of the trade in this city will not be !
4 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
out of place here. When the writer embarked in the busi-
ress in this city, in the fall of 1866, there was but one fruit
commission house in St. Louis, and, indeed, one house was
all that was then necessary to take care of what was con-
signed here. All the Southern States, including Arkansas
and Tennessee, were then unknown as shippers of fruits
or vegetables. Southern Illinois was then the remotest
point as a field for such supplies until the home crop. ap-
peared, and the fruit season was so short as to be of little
value or interest. Since then dozens of houses have sprung
up, many of whom we believe claim now to be the oldest
and most experienced in the city.
Each vear new railroads opened up new fields and new
territories, from which supplies began to come liberally,
notably Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and
Louisiana, with shipments from more Southern points later.
Each year the season lengthened, until the present time,
when we have an unbroken selling season of twelve months.
The very extensive vegetable supply keeps coming here
throughout the year. An increase of commission houses,
to take care of this constantly growing trade was, of course,
a natural result, and tended to develop and encourage the
production throughout the South especially.
THE FUTURE OUTLOOK.
That there is a growing appreciation of fruit as an
article of food, and very justly so, cannot be denied. The
more fruit we consume the healthier we become as a people,
and the less doctor bills we will have to pay. Fruit is health
and therefore means happiness, and we enjoy immunity
from disease in proportion to the amount of it we consume.
The greatest fruit consuming people will always be found
the healthiest. It is the born foe of dyspepsia, indigestion
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. ,
and a variety of common ailments too numerous to mention.
It prolongs life and thousands have escaped an early grave
by turning to it instead of medicines for relief. We have
therefore far better results from the producers’ efforts than
can be measured from a financial standpoint. The fruit
- grower, in addition to being something of a public benefac-
tor, finds some consolation in the fact that his calling, prop-
erly and intelligently pursued, is remunerative, paying
much beiter, in fact, than numerous undertakings, claiming
more public attention, in which considerable capital must
be- invested before anything can be realized. It is not as
uncertain or full of the elements of risks as many other
. enterprises are, and, therefore, is a more inviting field for
industrious people and men of limited means.
~ LOCATION—SHIPPING.
- You should aim to get as near the depot or shipping point
as possible. Long hauls, especially over rough roads—un-
pleasant features that many shippers cannot avoid—inflict
_ on the fruit frequently very serious injury, especially if the
art of packing for such emergencies is not thoroughly un-
derstood. You are too often in a hurry and your fruit is
shook up, and you haven’t time to examine it at the depot.
It is thrown pell-mell into the express car—any old way
to get it in, as the conductor gives the agent only about
half the time actually necessary to properiy handle such
goods. Later, when the returns come in, if they do not
compare favorably with your neighbor’s, who placed his
fruit in better condition on the train before starting, the
: commission man “catches it,” unless you devote a little time
= tO reflection over the matter. If the receiver writes and ex-
plains, it may refresh your memory and make his offense
6 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
less grievous, but if he does not do so, he will in most cases
lose a customer. He is often too busy to do so.
You will not, of course, attempt to carry strawberries or
other tender fruits and vegetables to town or depot in a
wagon without springs, and your goods must be protected
from the hot sun, the dust of the roads, and the rain, by a
waterproof covering that will afford ample protection. Suf-
ficient time must be had when loading up, to handle care-
fully, both at home and when the depot is reached. With
_ these precautions properly observed, the prospects are that
your fruit will reach the consignee in fair to good order.
FREQUENT HANDLING FRUIT IS EXPOSED TO.
The average shipper has no idea how often his fruit is
handled and moved about before it reaches the consumer,
and therefore the importance of the most careful packing
cannot be lost sight of. To illustrate, let us review the
scene on the arrival of the fruit runs from the South—the
five main runs arriving about the same time in the morning.
Thus, five railroads, if on time, arrive within an hour in
the morning—every one of them one to two hours too late
for the early morning trade—always the best we have, say
5 to 7 a m. Unfortunately many of them are too often
behind time and this adds to the confusion, delay and loss
to all concerned. | |
On arrival of trains at Union Depot, the Illinois Central,
Mobile & Ohio, L. & N., Iron Mountain, Cotton Belt, Frisco,
the last three roads bringing the Texas shipments, Ex-
press Companies back up their wagons to the express cars
as soon as the doors are open. Sometimes the cars are
switched directly to the express offices soon after arrival
and the distribution made without so many handlings—
but with so many express runs arriving about the same
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 7
time, and in a Union Depot, the work of delivery is too
cften provokingiy slow. A dozen or more firms are rep-
resented, and all are in a hurry and anxious to get off with
the fruit, for their customers are at their stores up town
waiting, and they do not want to miss the early sales—al-
ways the best. In this car may be fruit from perhaps 20
Gifferent shipping points, and from 50? or more shippers, in-
tended possibly for 30 to 40 different firms, for this car
niay have shipments for various towns in Illinois, Iowa,
Missouri, Nebraska ,etc. The outgoing trains will soon be
ready and al lthis fruit must be hurriedly transferred,
checked off and billed for its various destinations. The express
employes, in their anxiety to keep these various lots from
getting left, add to the confusion and prolong the delivery
to local receivers. Ail must be separated for the various
parties and. numerous firms here and elsewhere. Conse-
quently rapid and occasionally rough handling seems un-
avoidable. When the wagons are loaded with small lots,
as occasionally happens, they are taken to the express
buildings, where the fruit is separated for the many firms
whose wagcns torm a solid wreath around the platforms.
It is lifted again and passed into all these wagons, receipt-
ed for and driven off rapidly, and on reaching the com-
mission houses the fruit has to be separated once more
and credited up to the respective owners and shippers.
After thus hurriedly handled ss often, it is ready for the
purchaser’s inspection. He throws it into his wagon once
more with similar haste, and it is hurried off over the
streets again and set down later for the inspection of the
consumer; and it is safe to say, it could not be recognized
how by the original owner—apart from his marks—unless
the packing was of the best at the start.
These are some of the features of the business that
8 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
should be calmly considered by the shipper, who, too often,
jumps ai the conclusion that he was robbed—that his fruit
was first class, and must have opened up fine.
Large shipments or car load lots do not, however, suffer -
to this extent, for such are usually loaded into the receiy-
er’s wagons and hauled direct to his store, or the express
company’s wagons wil! do the same when the amount
reaches something near:a load. Time and re-handling et
fruit is thus saved to the large shipper.
IN REGARD TO PACKING.
Growers and shippers of fruit cannot realize, unless
they were here to see it opened, how it injures the sale and
depreciates the value of their goods to find inferior fruit
mixed in, and covered up, in good fruit. Put in no inferior
fruit of any kind. We know it is difficult to watch pickers
where a great many are engaged, especially inexperienced
Lands, but the successful grower will take timely steps,
whatever his hurry, to guard against such a serious mis-
take. Topping off, putting on top all the good fruit in the
box, is also a mistake, and its injustice must be apparent
to the most indifferent. Let the surface represent a good
average of the contents, but no effort should be made to
practice a deception. It injures the man most who prac-
tices it. asi
Remember your name or stencil number is on the pack-
ages, and the buyer commits to memory very readily the
brand which deceived him.
Some of the crooked brands are so well known in this
market that it is difficult to find a buyer for them, even at a
big reduction. Wvery dealer is trying-to secure the best
trade, which can only be accomplished by Having nice, uni-
form fruit. We repeat, let your fruit run straight and do
FORK NORTHERN MARKETS. . 9
not injure your reputation by trying to deceive anybody.
Packing is a most important part of the business and can-
not be studied too closely, and you cannot get out of the
business what it is capable of yielding unless your packing
is done as it should be.
SOME FACTS TO CONSIDER
During the hot weather when you commence shipping.
Peas and beans, for instance, gathered in the sun when the
thermometer registers 90 degrees in the shade, if packed
immediately in a bushel box and put into the average hot
car, will soon be heated to 100 degrees, and a few hours
later fermentation and decay follows. Moisture is the sur-
est agent to hasten fermentation, decay and loss, and it is
very important that the goods-—whether. fruits or vegeta-
bles—should be thoroughly dry, and the cooler you can get
them the better the chances of their reaching their destina-
tion in good order. They often encounter while in transit
most unfavorable weather, such as close, cloudy, warm
weather, accompanied by frequent showers, and unless the
packing has been done under the most favorable conditions,
goods will not arrive in good order under such circum-
stances. A most careful observer states that the crushed
leaves of the radish furnish moisture enough to ruin the
goods in 24 hours if packed in a temperature of 75 degrees
or upwards. Exclude from the goods before packed, all the
heat and moisture possible, and your packing shed should
be so located and constructed that it will catch every pass-
ing breeze and allow the air to circulate freely, and thus
carry off the surplus heat and moisture in the goods you are
3 ~ packing.
One error in packing, that is too frequently practiced, -
is that of putting into the same package the various grades,
| \ *
10 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
from green to-ripe or overripe fruits, ete. If you will pack
and ship either too ripe or too green—wuich we do not ap-
prove of—be sure to put them in separate boxes or pack-
ages, so that one will not spoil the appearance or sale of
the other. You must remember that the inevitable jarring
and jolting the fruit is subject to while en route, whether
berries, plums, tomatoes, peaches or pears, will cause the
hard ones to crush the soft ones, thus spreading the juice
over all and spciling the sale. You will therefore see the
recessity of exercising proper precaution.
Liarly in the season, when first shipments are made
from the South, the weather is quite cool, and fruits reach
us as green as when they left shippers’ hands, and do not
ripen or color up on the way, but shippers, in their anxiety
to catch high prices, pick and ship indiscriminately, and
thus injure the market on themselves and their neighbors. |
WHO TO SHIP TO.
To handle fruit to advantage requires long experience
and facilities which few commission houses possess. It
can be readily seen that houses lacking experience, who
receive such consignments only occasionally, are not pre-
pared to do justice to shippers, or as well as those making
a specialty of such products. A firm not regularly in this
line of business sometimes receives a shipment when the
market is weak and easily broken, and having no regular
trade, may be compelled to sell under the market price,
thus precipitating a general decline, which could be avoided
had the goods been held by some house having a wide ex-
perience and established trade. You will therefore see the
necessity of shipping to an experienced firm, regularly in
the trade. oe |
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. bi
| SPECIAL NOTICE.
We desire to say to shippers, especially the many new
ones embarking in the business, that the prices received
here for fruits and vegetables during the season of 1911
were far above the usual quotations, due to the prolonged
drouth in this and adjoining states, which almost destroyed
jocal crops. The prolonged season of heat and drouth
made crops not only very late, but very small. Hence good |
prices ruled throughout the past winter. Thus our mar-
ket received car loads daily of such products from else-
where as are usually plenty and cheap. The home
crops, which generally crowd out all competition for a long
time, were surprisingly small. Therefore, shippers every-
where must not be led astray by the ruling quotations of
the past year in all markets, most of which were affected -
by the great drouth which spread over such a large area,
notably the Central West and Southwest.
Before proceeding further, it is proper to state that the
demand for cheap or inferior products, either fruits or
vegetables, has fallen off to a wonderful extent the past
five or six years. Of late years there has been very little
demand for anything but first-class goods. In former years
cheap g90ds were not so neglected. The peddlers and
cheap class that formerly bought second-class products
now look for better stock at better prices. Take Straw-
berries, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, etc., which come in steadily
during the winter and early spring, only strictly choice
ean be sold to advantage. Anything the least bit “off,”
either in quality or condition, is not wanted, because the
peddlers and cheaper class do not take out such goods in
winter. It is very difficult to place such even at half price
or less. Shippers and growers should govern their actions
accordingly. There is money only in the best stock.
These remarks apply to all markets.
12 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
RrRUOITS.
STRAWBERRIES
Are the first fruits of the season. Some 45 years ago they
came to us with the genial atmosphere of spring, later with
the raw winds of March, and now the snows and hard freez-
ing of January. However, regardless of the weather, they
are warmly welcomed by the epicure, the invalid and by
more or less people»with fat pocketbooks. Forty to forty-
five years ago strawberries in this market were something
of a luxury, the first receipts, always limited, bringing
$1.50 to $2.00 a quart, figures that were not approached in
later years. The season then was about six weeks in dura-
tion. Now it is eight months from the first receipts from
Florida until the final shipments from Northern Illinois,
Michigan or Wisconsin. The strawberry has been steadily
gaining in popularity and is the most deservedly popular
fruit in the United States. It merits the patronage of ev-
ery man, woman and child. No healthier fruit can be con-
sumed. It is eminently the fruit for the millions, and now
so extensively cultivated that it is within the reach of all.
‘The ‘supply, rapidly as it has grown, has no more than
kept pace with the demand. The many new railroads pene-
trating every section have become the most important factor
in the development of the business North and South ana
served to bring together, in every market, both the con
sumer and producer. The re-shipments from here of the
Southern product are very large compared to what they
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 13
were years ago. St. Louis is rapidly becoming, in con-
sequence, a great distributing center, and now has ac-
cess to a wide range of territory. Similar progress in the
same direction has doubtless been made by other leading
centers.
More money has been made off the strawberry than any
other fruit, considering the time, labor and money involved,
and it is likely to remain the most profitable. It represents
more money to the acre, as well as more real profits, than
perhaps any other product. Many of the Southern cultiva-
tors in the various states growing considerable small fruits
have long since passed the experimental stage, while a few
became discouraged and dropped out to raise other crops.
It proved a great relief to many of them to be relieved
from the unprofitable labor of cotton raising on lands emi-
nently adapted to fruit growing, and yet rather unproduc-
tive and unfit for Southern staple products. There is still a
great deal of such land, largely impoverished by the inces-
sant strain of crop raising, that the fruit grower could ren-
der remunerative by diligent effort.
The strawberry crop rarely fails and never proves a total
failure, as many other fruit crops do, except through gross
negligence. Take St. Louis County, for instance, where
the business is. conducted very extensively, some 1,500
acres, and no such thing as a failure of the crop has been
recorded in the past 40 years. Occasionally the crop is
light, through most unfavorable weather or other causes,
but half a crop is the lowest estimate that can be recalled
since the business began here in a small way 45 years ago.
You will see, then, that the strawberry growers’ invest-
ment cannot be regarded in jeopardy, to the same extent
as investments in most other avenues of trade; and, while
there is not the alluring profits in the business that there
14 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
was many years ago, it must not be forgotten that the
margins of profits in every line of business have declined
and shrunk just as rapidly.
THE FIRST RECEIPTS. —
For years Florida furnished the first berries of the sea-
son, not only to this market, but to all other cities Hast
and West, and she holds all these markets almost undis-
turbed by rivalry for 2 or 3 months, getting, as might be ex-
pected, much higher prices than any other state could hope
to secure later on when ready for market. It is true, sales
are limited in January or February, but with such a wide
field for distribution and without any competition, save
some light and irregular shipments from California or pos- -
sibly a few from Southern Texas near the Gulf coast, the
various markets are evenly provided for, and prices sus-
tained for a good while. The plan of distribution in Florida
is admirable—good as could well be devised—growers be-
ing organized at most points and operating through a sec-
retary, who gets telegrams daily from each market. This.
uniform distribution, avoiding crowding at any point,
affords great protection also to the isolated shipper who
can safely ship to any market as long as the leading ship-
ping points distribute so carefully.
The first receipts each season reach here just before
Christmas from Florida. Very fine berries, neatly packed
in quart baskets, and usually sold at 75 cents to $l a quart,
good prices, the Christmas and holiday demand being al-
ways good. During January and February the receipts
are usually heavy enough to satisfy all demands, ranging
mainly at 35c to 50c per quart basket, according to weather
conditions and amount of receipts. During February prices
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. I
were. mainly 25c to 40c, occasionally when very scarce, as
high as 50c.
Towards March ist the receipts are liberal, still mainly
from Florida, but many cases are coming from Alvin, Dick-
inson and League City, Southern Texas, and considerable
from Louisiana-—-Klondykes in 24-pint cases—which are
selling at $2.50 to $3.00 for 24-pint cases. Texas, $3.50 to
$4.50 for 6 gallon cases, and Floridas, 25c to 30c quart.
About 14th to 18th of March straight cars pint cases
coming from Louisiana and selling at $1.75 to $2.25, as to
quality and condition. First berries from Mississippi and
Alabama ranging from $3.50 to $4.50 case 24 quarts, while
Florida sells at 30c to 35c, very nice fruit, in good condition.
March 20th, with more favorable weather, shows better
prices.
March 25th, Florida, 25e to 35c; Alabama and Mississippi,
$4.00 to $5.00, and Louisiana, car pints sold at $2.75. Texas
quart cases, $3.50 to $4.50.
From the 25th of March to 1st of April we find the mar-
ket higher, but few from Alabama, Mississippi or Texas,
so Florida had larger offerings, 25 to 35 of her pony re-
frigerators daily, selling much higher, 30c to 40c.
By the ist to 5th of April Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi |
and Alabama are shipping freely, and frequently much
earlier. Argansas berries appeared the 3rd of April, about
é0 cases, and 75 cases on the 5th. The receipts steadily
increased from there for four or five weeks till forced out
by the usual big home crops here. West Tennessee starts
a few days later, and with Arkansas, furnish the majority
of the offerings for three or four weeks iater. After this
time the offerings are liberal and varied, and embrace all
sorts of berries, from green to ripe, hard and soft, the
poorest usually from the new shippers or those with lim-
16 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
ited experience. The first week in April, Louisiana ber-
ries (refrigerator cars) at $2.00 to $2.25 per three-gallon
case. A good portion of the Florida receipts are now soft-:
er and smaller, showing the season drawing to a close.
Texas berries very poor to medium, $2.50 to $3.00 per case
—a few cases in good order, $3.00 to $3.50 per case (24
quarts). Alabama receipts selling at $3.00 to $3.50 per
case. Mississippi berries, poor condition account too much
rain, $2.00 to $2.25 case. Arkansas $2.50 to $3.25. Tennes-
see $2.25 to $3.00. Florida refrigerator stock has also a
wide range, some being quite soft, due occasionally to de-
lay en route and prices range from 10 to 15 cents per quart.
From the 7th to the 14th of April the receipts run ir-
regular. The fruit from many places is showing entirely
too much rain, inflicting much injury and prices low in
consequence. April 16th to the 20th we find Florida ber-
ries disappear; Louisiana, $1.50 to $1.75 (three gallons,
24 pints); Alabama, $3.00 to $3.75 per case (24 quarts);
Mississippi, $2.75 to $3.50, and Texas express receipts $2.50
to $3.50. During the past week Arkansas averaged two to
three cars daily and Louisiana probably same, while other
receipts combined averaged fully two cars daily—6 to 7
cars in all. Tennessee is represented occasionally also.
For the next six days the market is somewhat irregular
and uneven in prices, up and down alternately, according
to the amount of receipts and their condition. Prices,
however, show a lower average.
From the 23d to the 26th of April we find that Arkansas
and Louisiana are shipping in refrigerator cars—the Louis-
iana stock getting so soft and overripe that they must
discontinue. Mississippi express receipts continue selling
at $2.00 to $2.50 for 24-quart cases, Arkansas express re-
ceipts $2.00 to $2.50, and refrigerator receipts about same
/
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. Lees
price. Alabama Klondykes $2.25 to $2.75. Tennessee has
few hundred cases by express selling at $1.75 to $2.50.
Texas at. $1.75 to $2.25. |
By the ist to 5th of May, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee
and Mississippi are still in the market, although as a rule
they have to pull out by this time and relinquish the mar-
ket to states nearer this market. Latest receipts from the
foregoing districts are too soft because of too much rain
and prices on them would prove misleading.
At this time Kentucky, Southeast Missouri, Southern IIli-
nois, Tennessee and Eastern Arkansas are supplying most >
of the berries, and prices vary but little from the foregoing
quotations, mainly $2.00 to $2.50 crate.
You are not interested in the course of the market after
this time, for a week later growers of St. Louis Country are
fairly started and all outside shippers must retire.
You will see from the foregoing where the fruit comes
from when they begin, and who you will have to compete
with as shippers as the season progresses.
Our local crop of berries, usually very fine, is composed
of a great number of varieties, which are shipped freely in
every direction. The fruit comes in quart boxes in the
regular six gallon (24 quarts) cases, in nice shipping order,
and is largely consumed by the shipping order trade, go-
ing out to outside markets in car lots. All fine fruit and
carefully packed.
In the Southern States, the Hoffman’s Seedling, Cloud’s
Seedling, Charleston, Noonan and other sorts were prime
favorites for years. Now, however, they are getting down
to the Klondyke. Louisiana grows nothing else, and Flor-
ida is confined mainly to Hxeelsior, Klondyke and Mizsion-
ary, a new variety.
18 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas are drifting toward
the Klondyke, and so is Tennessee. /
In this connection it might be said that the Florida
berries as a rule reach their destination after such a
long ride in fair to good order. Florida has steadily im-
proved in varieties and shipping and packing and exercises
the greatest care. She is using refrigerators nearly alto-
gether, containing 64 to 80-quart baskets.
The special paragraph elsewhere, in regard to packing
should not be overlooked.
In- gathering the strawberry don’t bruise it, but pinch
off the stem with your nails, one inch or so from the fruit.
The least bruise starts the fruit to bleeding. Soon the
fruit sours and its value for any purpose becomes impaired
and its keeping qualities destroyed. Too many long stems
displaying a lack of needed experience come in too often.
Do not place in the box any green, over-ripe, stunted or
otherwise injured fruit. A great many slack boxes come in
—too many entirely.
The Halleck quart box and crate should be discarded
in favor of the Leslie. The Halleck package is air tight
and the bottoms of the quart boxes drop out, or go down,
too often, mashing the berries in the lower layer of
boxes, and injuring the sale. Several Tennessee and Arkan-
sas points have used: a basket quart, meeting all the re-
quirements of ventilation, and a crate equally favored in
the matter of ventilation. Mississippi, too, used such a
crate at a few places. There were clearly two sizes used,
one of them being decidedly short measure. Florida uses
the largest quart basket that comes to this market—big
measure. |
Many shippers fear that rounding up the top of the
basket or box will lead to bruising. This is a mistake, as
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 19
they settle down a good deal while in transit. They suffer
much more when slack, for they soon settle down, become
shook up, leaky and badly damaged. |
TO STRAWBERRY. SHIPPERS.
Before dismissing the strawberry subject we should
have stated that in every instance the top layer of baskets
in the crate show up badly on arrival, unless proper pro-
vision is made against the removal or shaking up of the
fruit while in transit. As you know, the railroad and ex-
press hands generally ignore the delicate and perishable
character of the fruit. No space must exist between the
cover and the fruit. Baskets properly rounded up usually
touch the cover when nailed down, gently pressing on the
fruit. A few green leaves on the berries affords some pro-
tection and lends a fresher and more inviting appearance
on their arrival. Unless these provisions are properly rec-
ognized it would be far better to have the top layer filled
with empty baskets. The remainder of the fruit then would
reach us in good order. The top layer in this bruised,
bleeding and partly sour condition, injures the sale of the
crate and would not by itself sell for more than half what
any of the lower layers would bring.
These remarks of course apply to small lots by express,
in ventilated crates. It is wholly different with a car load,
which.is not touched at all or exposed to rough handling
while enroute.
The refrigerator boxes are also in a measure protected
against much injury, yet the top layers suffer more or less
occasionally by getting wet and shook up and bruised, yet
of the past few years showed considerable improvement
and most of the fruit reached us in fair to good order.
20 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
BLACKBERRIES.
Do not figure very extensively among the shipments from
the South.
Strangely enough, receipts fae been stbadiee declining
instead of increasing during the past 10 years—outside of
home-grown berries the crop is badly damaged occasionally
by severe weather. It is not a good shipping fruit, and a
portion of the consignments arrive in bad order. Black-
berries, under certain conditions, become sour while in
transit during the night—though we have seen berries out
36 to 40 hours from Texas by express which arrived in fair
order. The very hot weather that usually accompanies the
maturing of this fruit is the worst feature it has to con-
tend with. We would not, therefore, advise extensive plant-
ing by parties far away from market. Arriving, as it al-
_ways does, when the market is crowded with strawberries,
it rarely brings any fancy price outside of first receipts.
The fruit, however, is attractive, and sells readily if it can
be placed before the purchaser in nice condition. It is
rather soft and tender, easily bleeds and soon thereafter
sours. The receipts of late years have been rather small
from all sources.
The first receipts were unusually late ute season, the 23d
of May, coming from Mississippi, selling at $2.50 case, 24
quarts. That’s nearly a month later than the usual first
receipts. The first frequently comes from Texas.
The receipts by the 26th of May were from Alabama, Ar-
kansas and Mississippi, and prices $2.50 to $2.75 crate, fruit
coming in fair condition.
Along towards the 1st of June the market is supplied by
several States and a wide range of prices seen, according
to condition, and the figures $2.00 to $2.50 per case (24
quarts). From the 5th to the 15th of June prices are a
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS, Za
trifie lower. Homegrown appeared, selling at $2.75, while
the range on wild and poor order stock from elsewhere
sold from $1.50 to $2.00 per case. Some shipped cultivated
berries sold at $2.25 to $2.75. Later on shipments went still
lower. Southern Illinois, Arkansas and Mississippi con- °
tinued to ship by express till the 15th, when homegrown
began freely, excluding all other shippers.
The Lawton, an old standard variety, was formerly one
of the best, its only fault being that it is a little tender and
gets killed too often in this latitude. The Kitatinney is in
a measure taking its place, being quite hardy and very
productive, but the fruit is not so large. There are sev-
eral others highly recommended, such as Early Harvest,
Kittatinney and Taylor.
The strawberry caseis the most suitable package. They
should be gathered just as soon as fairly colored—while
yet firm. If permitted to get fully ripe, or soft, will soon
sour, the least jarring or rough handling starting them to
bleeding and scattering the juice, which sours the whole lot
in a ‘few hours. Get descriptive catalogues from reliable
nurseries, which usually furnish a good many pointers about
care, cultivation, varieties, etc.
BLACK RASPBERRIES
Have been slowly but steadily disappearing from our mar-
ket. The supply of late years has been rather light, though
20 to 30 years ago immense quantities came in from this
vicinity. At present, however, the people are devoting their |
attention to something else, for the strawberries became so
abundant and cheap in the market of late years that the
profitable opening for black raspberries vanished. The
first offerings last season were home-grown, 24-pint cases,
selling at $1.00 to $1.20 from the 14th to 20th June. Later
Ae SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
they declined somewhat with increased offerings. By the
25th they are higher, $1.25 to $1.35, but on the Ist of July
they are gone for the season.
| We cannot urge any extended cultivation of the black
‘ raspberry, because the demand is not very general at
best, and coming in contact with the immense strawberry |
supply at the time in every market, it is not sought for
by many, as is the more attractive and luscious straw-
berry. It is true we have some demand from the pre-
serving establishments, but their prices do not offer much
encouragement. There is some order trade for it, too, but
shipments of black raspberries from a distance are rarely
such as would fill the bill, and free shipments of it do
not begin until the local crop—usually large and fine—be-
gins to come. We believe, however, it can be profitably
grown for drying or evaporating purposes, prices for such
being usually good. They are grown at some points in
Arkansas for evaporating purposes, while some are also
shipped. | 3 .
The Gregg and Miami black caps were for years the
best sorts, but something better may be offered by this
time. They appear usually in about two weeks after the
blackberry, although last year did not show up till the Ist
of June. They open as a rule at 40 to 60 cents per gallon
according to circumstances, and gradually decline to 10
cents per quart and occasionally to 5 cents, when the sea-
son is at its height, from the 5th to the 10th of July, when
the home-grown were well started. . 4
For long shipments the pint box and three-gallon case
(24 pints) should be used,’ though parties within a few
hours’ ride of the market could use quart boxes and six-
gallon crates. When picking the greatest care should be
exercised not to bruise them, for the berries carelessly
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 23
handled in picking and packing will show it in their con-
dition very soon afterwards. Last year the crop was unus-
ually light and therefore prices averaged better than usual.
RED RASPBERRIES.
are a prime favorite with all lovers of fruit, and yet have .
been somewhat overlooked by the average fruit grower
south of us. Southern Illinois used to grow them in abun-
dance, but the past few years they were rather scarce and
paid well until the home crop appeared. They usually came
to this city in pint boxes, in neat, flat, 3-gallon cases (24
pints), which are the proper packages for this delicious but
delicate fruit. They do not stand long shipments. Arkan-
sas or West Tennessee is as far south as we would sug-
gest growing for this market.
Because of the prolonged drouth last summer, May, June,
July and August, the first red raspberries offered were home-
grown, appearing on the 6th of June, 24-pint cases, which
sold at $2.50. They remained unchanged till the 9th,
when Illinois, Tennessee and Arkansas started and prices
dropped to $2.00. A few days later they declined to $1.75 to
$2.00. From the 14th to the 16th only home-grown are of-
fered. The previous year the first came in from South-
ern Illinois, $1.50 to $2.00 for 24-pint cases.
Mississippi grows considerable of them for the New
Orleans and other Southern markets, and profitably, it is
said.
~ When the receipts become large the canning estab-
lishments here are the most liberal buyers we have—their
figures, according to supplies on market, quality and ccn-
ditions of fruits, are from 30 to 40 cents a gallon, but this
in the middle of the season, when they are most abundant,
24 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
say from the middle to the latter part of June, when the
home-grown crop is coming.
ea |
CHERRIES
Are not always a profitable crop south of this latitude. Al-
though we have had some shipments out of West Tennes-
see last season that brought fine prices for a week or so,
$4.00 case (24 quarts). Northern Illinois shipments brought
nigh prices also. Later Colorado shipped dozens of car
loads to various markets that brought good prices, $2.50 to
$3.00 for 24-quart cases. June found our markets almost
bare, hence the nice figures received. The cherry tree,
being perfectly hardy, thrives in all the Northern States
in good soil and it is not adapted to &@ warm climate.
The finer varieties, which embrace the Mazzards, Hearts
and Biggareaus, do not flourish in either the West or
South, owing principally to the injury inflicted on the bark
or trunks of the trees by the hot sun of mid-summer. The
Dukes and Morelloes are less susceptible to climate in-
fluences, are smaller and hardier, and the fruit being more
acid, embrace some of the features that make it a better
keeper and shipper; hence they are better adapted to the —
West and South. Illinois and Missouri furnish most of the
cherries consumed here... The greatest enemies to the
business in this section are the birds, who, if permitted,
eat most of them. A boy with a shotgun to keep off the
birds for two weeks is essential to success around here.
The first receipts generally reach here from the 10th
to the 16th of May, from Tennessee, Arkansas and South-
ern Illinois, selling. at $2.50 to $3.00 per case (24 quarts)—
Harly May variety. The prices generally decline gradually
the two weeks following, but then the Illinois and Mis-—
souri shippers are forwarding quite freely and the price
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 25
soon declines to $1.50 to $2.00 per case, and, later, when
the growers in this vicinity get to picking, the price is
down to 25 to 30 cents per gallon, which is generally the
lowest they reach at any time. Last year’s first receipts
came from Tennessee on the 8th of May, and sold at $4.00.
By the 12th they are $3.00 to $3.50, still from Tennessee.
From the 15th to the 20th but few outside of Tennessee and
Southern Illinois and Kentucky, and the sales at $3.00, and
by the 25th home grown appeared. After this you are no
longer interested in the market, which steadily declines till
the offerings are heavy about the ist of June, when prices
are $1.50 to $2.00 per case, 24 quarts. California cher-
ries, very fancy stock, also begin coming at this time, and
continue rather steadily and sell at double the price the
native stock brings.
In damp, cloudy weather cherries decay very rapidly after
reaching maturity; some of the sweet varieties, especially,
go very quickly.
Both sour and sweet sorts are often permitted to zget
too ripe before picking.
Of course, the stem should be left attached to the fruit,
Since it not only fills the box much more readily in this
way, put keeps the berries from bleeding and becoming sour
' afterwards, thereby spoiling the sale of them. Never gath-
er cherries without the stems. Cherries come to us occas-
ionally from as far south as Mississippi. Every fruit grow-
er should have at least a few trees for home use if noth-
-ing more. The strawberry boxes or crates or drawers
Should be used for them.
GOOSEBERRIES AND CURRANTS
Receive little attention at the hands of Southern shippers.
26 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
The climate is not so well adapted to their culture as it is
further north. Some have tried them no doubt, but with
what success we have not learned. We consider each
worthy of trial to some extent, at least, for local consump-
tion if nothing more. It would pay well to get either in
here ahead of local growers. Currants are not grown ex-
tensively in this section, though the prices are usually
good throughout the season. Currants, the local crop,
were scarce in this market the past 10 or 12 years, and very
little came from outside points.
Our market is supplied with currants mainly from North- .
ern Illinois, Onargo, Galena, Albany and Mattoon. Indiana
ships considerable here also. Later Michigan ships here
for some time in 16-quart cases, ranging from $1.50 to
$2.00, usually about $1.75 case. Iowa ships still later. It
must be admitted, however, that receipts from there and
elsewhere are steadily growing smaller. Strawberry boxes
and crates are adapted to both in shipping.’ 3
Currants flourish best in a cool shady or partly shaded
locality, such as north side of fences, in, a deep, rich soil.
They grow successfully in this locality and ought to suc-
ceed further south. The Red and White Dutch varieties
have been best. Some newer varieties may be better.
Use the same package as for gooseberries, quart boxes.
They were ready sale all last season, pveing unus-
ually scarce throughout, ranging from 35 to 60 cents per
gallon, mainly at 45 to 60 cents, according to quantity in
market. As arule very few can be had in this market until
the home-grown come in. The first receipts last season
were home-grown and came in on the 10th of June, selling
at 40 to 45 cents. 24 quart cases $2.25 to $2.50. Later,
when outside shipments came, declined to’$2.00 case.
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. \ | 27.
GOOSEBERRIES
Were not cheap or plenty in this market last year, and the
market was nearly bare until home-grown appeared, on the
22nd of May, selling at $1.75 to $2.00 per case, 24 quarts.
The first receipts are noted from Arkansas on the 9th of
May, selling at $2.00 per case of 24 quarts. By the 25th
the market has considerable of home-grown and prices to
$1.75 to $2.00 per six-gallon case—season at its height and
all home-grown.
The market is injured very much by frequent ship-
ments of half or partly grown berries, which soon shrivel
up and get discolored and worthless.
Houghton’s Seedling and Downing have’ been. the best
varieties, Downing much the largest. Other new and bet-
ter sorts may now be offered by nurserymen.
The large foreign gooseberries do not thrive in this
country—all mildewing very regularly in this climate.
They heat in a short time in barrels or sacks, often in
less than 24 hours, and should be shipped in drawers,
baskets or strawberry cases, 24 quarts. They stand ship-
ping so well is one good inducement to plant. Ship when
full grown, before they commence getting brown.
r
NECTARINES ©
Are entirely neglected by the fruit growers patronizing
this market. Indeed they are something of a novelty
here. When they do appear, however, they are rather slow
sale at 50 to 70 cents per peck box, being comparatively
unknown. The nectarine is simply a peach with a, smootn,
glossy skin, devoid of the fuzz of the peach, but its smooth
_ surface unfortunately seems to attract the attention of the
curculio, which preys upon it, and is no doubt largely re-
.
28 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
sponsible for its absence from our markets. We believe,
however, it has not been given a fair show by the fruit
growers, or we would see more of the fruit. About the
only fruit of this kind offered here last season, or pre-
vious years, came from California.
APRICOTS
Ripen three or four weeks before peaches do, and would
strike a splendid market on this account, and it meets with
much more favor than the nectarine here. It is, however,
too much neglected and its great enemy, too, is the cur-
culio, which attacks the plum, a fruit the apricot much re-
sembles, partaking of its character and habits, and success-
fully attacked by the sameinsects. The apricot is budded
on seedling apricots, and also on peach and plum stocks, .
the latter preferable, being longer lived. The apricot ap-
pears to be a cross between tlfe plum and the peach, but
from a scientific point is not. A few come in from this
county occasionally and find willing buyers at 50 to 75 cents
per peck box, but very seldom, however, can any be found
here. Fine apricots, however, were offered here steadily.
last season for nearly two months—all California stock.
The receipts from the far West stand up well for a long
time, disclosing keeping qualities that the fruit grown here
is destitute of. |
WHORTLEBERRIES OR HUCKLEBERRIES
Come to us quite freely every year, especially from Arkan-
sas and southwest Missouri, where they grow wild. They
usually sell well at $3.00 to $3.50 per case of 24 quarts, but
iast year the very meager offerings indicated a partial
failure of the crop throughout the territory tributary to
this market, and neither did we receive much from the
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 29
North. Hence prices were higher than usual, $3.50 to $4.00
per case of 24 quarts. A good many are sent in only partly
ripe, and often mixed, some green and some ripe. GREEN
ONES ARE UNSALEABLE AND HAVE TO BH DUMPED
—therefore never ship them—while the mixed sell accord-
ing to amount of ripe ones in the package. Only straight
ripe or fully colored should be shipped, as it is difficult to
sell the mixed*or partly ripe. In fact, ship only ripe
ones and nothing else. The first receipts usually ar-
rive about the 20th of May, but last year: did not
appear until June Ist. The berries are so small and smooth
they run out of the cases easily unless fully protected.
Good heavy paper around the inside of the crates afford
considerable protection against such leakage.
THE DAMSON PLUM,
We believe, has never been properly tested or given a fair
show by the fruit growers generally of this section or the
South, and I doubt whether any other plum will pay near
as well in the territory tributary to this market. Very .
hardy and productive, and enjoying, as it does, immunity
from insect enemies, and, in addition to these, marked ad-
vantages, the best shipper of all—it is more than surpris-
ing that it should be so overlooked. It thrives on neg:
lect, yields a half to a full crop aimost as regularly and
surely as the apple orchard does, and being long lived and
content to flourish in out of the way places-and fence cor-
ners, it appeals strongly to the fruit grower for recognitiow.
The market, moreover, is never glutted, seldom sells below
40 cents per peck box or baskets, and more frequently
ranges from 50 to 60 cents, and comes through successful-
ly in boxes,. baskets or hampers. Barrels, however, are
30 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
too large packages. Most of them come here, however, in~
half bushel chip baskets. It should be gathered when full
grown and fully colored, before it gets mellow, and it will
then be safe for several days’ shipment. It makes a
- most delicious preserve, and is purchased freely for this
purpose, not only by hundreds of private families, but by
the many preserving establishments here. A mistake that
is frequently made is that of letting it get too ripe, ard
it often gets in bad order being held too tong for ship-
ment. The first arrivals last season were a week later
than usual, being home grown, appearing July 25th. They
were in half bushel chip baskets selling at $1.00 to $1.10 a
basket. July 27th and 28th higher, selling at $1.25 or $2.50
a bushel. By August 4th, $1.00 to $1.25. By the 10th of
August they are plenty, heavy offerings froin outside points
and selling 75 to 85 cents a half bushel basket. Market
continues steadily and unchanged till the 25th, when they
are selling at 80 cents to $1.00. Michigan is now shipping
in bushel baskets which are selling at $2.25, being larger
and firmer than the local crop. From the 5th to 10th
of September, New York is also shipping. Michigan and
New York a little lower and home grown are getting too
ripe and soft, and all show some decline; but you are no
longer interested in Damsons.
QUINCES.
There is little demand in this market for the quince un-
til the heated term is passed. Being purchased,only for |
preserving purposes. ‘They are somewhat neglected until
toward the 1st of October. Most of the preserving is at-
tended to in October and November. This suits the pro-
ducers within a radius of 100 miles or so from this market,
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 31
but the more southern territory finds this too late for their
shipments, which mature some weeks earlier. However,
prices during the latter part of August and early in Sep-
tember, the first receipts, usually average from $1.50 to
$1.75 per bushel.
During October the market is often supplied by New
York and other eastern points, and the prices generally
*3.00 to $4.00 barrel, as to sizeof crop or offering here.
They were scarcer than usual last season.
If the fruit is gathered carefully and kept entirely free
from bruises, and laid away in the coolest places acces-
sible to the grower, in the absence of cold storage, they can
be kept successfully for several weeks. Quinces come here
with pears and other fruits every year from California,
Wrapped in paper, in three-peck boxes.
As few fruit growers pay any attention to the quince,
it is usually a profitable crop if disposed of before the East-
ern crop gets here.
In the West and South the few trees planted have been
too much neglected, and as a result many of the trees have
become stunted and barren.
The soil for the quince should be deep and rich, such as
will raise good corn and potatoes, and should be kept well
cultivated. I have rarely seen a quince tree in my travels
that was not stunted and full of suckers, the usual evidence
of neglect. The small, crooked, stunted and specked ones
-ghould be kept at home.
| They can be packed in half or bushel boxes, hampers
or baskets, also in barrels, and can be shipped by freight
when the express charges come too high. When full
grown, but before they color up much, gather and ship
them. This will afford an opportunity to hold for a while
or to reship if necessary.
32 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
GRAPES.
Grape growing south of this latitude has not received
the attention that the business merits. Instead of increas-
ing, the business has been on the decline for years.
- Those that have fairlytried it, we think, have made it pay
fairly well. From what we have received from the dif-
ferent states south of this latitude, we think that Moore’s
Warly, Ives’ Seedling, Concord and Delaware are the varie-
ties that will produce the most money. Of course, several
other varieties might be profitably raised. For a white
grape plant the Niagara. For 40 years Norton’s Virginia
Seedling has been regularly sought for wine making. It
has almost disappeared in this section, much to the regret
of parties who seek it every season for the splendid wine
it makes.
One of the most experienced growers in the State of Ar-
kansas informed me some years ago that the three varie-
ties for that State were, in his judgment, Moore’s’ Early,
Ives’ Seedling and the Delaware. The Ives has little claim
except for its earliness. The Stark Eclipse is regarded
very highly by many who pronounce it the best of all
early sorts. We disclaim any intention of doing injustice
to the many newer varieties that are offered, some of
which may possibly prove more profitable than the va-
rieties well known to us; to the matter of testing, etc.,
rests with the grower.
The Worden and the Brighton, both well known in the
east, early sorts and attractive iooking, but they are too
perishable—don’t stand up long after being shipped. The
Concord is the one for the people, especially for commercial
purposes. The Muscatine, a coarse, thickskinned, dark
brown, foxy variety, and a few others of similar charac-
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 33
ter, come occasionally from the South, but they are al-
most unsalable here, so don’t ship them. :
The injury so frequently inflicted on the crop in this
vicinity by late frosts and severity of midwinter, discour-
aged so many grape growers that we look for little from
them in the future. In fact, within a radius of 100 miles
of this city the business has been on the decline, and far
from what it was 30 years ago, when Missouri promised to
become a great grape growing state, and when a number of
confident and enthusiastic growers were making extensive
arrangements for the future. The local crop, which sup-
plies this market liberally for a few weeks, does not really
constitute one-tenth of the grapes sold here every season.
We hardly regard the grape season as fairly open now un:
til Michigan and Ohio begin early in September, being
nearly two weeks earlier than New York. After New York
_ and Pennsylvania gets started then the season is at its
height and the magnitude of the grape traffic is in evidence.
} The annual receipts now from New York, Ohio, Michi-
gan and Pennsylvania range from 400 to 500 cars—3,000
8-pound baskets to the car. Grapes are gradually disap- |
pearing in Ohio—not half the crop of former years
Among the New York and Michigan grapes were some
of the Niagara and Pocklington, the best white grapes of-
fered. However, with the season at its height and prices
within the reach of all, 25 baskets of Concords coula be so!d
‘for every one of white grapes, even if prices were “he
Same. It is true white varieties sell higher when first on
the market, but the demand is limited and hence we sav
plant sparingly of the white varieties. The Brighton and
Worden varieties, well-known early sorts in the East, are
- too perishable for distant markets, and should be grown
only for local markets. The Martha and Elvira, which have
34 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
had their day, are how badly neglected and not wanted for
either wine or table.
To our Southern friends who intend planting Niagaras or
white varieties, we say, go slow, or you may have occasion
to regret it. It is true many of the Eastern markets have
paid fancy prices for white grapes, but they were very
scarce at such times and purchased mainly as a novelty,
or for display among other sorts. Dealers purchase but
very few at a time in any market. The market is easily
overcrowded with white grapes. ‘Hach year the Concord
develops a greater following. The very hot weather which
every southern shipment encounters en route to any mar-
ket, is the most discouraging feature every shipper must.
face.
THE FIRST RECEIPTS
Last year appeared the 8th of July, three weeks later than
usual, and came from Alabama. They were packed in
4-basket crates—Niagaras, also black varieties—about
16 pounds net, selling at 75 cents a crate. A week later
receipts largely from Arkansas and Oklahoma, 4-basket
crates, Ives 50 cents, white sorts, 60 to 70 cents, and |
Moore’s Early, 70 to 80 cents. The first week in July Cali-
fornia grapes are in the market, different varieties, and ;
selling at $1.00 to $1.25 per 4-basket crate (20 1lbs.). Later
only baskets of 8 pounds are coming, packages that help
the sale of the grape if fruit: is properly packed. Occas- -
ionally we find berries dropping off the stems—some over- |
ripe, soft and leaky, much lower, the very hot weather
affecting them. Arkansas is shipping considerable in 8-
pound boxes—her Ives selling at 40 to 45 cents per box.
July 20th home-grown appeared, Moore’s Harly in open
chip baskets, about 20 lbs., selling at 7@c to 90¢, as to
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 35°
quality, condition, etc. They gradually decline for the fol-
lowing two to three weeks, by which time they are down to
40 to 50 cents.
August 5th to 10th Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee,
Georgia and Texas offerings among the receipts and prices
declined some. At this time, however, homegrown are com-
ing freely and you are no longer interested in the mar-
ket, as prices become too low.
Only fully colored or ripe grapes should be shipped.
Cut off the green or partly green, rotten, shriveled, dried
or otherwise imperfect fruit. All should be cut out careful-
ly with a pair of scissors before packed. The regular 8-
pound basket, formerly 9-pound, that used by the New
York, Michigan and Ohio grape growers, known as climax
basket, is the package that should be universally used.
To Southern shippers we will say that grapes come in
good order, also, in flat 10-pound boxes, when properly
packed. If loosely packed, or in such a manner that any
of the grapes can be displaced or moved while in transit,
they will not reach here in good shape. The bunches should
be laid carefully, in rows like peaches. At the top let the’
- cover press down sufficiently to hold firmly all the bunches
in their places. When the cover is removed on arrival
here no stems should be in sight, only a smooth surface
of grapes should appear. In packing let the stems be
- downward. The fruit should be handled as little as pos-
sible, so as to protect the bloom that covers: the grape.
Packing in quart boxes, in six-gallon cases, should be avoid-
ed. The fruit has to be handled too much and the bunches
are not such size as will fill the boxes to advantage. Three
to 5-pound boxes, in crates or frames, are also sometimes
‘used. The 5-pound baskets would be found most profit-
able, especially if the fruit is fine, for many of these early
36 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
shipments. The basket is the proper package for the
erape, and early in thy season, long before needed, corres-
pond with some leading establishment and ascertain the
kinds offered and cost of same. |
We repeat, you have a long and fairly protable sea-
son in most of the Western markets before you are dis-
turbed by competition. The keeping qualities of the grape
‘ig one of the important features to consider. The Ohio. —
and New York grape shippers can hold their grapes in
buildings prepared for that purpose—cool or cold storage
apartments, etc.—three to five weeks, or until a better mar-
ket appears, and then ship when the best prices prevail.
The strongest competition New York, Ohio, Pennsylva-
nia and Michigan found here the past two years, came
from the California shippers, who are sending car loads to
our auctions daily. The California stock is so attractive
it appeals strongly to all consumers and certainly. hurts
eastern shippers in all the big markets. California is so
handicapped by heavy freight charges, she can hardly af-
ford to enlarge her already large acreage unless for wine
making. , .
PEACHES
The peach business has undergone somewhat of a revo-
jution. Fifteen or 20 years ago the culture of early sorts
only was considered south of this latitude, especially in Ar--
kansas and Tennessee, and many lareg orchards were plant-
ed about that time; the unprofitable Hale’s Early and other
early kinds almost as kad figuring extensively in the se-
lected list. The early sorts not only failed to pay, but in
many cases it would have paid the grower to let them
rot on the trees. Still the shippers thought they would
give them another chance, but additional experience with
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 37
these earliest varieties convinced the growers it was best
to condemn every tree. It is safe to say that most of the
shipments were consumed by the express charges. A
rooting out of these very early sorts followed to a bene-
fical extent and the past ten years showed the wisdom of
the step. While a few trees might do for local use, for
commercial purposes they have been a failure.
It will be seen, then, that the former plan will have to
be reversed, as it is the medium to late varieties that pay,
because the market is full of peaches before your earliest
varieties get in. The Troth’s Early, or the season of its
ripening, is early enough, and those varieties maturing
before that don’t pay. They are entirely too perishable in
their character, and warm, rainy, cloudy weather affect
their appearance and condition in a few hours, and the
shaking up they get by the many handlings they are neces-
sarily subject to, assist in rendering them unsightly if
not unsalable in a short time.
Years ago, when Missouri and Illinois were growing more
peaches than they are now, they were the great competi-
tors of the more southern shippers, and the Arkansas,
Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky
growers realized their only hope was in early shipments,
since the advantage cf the season, or earliness in maturing,
gave them the field for at least several weeks, and hence
the great field of early sorts.
The uncertainty of the peach crop in this vicinity Ehranah
severe weather occasionally in winter and spring, offers
to more southern cultivators, where the crop does not fail
so often, some inducements to plant more peaches. In fact,
while there is nothing so uncertain here as a peach crop,
yet occasionally we have a crop several years in succession,
still we cannot recall any former period in the past 45 years
38 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
when there was so many failures as within the past 8 or 9
years. However, these frequent failures makes the fu-
ture more promising for growers elsewhere patronizing
this market. |
In regard to varieties, it is very difficult to arrange a
list to suit such a wide range of territory, so we will not
attempt to name one. A list in Southern Illinois may not
meet the approval of a Texas, Mississippi or Alabama
grower, and Arkansas might select a list differing from
that needed in any other state. Yet on one variety, the EI-
berta, all agree as to its value for commercial purposes.
It must be admitted, however, that too much space and
prominence is given to this one variety. There is a gap,
for instance, of a month or more following the disappear-
ance of the Elberta when the market is almost bare. Two
are three good varieties should come in right here. The
Belle of Georgia is a famous variety well worthy of recog-
nition. Poole’s Favorite, late freestone, 3 weeks later than
Elberta, introduced by A. W. Poole, Ozark, Ark., a fa-
mous peach grower, who has given to the public many new
and valuable varieties should be considered.
Elberta, cling, introduced by Stark Bros. Nursery Co.
of Louisiana, Mo., a firm famous for introducing many
new and valuable varieties of fruits, should not be for-
gotten. The Krummel is widely endorsed, especially in
the far West states as the finest of all October peaches.
There are so many new varieties constantly coming out
and advertised that any list named would soon need re-
visions, and hence will not suggest one. GOOD SIZE,
GOOD COLOR AND KEEPING OR SHIPPING QUALITIES
ARE THE GREAT ESSENTIALS TO SUCCESS, and the
majority should be free stone. Among the earlier sorts
don’t overlook Harly Wheeler, Arp Beauty and Slappy—
\
OL
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 39
all well known in the South—Mamie Ross also fue be
among the early list.
The first receipts of the season for some years were
from Florida, but the past several years either Alabama,
Mississippi or Texas sent in the first of the season, fol-
lowed soon by Arkansas and then Tennessee.
First receipts last year were from Arkansas, May 23rd, in
1-3 bushel boxes, which sold at 75 cents, and 4-basket crates
which sold for 85c. For several days prices were un-
changed, Arkansas and Oklahoma furnishing a majority of
the offerings.
The 29th of May the Daily Price Current reads:
Peaches—Offerings freer, today’s receipts including
about 250 crates (by express) from Oklahoma—early wheel-
er variety of good size and quality, but some showing spots;
sales at from 85c to $1.25 per 4-basket crate. Arkansas
early bales dull at 40c to 50c per 1-3 bu. box and 50@60c per
4-basket crate.
The 5th to 12th of June the receipts are big, largely in-
ferior. Here is the Price Current report June 15:
Peaches—Large high-colored fruit scarce and in demand;
current light arrivals mainly small-sized and of poor color.
Quote Arkansas 4-basket crates at 65@75c, and 6-basket
crates at $1.25@1.50; Tennessee 4-basket crates sold at 65@
75c and Southern Illinois do at 75@85c.
Here are the quotations for June 20th:
Peaches—Receipts light and good-sized high-colored in
demand. Small car Arkansas Mamie Ross offering—selling
at $2.75 per 6-basket crate: Otherwise, Arkansas 4-basket
crates ranged from 60c to $1.00; Tennessee 4-basket crates
75@90c; 6-basket crates at $1.25 and 1-3-bu. boxes at 60c. °
It would be proper to add here that the actual sales and
returns usually average a trifle better than these price cur.
40 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
rent or regular wholesale figures, outside or best prices
are rarely quoted, being scarce and unusual. On the 27th,
a week later, here is the market:
Peaches—Receipts fair in amount, including considerable
Home-grown. Sound large high-colored fruit in fair de-
mand; small, hard, specked, etc. dull. Quote express re-
ceipts Missouri and Arkansas 4-basket crates at 60c to 75c;
Tennessee 6-basket crates at 75c to $1.25 and flat crates
50c to 75c and 1-3-bu. boxes at 50@60c. Arkansas Mamie
Ross (fancy, received in refrigerator car) selling at $2.50
per 6-basket crates. 7
On the 1st of July the market report reads:
~ Peaches—Receipts light; large-sized fruit with good col-
or in fair demand; small and hard or poor-colored stock
dull. Quote express receipts, Missouri and Arkansas 4-
basket crates at 50c to 60c and 1-3-bu. boxes at 50c—6-
basket crates Mamie Ross at $2.25; Alabama flat crates
large yellow at 75c@$1i.00 and white at 75c. Home-grown
early Hales sold at 35c to 50c per 14-bu. open chip basket.
On July 10th the market report reads: — ,
Peaches—Lower, receipts larger. Demand good for
large-sized high-colored Elbertas, but all small and poor-
colored fruit slow sale. Quote Arkansas climax baskets
clings at 50c and 4-basket crates common at 40@50ce, 4-bas-
ket crates Elbertas at $1.00@1.20 and 6-basket crates Craw-
fords at $1.50@1.75, bu. baskets red at $1.25 (lot of 35 bas-
kets sold at that). Texas bu. baskets Elbertas (clean-up)
at $1.75@2.00, and express receipts cummer crates EI-
bertas at $2.00; Illinois 4-basket crates Carmen at 75c.
Home-grown slow sale at 30c to 40c for 144-bu. baskets. |
" It might be added that in the latter part of August and
during September and part of October, Michigan stock oft-
en came here freely in small baskets and the prices usually
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. “41
about 35 to 40 cents per basket—one-fifth bushel baskets—
neat ventilated packages, covered with pink tarleton under
the slats covering the fruit. It should also be said that
more or less damaged fruit, bad order, etc., came in from
time to time and sold much lower than the figures given.
It should also be stated that no matter how crowded the:
market, California peaches are usually in sight and keep
coming until November or later, always showing splendid
keeping qualities. Colorado has been a big shipper of
peaches—hundreds of cars going direct to the auction, as
does the California stock.
One-third .bushel boxes or peck boxes should not be
used by anybody. Use only the 4-basket crate or 6-basket
crate. These packages are made to conceal rather than
reveal the contents and are back numbers. The buyer
wants to see what he is getting. The fruit is not bruised
and injured getting it into baskets as it is into boxes of any
size.
The tendency of the times is to use packages that give
the buyer a glimpse of the fruit, its condition, quality, etc.,
thus eliminatingthe risks attached to buying fruit in the
old packages which have been used too long. The package
as well as the packing and quality of fruit constitute im-
portant features that must not be ignored if you want to
keep up with the times. All kinds of boxes should be dis-
carded and baskets only used.
PEARS.
The pear crop of the West and South is small on the av-
erage on account of frequent failures. We have frequently
to look HKastward for part of our supplies. Western New
York, the greatest apple and pear growing region in the
country, ships annually. here and to most other Western
42 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
markets by the car load. In every early shipment the
Bartlett predominated, and in the later shipments the
Duchesse. Both are a prime favorite in all the Northern
and Western markets. New Jersey shipped considerable
pears here the past few years, largely in bulk cars, most of
them Kiefers. Illinois and Missouri had an enormous
crop of Kiefers and they crowded our market here for nearly
two months. Prices were low enough to place them with-
in reach of all. They were used freely for preserving pur-
poses. A number of cars were placed in cold storage for
a month or six weeks, when the market improved through
lighter offerings.
I do not believe that the pear in the West and South
has had a fair chance to show what it is capable of yield-
ing in the way of profit. to the cultivator. Blight, the
great enemy of the pear has led many to practically
abandon their pear orchards as soon as a few trees were
stricken, and a neglected orchard is more susceptible to
the dread disease than a well kept one. The greatest trou-
ble is the little care or labor bestowed on the orchards,
or few trees planted. Neglect is the main cause why West- |
tern markets are so poorly supplied with the native or
local growth. Bartletts, Duchesse, Seckel, Louis Bonne,
White Doyenne, Clapp’s Favorite, Flemish Beauty, Law-
rence, Sheldon, Burre d’Anjou and Winter Nelis are the
best known and most favored varieties in this market. How-
ever, new and fine varieties are constantly coming out, and
this list might be revised with profit. The Howell is an
excellent eating pear, but does not stand up as long as the
others, but for local markets, say within 150 miles, would
be all right.
The Garber is a large, juicy pear of fair quality, but
somewhat coarse-grained, A splendid sort for canning,
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 43
finding a ready market for that purpose at profitable prices.
Color ‘right yellow. Tree is remarkably free from
blight, hardy and healthy. A good sort to plant with other
varieties (particularly Kiefer) as a pollenizer. (In all
Kiefer orchards, full 10 per cent of the total plant should
be Garber.) For profits and large yields, Garber and Kief-
er are most profitable. Garber is gone just before Kiefer
comes in.
The LeConte, the new favorite in the South, has not sus-
tained its good reputation—as being free from blight—yet
it probably remains the most profitable for Southern grow-
ers. It appears to flourish in the Southern states. We do
not believe, however, that there is a dollar in it for Mis-
souri or Illinois cultivators. Some came in from this State
that bore a stronger resemblance to pawpaws than pears.
Think Arkansas and Tennessee as far north as they will
pay. The finest specimens of the LeConte that came here
years ago were from Florida, Georgia and Alabama. They
were fine in all respects—large, highly colored, flavor,
taste, quality, etc., excellent. We had some from Florida
placed side by side with Bartletts that sold for nearly as
much as that reigning favorite. Alabama shipped very
freely the past several years. LeConte about equal to the
Florida shipments, came from Texas and stooa very close
to them in quality.
The Kiefer has received a good deal of public attention |
the past few years, and it appears to be holding its own,
its splendid keeping qualities making it especially valuable.
It can be brought out when most of the others are gone. It
is large and showy, like the Ben Davis in the apple mar-
ket—and having the weaknesses of the latter for eating
purposes. Its size, color and keeping qualities make it.
valuable.
44 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
All pears should be gather before fully ripe, thus afford-
ing a chance to reach other markets in good condition and
stand up a few days longer in the hands of retailers.
It is very late maturing in this section and becomes col-
ored up and looks full ripe two weeks before fit to eat—
hard as a brick, in fact, while it looks overripe.
The first receipts of pears usually come to us from Texas,
Mississippi or Alabama, about the 15th to 20th of June.
Last year pears made their appearance on the 10th of
July, much later than usual. They were the Kiefer from
_ Alabama, which continued to supply most of the receipts
for the following week, selling from 80c to 90c, bushel
‘hampers, July 18th a sale of 25 hampers, Alabama Kiefers,
is reported at $1.00, the stock being riper, better color.
Very few appeared except this variety for the following
three weeks, and the prices were 65 to 75 cents per one-
third bushel box. Later on the offerings were larger, em-
bracing LeConte, and prices 50 to 75 cents; Hiopies Le-
Conte, $3 per barrel.
July 20th to 25th, more liberal receipts, especially of the
LeConte, from Alabama, Florida, Texas and elsewhere,
and it is selling down to 75 cents to $1, three peck boxes,
and crates from Florida holding about a barrel coming in
car lots and selling $2.50 to $2.75, and barrels little high-
er, $2.90 to $3.00. The receipts are now large; Alabama
is shipping here in car load lots, prices being $3.00 barrel.
- Other receipts from various points, and Southeast Mis-
souri and Southern Illinois. Arkansas Kiefers are quoted
at 85c to $1.00 per bushel hamper.
August 1, LeContes from Florida, Alabama and Mis-
sissippi at $2.60 to $2.75 per barrel, and occasionally some
in bad order lower. A few Bartletts appear about this
time.
“FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 45
Home-grown are now added to the receipts and selling at
50 cents to $1 per bushel, as to quality, variety and condi-
tion. The latter part of July the season is almost at its
height for California stock—fine Bartletts are now among
the receipts and steadily thereafter until Christmas, when |
some of the later varieties go into cold storage, and there-
after the California stock can be had until the 1st of
April, so that California pears are on sale here 9 months of
the year. The market is so crowded for the two weeks
following that cold storage may often prove the best
place for the best of the receipts, as towards the ist to
the 10th of September prices begin to go up again and
steadily advance after that time as a rule every year.
The California and other far West pears seem to be more.
abundant -every year.
The pear is a rich, luxurious fruit when grown to perfec-
tion or properly matured, and is marked for its great deli-
cacy, juicy texture and delightful flavor. It is, of course,
a favorite with the public for its many excellent qualities.
The pear, properly managed, is an excellent shipper. It
should be packed in baskets, bushel hampers preferred, or
to a limited extent six basket crates or carriers, but
when the business is conducted on a more extensive scale,
as it is in the East, the barrel is the more economical for
general use. A number of bulk cars of Kiefers of Illinois’
enormous crop went out to different markets last fall suc-
cessfully. At least a dozen cars carefully barreled were
put into cold storage for four to six weeks. Later prices
justified such a step. New Jersey shipped a number of
bulk cars here the past few years. The best package for.
the South, howeverfi is the regular bushel hamper, now so
extensively used for a variety of fruits and vegetables.
They should be gathered when full grown, but before they
46 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
are fully colored. Do not wait till they get meilow, as that
desirable condition should be reached after arrival, or
while in theh hands of the commission merchant awaiting
a purchaser, or while being reshipped to other points.
In storing for a better market, be sure that none fully
colored or mellow are put away, for they will not keep
long, and injure the others. They should be packed in
barrels when full grown, but before further evidence of
maturity is visible. In this condition they will keep well
in cold storage four to eight weeks, usually as long as nec-
essary. The cold storage temperature most suitable would
be probably 34 to 36 degrees, and uniform as possible.
| PLUMS.
Are really an important crop to Southern shippers. The
plum business has been somewhat experimental so far and
the efforts of cultivators have been confined mainly to the
Wild Goose, and the most favored of all, the Damson, which
are fully covered elsewhere in this book.
The Chickasaw, usually cheap and plenty, a small
yellow native plum growing wild here and south of this
latitude, is among the earliest. It has quite a following
among the cheaper class of buyers and never sells high
enough to justify paying much attention to it. Receipts of
this variety are largely home-grown.
The Wild Goose is a large, showy fruit, that finds favor
with all buyers. It is excellent for either table purposes,
retail dealers, or for preserving. It is purchased for a va-
riety of purposes and the prices are generally remunera-
tive and up to a few years ago averaged high; but a more
general cultivation of it led to a greater abundance and
lower prices the past few years. It is more profitable and —
salable than many of the highly lauded varieties offered
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 47
5
to shippers throughout the South, being more Seats
in size and color than many of them. The Wild Goose
seems to succeed everywhere south of St. Louis.
A number of the Japanese varieties have appeared, many
of them very much alike, but most of them of excellent
quality. Being comparatively new, they were slow sale,
but are improving in acquaintance and will soon fare better.
Like the apple and other fruits the plum must have size
and color to succeed or attract buyers.
The first receipts are usually from Texas, ait the mid-
dle of May to the 1st of June. Mississippi, Arkansas and
Alabama soon follow. Last year’s first shipment were two
weeks later than usual, not appearing till June 1st—a lot
- of Burbanks from Texas which sold at 75c per 4-basket
crate. They were, however, in poor condition. June 6th,
Tennessee Chicakasaws, $1.00 to $1.25 in 24-quart cases.
June 9th Arkansas receipts of Wild Goose, 75 to 85 cents
for 1-2 bushel boxes. Would fare better in 24-quart cases
and be in better condition. June 15th, Arkansas Wild
Goose in 1-3 busehl boxes, 70 to 90 cents. Tennessee
Chickasaws and other cheap common sorts, 85e to $1.00 for
94 quart cases. June 20th the market report reads as fol-
lows:
Plums—Fancy Wild Goose firm and in demand; common
varieties slow. Quote Arkansas and Tennessee Wild Goose
at 60c per peck box, 90c to $1.00 per 1-3 bu. box and $1.50@
1.75' per 6-gal. case; Chickasaw and other common varie-
ties dull at $1.00 per 6-basket crate; 4- basket crates Japan
varieties at 75c to $1.00 and 6-basket cases do (Arkansas)
at $2.00.
By the 1st to the 3rd of July report reads about as fol-
lows:
Plums—Sound large ripe Wild Goose in good demand and
48 - SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
firm; overripe, soft, cracked and all common varieties dull.
Quote Arkansas and Tennessee Wild Goose at 35c to 50c
per peck box, 65c per 1-3 bu. box and $1.25 to $1.50 per 6-
gal. case; common varieties dull at 75c to $1.00 per 6-
basket crate.
July 10th to 12th market report reads:
Plums—Firmer; receipts light and demand fair. Quote
choice Wild Goose and Newman at 35@45c per peck box,
50@60c per 1-3 bu. box and $1.25 per 6-gal. case; Kelsey,
Abundance, Red June, Burbank and other Japanese va-
rieties at 40@ 50c per 1-3 bu. box. Lot of 33 %-bu. chip
baskets sold at 75c per basket for Wild Goose and 90c for
Green Gages.
DECIDUOUS FRUITS.
Later, 15th to 20th, the California offerings were gradual-
ly increasing, car loads, including apricots, cherries, plums, ~
prunes, early peaches, pears, etc., all of the earlier sorts.
The cars steadily increased thereafter, embracing a great
variety of plums, prunes, etc., elegant fruit in attractive
packages, 4-basket crates, about 20 lbs. net in each.
Other states soon follow, Oregon, Washington and Idaho,
which united with California offerings, make a magnifi-
cent display in every market. All the cars of deciduous
fruits go direct to the two auction houses which sell three
times a week—Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Hach
month thereafter shows enlarged offerings in the big mar-
kets, which the more Eastern states find very strong com-
petition. |
August little else but home-grown here, the more South-.
ern states being done shipping. August 5th the quotations
are as follows:
Plums—Damsons in freer offering and easier; other va-
\
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 49
rieties slow. Quote damsons at $1.00 per 14-bu. basket and
by weight at 51%4c per lb., Green Gages at 50@60c per %4-bu.
and 25c per peck basket; German prunes at 75@90c per
per 14-bu. basket; large red varieties at $1.00 per 14-bu.
basket, 75c@$1.00 per 1-3-bu. box and $1.50@2.00 per 6-
gal. case; Japan varieties at $1.00 per 6-gal. case. 3
Six gallon cases, or strawberry packages are the best to
use. The four-basket crate, too, brings them here in good
shape, and the six-basket crates best of all. Small bas-
kets also make excellent packages, like Michigan uses,
one-fifth of a bushel, a nice retail package, which she also
uses for peaches. A few soft or too ripe soon make a
bad looking mess of the whole contents of the box, or pack-
age, the greener ones smashing the soft or ripe ones. When
shipping Wild Goose or Chickasaws by freight, gather when
full grown, before coloring sets in, but if by express let
them remain on the trees a little longer. A good many ar-
rive too ripe. They ripen rapidly whilein transit and full
ripe friut should not be shipped, as a few of them sometimes
spoil the sale of the package. They should not be shipped
by freight unless 12 to 18 hours in transit (no longer) is
assured. However ,time by freight cannot be assured le-
gally and you have to take your own chances in this way.
APPLES.
‘Were we not writing for Southern growers and shippers
we should open our subject with what Downing calls “the
world renowned fruit of temperate climates,” the apple.
Apples are shipped as regularly to Europe as our surplus
wheat and other products, and the American apple is steadi-
ly growing in favor and popularity in the principal foreign
markets, especially so in Liverpool, Glasgow and London,
where thousands of barrels go every month during the ship-
50 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES:
ping season, from Hastern shipping points and also from
Canada.
The French and German markets which take large
quantities at times, would be open for much more American
apples but for the disposition of each government to retal-
iate for the heavy duties placed on some of their products
by this country. .
The Southern shippers are interested most in the earli-
est varieties, such as the Red June, Karly Harvest and Red
Astrachan, which appear early enough to find most mar-
kets almost bare. The later varieties, too, should be grown
at least to some extent, for local and family wants, if
nothing more. Being entirely hardy, producing a crop
every year and thriving with very little care, they can be
grown by the most inexperienced., West Tennessee and
Northern Arkansas, Northern Mississippi, Northern Ala-
bama and Northeast Texas raise considerable apples for
the early market. Kentucky and Southern Illinois are
largely engaged in the business and contribute liberally to
~ our market. The Red June is the most profitable early va-
riety. The Harly Harvest is earlier, but is lacking in size
and color, so desirable an advantage, and never sells so
well. Apples can be had any month in the year, the old
stock appearing until the new crop comes in, and both can
be found at the retailers’ stands sometimes for a month
afterwards. | at |
First receipts were on the 2nd of June, two-third bushel
boxes, from Southern Illinois and Tennessee, small green
apples selling at $1.00 to $1.15. Mississippi has frequently
been the first shipping here. On the 7th Mississippi ap-
ples, better fruit, appeared and in two-third bushel boxes
brought $1.25 to $1.50 box. June 10th, the price current
reads: |
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 51
New Apples—Quality of offerings generally poor, hence
sales slow; large red June or yellow fruit would bring good
prices if offered. Tennessee hampers, green, quotable at
$1.00@1.25 for good-sized and 90c for windfalls, and red
June at $1.40; Southern Illinois 2-3 bu. boxes at $1.85 and
14-bu. baskets at 50@ 65c.
From the 10th to the 20th little change to note in prices,
stock generally poor, and the receipts from Mississippi,
Southern Illinois and Tennessee:
On the 22nd here is the report:
New Apples—Values weakening on increasing receipts
and general poor quality of offerings; small, green, wind-
falls dull, but smooth large red, early harvest and trans-
parent in demand. Quote early harvest in brls at $3.00 for
No. 2 to $4.50 for No. 1 hand-picked. Tennessee 6-basket
erates green at 90c and red June at $1.25; 1-3 bu. boxes at
40c for green and 60c for red June; Illinois melon baskets
at 50c and 2-3 bu. boxes at 65@85c for small to $1.00@1.25
for large fruit and fancy transparent at $1.40. Sales: 40
melon baskets Illinois at 50c, 16 and 4 boxes transparent at
$1.40 and 2 boxes mixed at $1.00, 10 and 11 brls. Illinois
Harly Harvest (No. 1) at $4.50.
By the first week in July the market is lower, receipts
being heavier, most of them in barrels, at $2.00 to $3.00,
and the local crop is now coming and selling at 35c to $1.00
in open half bu. chip baskets. The season now may be
said to be at its height for the early varieties. A review
of the season later would elicit nothing new or interesting
to the Southern shippers. 7
We will say to Western growers, that whenever New
York and the New England states have a crop, it may
not pay to store many, but when an off year comes,
there is money generally in putting away good stock for
52 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
late markets. The New York yield is large when it comes
—usually crowding eastern markets, beside liberal ship-
ments to Hurope.
For earliest shipments, when the market is comparatively
bare and prices high, use the regular bushel hamper now
used so extensively in shipping a great variety of fruits
and vegetables, and later barrels. Barrels for these early
sorts should be “chipped” or ventilated. They keep long-
er and do not ripen or mellow so rapidly.
Now, in regard to packing: Do not fail to examine all
your barrels carefully before packing. Tighten all the
hoops, using the shortest nail possible on the bulge. Use
liners always on top and bottom; do not try to be saving
by using inferior barrels. The best are always the cheap-
est in the end. Apples should always be hand picked,
throwing out all bruised stock and windfalls. These quali-
ties only depreciate the value of your market and compel you
to pay charges on something that may have no value in any
market. Remember, the freight is as much on poor fruit
as good, and the barrels cost too much to use on poor
— fruit. !
The facing isa nice part of the trade. Use the brightest
and best shaped for this purpose, placing them two layers
deep, with stems downward. Use only of an average size,
representing the same as balance of contents, so that the
buyers are not misled. Don’t do anything that will give
your brand a “black eye.”
Do not in any instance make a facing that will lead the ©
purchaser to suppose that an extra large quality is being
sold him, when in reality he will have an inferior lot of —
stock outside of the few fancy facers. Failure, not success,
lies that way.
This kind of business is an injury to the house handling
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 53
your goods, and your brand will be condemned by the
trade. After thorough facing, finish placing in the balance,
by handling carefully in a small way, so as to avoid bruis-
ing. Shake the barrel often, so as to have them settle in
solid. |
If intended for immediate shipment, head them up with
a screw press, always neatly—have an experienced work-
man for this purpose—so that the barrel after being well
packed, nicely stenciled, naming the variety, and well head-
ed, shows up in good, neat shape for the market.
.Invariably mark the faced end or the one you want us
to open for the purchaser. :
If you mark the wrong end it will lead to confusion and
render it necessary to open every barrel to ascertain which
is rightly and which is wrongly marked. The name of the
firm you are shipping to, and the name of the variety of
apple, should be put on the head in every case, with sten-
cil, if possible, but in its absence with brush or lead pencil.
Never leave your commission man or his customers in
doubt as to what kind of apple the barrel contains, or which
is the top or bottom.
Put no marks on the bottom or pressed end.
Shippers lose a good deal of money by failing to com-
ply with these requirements.
SPECIAL NOTICE.
During the suramer months, country shippers of perish-
able Fruits and Vegetables should so time their shipments
that they will not be delivered on the street Saturday after-
noon; only in the very early morning hours of that day can
stuff be marketed advantageously—arrivals later in day
usually have to be sacrificed or carried over to the follow-
ing week. |
34 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
WATERMELONS.
All the Southern States can grow the melon in the great-
est abundance, and as very little skill, knowledge or experi-
ence is required, the business is not always profitable in
shipping to distant markets. The melons are so bulky,
large and heavy, that the cost of transportation becomes at
once the first matter to consider in connection with their
cultivation. Your location is also an important matter.
You must be near a railroad station. As melons will not
bear express charges, you must avail yourself of the Bega
est freight 9ccessible.
The first receipts are from Florida about the latter part
of May or first week m June, with Georgia or Southern
Texas next, from the 15th to the 20th of June. Northern
Texas usually raises a large crop, but rarely appears early
enough in this market to secure early or high prices. Last
season the first car was from Leesburg, Fla., 1,000 25-lb.
melons, which. averaged over 2 cents a pound, car bringing
over $500, the only car on the market for several days, get-
ting in on the 30th of May. A week later Southern Texas
was represented by a car of 27-pound melons, which sold at:
$2.00 per 100 lbs. June 15th, principal receipts continuing
from Florida, most of them the Watson melon, a prime fa-
vorite now in all the southern states. An occasional car
Florida Favorite from Florida. Market 90c to $1.25 per
100 lbs., as to size and condition. July lst the market re-
port reads:
Watermelons—Demand fairly active; movement free, bit
at lower prices, due to liberal offerings. Quote the range ~
in jiobbing, delivered, at 65@70c per 100 ibs. for small, to
75@806c for 25-lb., and 85@90c for 28-lb. Watsons. Sales:
1 car 20-lb. Florida Watsons yesterday, $140 on track; de-
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. yo)
livered—load 24-lb. Florida Watsons at 75c per 100 Ibs.,
3 loads 25-lb. do at 80c, 4 loads 28-lb. do at 85c to 90c.
By the 15th of July, Texas, Alabama, Georgia and South-
east Missouri are shipping melons. Southeast Missouri
points 165 to 200 miles south of St. Louis are shipping
steadily, but only in a limited way, until about the Ist of
August, when receipts may be 40 to 60 cars daily, many of
them going through, however, to other markets further
North. July 15th the daily market reads:
Watermelons—Firm, with a good demand for sound, large
melons; spotted and specked fruit hard to sell. Quote in
jobbing way delivered at 65c to 95c per 100 Ibs., according
to size and kind. Sales, delivered, per 100 lbs.: Car 27-lb.
Alabama Watsons at 65c, load 24-lb. Watsons at 75c, 2
loads 28-lb. do at 85c, 1 car 32-lb. do at 95c.
The market report for August 3rd, reads:
Watermelons—Receipts 37 cars, including 7 cars local
and 13 cars through I. M., 9 cars local on Rock Island, 7
cars local and 1 car through on L. & N. Market
Market about steady, with a quiet demand for choice large-
sized long melons; round melons dull and relatively cheap-
er. Quote car loats Missouri melons on trk at $75@90 per
car for 18-lb. Monte Cristo, $90@100 for 18@20-lb. Watsons,
$110@115 for 22@23-lbfl Watsons, and $120@125 for
25@28-lb. Watsons. Sales: 1 car Missouri 23-lb.
Kolb Gem at 10c each delivered. On trk—4 cars Ar-
kansas 25@28-lb. Rattlesnake and Watsons at $100 to $120,
1 car 18-lb. Missouri Watsons (21,000 Ibs) at $100, '2 cars
26-lb. do (26,000 lbs.) at $110, 1 car 22-lb. and 1 car 25-lb.
do also at $110, 1 car Mo. at $85, 1 do at $90, 1 do at $100, 1
do at $105, 4 cars 24-lb. Mo. Watsons at $100, 1 do at $105, 4
cars 24-lb. Mo. Watsons at $100, 1 at $100, 3 at $105, 2 at
$110.
~~ 4
56 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
On the 15th of August, when the season, especially for
home-grown was at its height, the market report is as
follows: aN |
Watermelons—Receipts 15 cars local on Frisco, 26 cars
local on Frisco R. I., 19 cars local and 5 cars through on
Iron Mountain. Offerings quite large, but principally of
overripe, small and sunburnt melons, which are selling
with difficulty and at comparatively low prices. Fair in- —
quiry for choice large long melons at fair prices. Quote
car lots Missouri on track at $33 to $85, according to
quality and size. Sales: 1 car 18-lb. Missouri Watson at
40c per 100 lbs. del. On track: Missouri—1 car Monte Cris-
to at$40, 1 car 20-lb. Watsons at $60; 1 car 20@22-lb. do at $55,
1 at $47, 1 at $50, 3 at $65, 1 at $67.50, 1 at $70, 2 at $75, 1
at $81. This morning’s sales on trk: 3 cars for $100, 1 car at
$35, 3 at $40, 1 at $42.50, 2: at $45, 1 at $47.50, 2 at $50, 1
at $55, 1 at $60, 1 at $75, 1 at $85, 1 car 15-lb. Alabama sweet
at $44, 2 cars 23-lb. Watsons at $80. Also 1 car 28-lb. In-
diana Watsons (yes p. m.) at $140 trk.
You are no nonger interested in the course of the mar-
ket, but Indiana is—her stock being so much better than
any others coming, that she gets good prices till the close
of the season, perhaps a month or six weeks later.
One evil practiced by many Southeast Missouri shippers
is that of putting into the earliest cars loaded some melons
not fully ripe, in their anxiety to get into market while
prices are high. This is one of the mistakes of improper
packing that injures the owner eventually. The discovery
of a few half-green melons gives the whole car a black eye,
and damages the sale, sometimes seriously.
Another very serious mistake of shippers is their failure
to notify the consignee how many melons in the car or
their average weight. 3 | 7
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 57
The first inquiry of a buyer is, “How many melons in
the car?” and the next question is, ‘““What do they weigh or
average?” :
The seller is too often unable to answer either and thus
the sale is thereby injured, since the buyer does not know
what he is getting. Lots of trades are lost thereby, es-
pecially for reshipment. Do not make the mistake of put-
ting only the big ones on top. Let them run straight.
In packing, hay or straw or similar packing material,
should be spread over the bottom of the car. Sawdust
should be avoided. Thoroughly ventilated or cattle cars
should be used, the sides, if opened, protected against pil-
fering by nailing planks on the inside or openings.
A car should hold 900 to 1,500, according to size of
melons and not less than 24,000 pounds.
CANTALOUPES.
They sometimes appear a week or more before water-
melons, but last year were a week later than the first wa-
termelons. The first receipts arrived on the 5th of June
from Florida, in standard crates, selling at $2.00 to $4.00,
as to quality and condition. Strangely enough a shipment
from Southern Texas arrived that same afternoon in the
regular half-bushel cantaloupe baskets (1 dozen melons).
They sold at 60c to 80c basket.
From the 7th to 12th of June receipts continue from Flor-
ida, California and Texas. The Florida stock $3.00 to $4.00
for’ standard crates and pony crates $2.50 to $3.00 Texas
baskets 60c to 75 and California standard crates $4.00 to
$4.25. The California stock is very uniform and even in the
matter of maturity, size and condition—disclosing the cus-
tomary care and pack of the Californian. On June 16th
the daily price current reads: . .
56 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Cantaloupes—Offerings larger. Choice sweet-flavored
melons in good demand; green, soft, etc, not wanted.
Quote Florida standard crates Gems at $2.75 and pony
crates at $2.25 del.; California standard crates sold in job-
bing way del. at $4.00 and pony crates at $3.00. Alabama
bu. hampers at $1.40.
June 21st, here is the market report:
Cantaloupes—Lower. Quote Texas standard crates Gems
at $2.25; California standard crates sold in jobbing way del.
at $2.75@3.00, and pony crates at $1.75@2.00, mainly at
$2.75 and $1.75. Alabama hampers at 75c and baskets at
50c.
On July 38rd the report reads:
Cantaloupes—Market steady and demand heal for fancy
California, but weak and irregular on overripe and soft;
Georgia melons selling at wide range in price owing to
great difference in quality. Quote fancy California stand-
ard crates in jobbing way del. at $2.00 and pony crates at
$1.50@1.65—soft less; sales included 1 car standard at $2.00
del., 1 car at $2.00 for standard and $1.50 for pony crates, 1
car at $2.00 and $1.65 and 1 car at $1.50@1.75 for
standard and $1@1.25 for pony—all del. Georgia standard
crates selling at 50c to $1.50, mainly at $1.00@1.25; ale
bama hampers at 25c to 40c.
Here is the report July 18th:
Cantaloupes.—Steady; free receipts and choice well-fla-
vored melons in fair demand; soft, overripe, green and _ in-
ferior stock dull. Quote Arizona standard crates at $2.75
and pony crates at $2.25 del.;.California standard and jum-
bo crates at $2.75. Missouri baskets at 40@50c and bu.
crates at 90c@$1.00. Illinois baskets and small crates at
40@50c—1 car sold at 40c del. and flat crates at 50@65c.
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. oo ge
Arkansas standard crates at $1.50@2.00, bu. crates at $1.00
@1.25 and flat crates at 50@65c.
Home-grown and Western Kentucky cantaloupes are com-
ing and southern shippers are no longer interested. Colo-
rado’s fine stock is coming by the carload about the 15th
August, and their brands predominate for 2 months or more
following, says 20th of August to 20th of October. How-
ever, some good stock comes here from Indiana and Mich-
igan. |
Most of the Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana receipts
came through in good order by through fast trains. If
picked at the proper time, just when full grown, will stand
two or three days easily. 7
Barrels (chipped or ventilated), boxes, crates, etc., will
do for early shipments. Barrels, however, are not desirable
packages bein gtoo large, the greenest crushing the ripest.
Put in no overripe, soft, specked, bruised, damaged or
faulty melons. Neither must they be picked too green or
half grown. One or more soft or damaged melons in a
_ erate spoils the sale of the package.
The Ordway Colorado district has turned out the finest
kind of melons the past few years. The Ordway pink meat
has become famous and led to a widespread demand for
this variety. It’s nearly all meat—just a little cavity for
the seed in the center. It has splendid keeping qualities
and almost holds the trade and market for about six weeks
or from the latter part of September to the middle of No-
vember. There is a growing demand for good cantaloupes.
ORANGES.
Our Florida friends understand pretty well about the
packing, sizing, assorting, marking, etc., of the orange crop,
60 - SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
and these features of the business need no extended notice
in this work. Pe |
These important labors are, however, sometimes poorly
performed.
The packers who DRORSHRE A size and grade, after whom
the marking of count and quality will prove correct, are
usually properly rewarded for their labors.
Therefore, when you mark a box Bright, be sure there
is nothing else in the package.
Mark the proper count at all times.
As there is a wide difference in the quality and price
of Russets, separate them into two grades—Golden Rus-
sets and simply Russets. There should be two grades of
Bright—Fancy Bright and Plain Brights. .
The most favored size is 176, and from that to 200 fol-
lowing next. Perhaps 150 to 165 sizes next. There is a
heavy. demand for 200 to 250 sizes from the peddling trade,
and at nearly full prices, but they do not buy until prices
are down to reasonable limits, ant when cheap they buy
very freely.
All should be wrapped. Do not ship any other way.
Fill a car whenever possible. It makes better time, and
the fruit is not rehandled and subject to other injuries and
dangers that small lots are exposed to. Do not hurry off
the crop in the latter part of November while too green.
The folly of doing so has been thoroughly demonstrated.
The Florida orange is in favor with all classes, and
its reputation is well established for its flavor, taste, thin
skin, sweetness and general excellence, being superior as a
rule to most others offered.
The California Valencia orange has come to the front
of late years as the most profitable. It is a fine sweet
orange, good keeper, and almost seedless. Its great ad-
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 61
vantage is that it comes to market when it has practically
no competition, beginning about the 1st of May when the
others are disappearing.
The general plan of distribution is a subject that is too
large, too important and too unwieldy to be handled in the
small space that could be given it in a work like this. The
Florida papers have discussed the matter from all points,
and growers and shippers must draw their own conclusions.
There is a difference of opinion on the subject and always
will be. Of late years practically all the oranges coming
here go to the two auction houses here. Sales days every
Monday, Wednesday and Friday throughout the year.
PINEAPPLES.
The discovery of the pine apple was made by the Span-
iards in South America probably in the 16th century. In
the 17th century it had found its way to the hot houses in
England and Holland, its use being confined to royalty. It
remained very scarce till the 18th century. It is now
grown by all the leading nations either in glass houses or
in the open. Out door cultivatiom in the United States
dates back to 1860. There are 100 or more varieties. The
Florida State Horticultural Society selected and described
18 of these varieties in its annual report for 1900—all of
foreign origin.
The Red Spanish is the best known and the standard
variety for commercial purposes and field cultivation. Some
of the favorites under glass don’t do so well in the field.
No other fruit in the long list offered to the public has
made such rapid strides from a commercial standpoint. At
least ten times as many pines find their way to paying mar-
kets today as did ten years ago. Wonderful progress has
62 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
been made in the cultivation, packing, marketing, ete. Flor-
ida seems to have the ideal lands for pine raising. They go
to all the big markets of the country in solid car loads very
successfully and without interruption for two months—May
and June. They begin in April and end in July. However,
more or less come along in a small, irregular way until
Christmas.
Florida packs in half-barrel crates, very neat, substan-
tial packages, holding 24 to 42 pines, according to size, each
wrapped in a brown paper bag. The various sizes fit snugly
in each crate and the fruit not only arrives as a rule in
good condition, but keeps fairly well one to two weeks af- -
terwards. Around Christmas and the holidays some large
fancy varieties with large, handsome green tops, admirable
for table decoration, come to us and find ready sale at good
prices. The fruit as a rule is handsome, sound and perfect,
showing excellent judgment in grading, selecting and pack-
ing. Cuba is the next largest contributor. Havana has
been shipping pines all winter via New York, in barrels and
will continue to do so till Florida crowds them out, which
she does to a large extent in May or June her stock being
so much finer and larger and better color. Car loads of
Havana pines come here occasionally more or less damaged
—egoing direct to either of the two auctions here. The
quality of the Cuban stock continues to improve, and the
conditions—the fruit being much larger and finer quality
and color and generally in better condition on arrival. -
Porto Rico, the Hawaiians and Philippine Islands and
West Indian Islands, could raise successfully millions of
pines, yet Florida and Cuba will doubtless continue to sup-
ply most of the markets of the United States.
The pine apple is steadily growing in public favor and
deserves to, being a valuabie addition to our most delicious
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 63
iruits. The taste and flavor of the pine apple is so agree-
able that no one has to acquire a taste for it.
GRAPE FRUIT, OR POMELO.
The Pomelo is a native of the East Indies. The fruit
grows so close together, in bunches, hence the term Grape
Fruit. The Pomelo we regard as identical—another name
for it—but possibly the scientific horticulturists will dis-
pute this point.
To the average citizen it was a big sour orange, not so
long ago, and while some stopped to ask the name of it
rarely bought. Now, however, it is known to everybody—
although only the well-to-do can have it on the breakfast
table for a good portion of the season. A number of dys-
peptic gentlemen, however, recognize the juice in it as
beneficial, and so do many who regard it valuable for its
anti-malarial ingredients, which the juice furnishes.
_ The man who gets his teeth for the first time into the
white, pithy substance intervening between the skin and
fruit sections, will think it is largely quinine, so bitter is it
However, the fruit sections contain a juice that makes a
fine, refreshing drink, especially in hot weather, and its
free consumption has been urged by medical authorities as
an antidote for malarial and similar purposes. The best
way to eat Pomelo is to cut it entirely through crosswise
and with a spoon dip out the juice, thus avoiding the bitter
rind. The grocers now handle it freely, and a wonderful
demand has grown for it among the better class, who can
afford to buy it. It has been steadily advancing in value,
and during the past fall and winter, its regular season, a
large amount was consumed here at $5 to $7 per box for
Florida and Jamaica fruit, the former selling highest. Cal-
ifornia shipped some that sold low on account of lack of
64 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
juice in the fruit. The demand for Grape Fruit has become
widespread and its continues to grow.
TANGERINES AND MANDARINS.
The Tangerine is slowly finding its way to public favor,
and the prices sometimes are nearly double those of the
orange, especially in November and December. Yet the
market is very easily crowded or broken down. The orange
is so much cheaper, and so closely resembling it, that you
can sell 50 boxes of them while selling two of the latter—
half boxes at that—for they should be packed in half boxes, |
or packages half the size of the regular orange box.
The Mandarin is much more neglected than the Tan-
gerine because less desirable.
PAWPAWS AND PERSIMMONS.
These native fruits are well known, but are not pur-
chased or eaten by one citizen in a hundred, and the many
boys who go into the woods and far into the country after
them at the time .of their maturing, are also their most
ardent admirers and liberal patrons after they reach the
city fruit stand. The usual good crop of both in this imme- ©
diate vicinity supplies all the demand existing, and more
too.
FIGS.
_ Several years ago we used to get some small shipments
of figs from Mississippi and other southern states. Very,
few were received the past few years, and there is really
little encouragement to offer shippers, and we can urge
only small shipments, to the market. Quart boxes and
' strawberry crates are the most appropriate package for
shipping them and such sell at $1.75 to $2.00 per crate.
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 65
JAPANESE PERSIMMON.—(KAKI.)
This fruit has been talked about at length for some years
past, as a very promising if not profitable fruit for market,
and its cultivation urged. We cannot refer to it here in
the same complimentary manner. The facts do not war-
rant it. Several small shipments of it were made to this
city frequently the past few years, the finest specimens
coming from Arkansas. It resemblés a handsome tomato so
very closely in size, color, shape, etc., itis taken for one by
nine out of every ten whose eye it catches, and it was pur-
chased only ina very small way, and by all as a curiosity, or
for show or display purposes. Few would care to risk eating
it fora persimmon. With a better acquaintance with the pub-
' lic it may find more favor with customers, but it will be very
slow securing proper recognition, and we suggest going
slow with it until the people learn what it is, its merits, etc.
We think it will eventually find its way to the big family
of preserves of canned goods and find a market with them.
Retail dealers should not allow their customers to buy it
unless so ripe as to be soft, when the taste and flavor will
- be found all ure A.
MULBERRIES.
The native mulberry used to appear here frequently dur-
ing the’season many years ago. It has almost disappeared
ees
as a market fruit. In fact, there is ao inquiry whatever
for it, and it may not sell for enough Ue justify gathering
and shipping it here.
PECANS
Can be grown very successfully throughout the greater
part of the South. The man who has a pecan grove has
66 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
something that will furnish a nice income, possibly all his
life. The cultivator who has a pecan grove in bearing has
something to leave as a legacy to his family.or children.
It bears as regularly as an apple orchard, and is good for
more than one generation as a producer. They require but
very little care as compared with raising of fruit or vegeta-
ble crops, and are always ready sale at fair to good prices.
They are not perishable like most other products and can
be held safely for many months. They can be shipped by
freight from anywhere in sacks or barrels.
KUMQUATS.
Here is something comparatively new in this and other
markets, or was up to ten years ago, when they first ap-
peared. The kumquat is a miniature orange, half to three-
quarters of an inch in diameter. They come on the little
branches on which they grow and should not be gathered
from. the trees like the regular orange. The twigs should
be cut off, each having a cluster of fruit. Visitors from the
North in Florida buy them freely. For decorations of
Christmas trees and the table at social gatherings, dinners,
etc., they are a decided novelty and great attraction. The
rich green little leaves, corresponding with the small fruit
on the little branches on which the golden orange hangs
forms a most pleasant contrast. They came here in the
regular strawberry. ventilated crates in quart baskets and —
sold at 20 to 25 cents quart. The branches and leaves occu-
pied as much space as the fruit. This new novelty came
from Japan to Florida 15 years ago, imported we believe, by
Dr. J. F. Corrigan, St. Leo, Fla., and he was we think the
only gentleman in the state shipping them for several
years, although many other ‘parties have been shipping
them for years past. —
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 67
The following from the Kansas City Packer furnishes
additional particulars: ,
“The kumquat has also been started in California. It is
new to most markets, but wherever displayed has taken
well. The fruit is native to Southern China, and it is
widely grown there and in Japan. It is a bush or small
tree, and there are two varieties. One bears from the shape
of a plum and other produces round oranges. The branches
of the latter are quite thorny. About 3 dozen kumquats
will make a quart. A little tree not 2 feet high will bear
100 of them. They are sent to market in quart baskets
-and when a bit of their bright green foliage is displayed
they make a tempting purchase. .
“The way to eat a kumquat fresh is to take is as the
grocer said, rind and all. The rind has a tart flavor when
eaten with pulp that makes a very pleasant combination.
When preserved or candied, for which they are peculiarly
adapted, they make a palatable relish. The caterers and
confectioners are beginning to take to the kumquats in a
way that promises a large demand for them along that line.
“The kumquat can be grown indoors or under glass, re:
quiring plenty of sunlight and the same temperature that
a geranium would. When potted they are frequently gratt-
ed on hard stocks.”
The large demand referred to by the Packer never devel-
oped and never will. It will not pay to grow them for dis:
tant markets or commercial purposes.
68 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
RrPLOWHRS.
———_@--+ @ > <.—_______
SHIPMENTS OF
Every season a number of letters come asking for infor-
mation under this head—what to ship, who to ship them to,
the names of florists or dealers who handle them, etc.
To begin with, flowers must be perfectly fresh on arrival
here, presenting that very inviting appearance they have
when fresh from the greenhouses, to find sale, and very
few varieties of flowers can be delivered here from the
‘South in that desirable condition, and disappointment
awaits most of those who attempt shipping, who have had
no practical experience.
There is no use in referring to any special flower, but
I will briefly say that the only one you are safe in shipping
to this or any other market is the
CAPE JESSAMINE,
A flower of surpassing beauty and freien, and for but-
tonhole, table and other decorative purposes, superior to
most of the beauties of the floral world. For buttonholes
and personal decoration of ladies and gentlemen on the
street, they are prime favorites, and are deservedly grow-
ing in favor. The express charges, fortunately, on such are
exceedingly small, and there is little risk or loss attached .
to shipping, if reasonable judgment is exercised in gather-
ing and packing. A portion of the buds shipped the past —
few years were worthless, most of them cut too green. Such
soon become withered, discolored, and dry up. A few, on
the other hand, were too far advanced—the flower wide
open when shipped. The proper time to ship, for a 24 to 48
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 69
hours’ ride is just when the tip of the bud becomes white,
and before it begins to open or spread.
The packing is important, and the material for this
purpose should be moist moss or cotton. for without moist-
ure throughout the ride they will not arrive in the proper
condition, and only packing material that will easily retain
the moisture, such as moss, should be used This provision
is important, because reshipping is often necessary, or the
dealer here may have to hold two or three days before dis-
posing of them. One-third bushel boxes will do very well,
though the openings in these packages are frequently too
large to protect the required moisture. The number of the
buds should be plainly marked on every package—about
200: to the box—all nicely laid in rows between layers of |
damp or wet moss. The buds will be gradually maturing
or opening. while in transit, and on arrival their beauty and
fragrance will be more apparent, and the desired condition
for selling to advantage secured. ‘Southern Texas points
ship many. Alvin, Texas, has probably shipped more than
any other southern city the past ten years.
They wrap them up in pieces of common newspaper—25
in a bunch, and then pack them snugly in half-bushel chip
baskets covered over with a piece of muslin and sewed on
so as to fully protect them en route. The papers are wet
at the start and remain moist till destination is reached.
By following closely the foregoing instructions you can
make some money shipping these flowers to the commis-
sion houses. Many of the florists and regular dealers are
opposed to this outside competition, and may not offer you
much encouragement if you apply to them. Harly receipts
of desirable buds sell at 60 to 75 cents per 100, but they
gradually decline to 50 cents as the receipts increase. The
receipts were light the past few years.
70 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS. |
eS
ABOUT IRRESPONSIBLE HOUSES.
There is no more appropriate place to devote a few lines
to such a subject, and we cannot ignore the opportunity to
offer a few words of explanation and caution under this
head. Shippers are so situated that it is difficult for them
to ascertain at short notice the standing and responsibility
of certain firms, and the question rarely occurs to them
until they are ready to ship, or appealed to for business by
some new firm they know nothing about. They occasional-
ly receive a letter soliciting shipments, that is so alluring
and tempting in character and make-up that some cannot
resist it, and take the chances. You are told of the prices
they can secure or guarantee you, the advantages they have
over all other houses, and all the tricks to catch the unso-
-phisticated are resorted to, and very often successfully.
In past years many shippers have been caught through
such letters, full of liberal promises never lived up to, but
Uncle Sam’s postal laws cover such cases—as they amount
to a violation of the postal laws. To avoid such prosecu-
tions a district is invaded where the party is ‘compar-
atively unknown. He is a good talker, shrewd and a good
jude of human nature, but he does not always remain long
enough to see the returns or how satisfactory they were to.
the shipper. “BRN
Now, fruit shippers must understand that every mer-
cantile business has a certain number of adventurers, men
who have everything to make and nothing to lose, and wha
some day, after having secured the confidence, patronage
POR NORTHERN MARKETS. ay
and funds of the confiding and unsuspecting class, disap-
pear as suddenly and as unexpectedly as they appeared.
The fruit commission business, we regret to say, is not
free from this class any more than any other calling, and
never will, and hence the importance of intrusting your
business to well known, experienced and long established
firms, for if you cannot do well with such houses, what show
‘will you have with a different class?
In every large city a few such firms are apt to come to
the front, making their advent with the first arrivals of
fruits, and too often, when the fruit Season is over and no
more to be made, they go down with the leaves in the fall.
You are surprised how they get your address. This is
simple enough, as they can be secured from the packages
in front of the commission houses or at the express offices
every day.
We know of a great many fruit shippers who will appre-
ciate the force and wisdom of the foregoing remarxs, but
we are writing for the benefit of the less experienced, that
they may avoid the expensive experiments of others and
profit by their experience.
The shipper should not condemn the entire trade—most
of whom have devoted a life time to honest effort and hard
work and to whom the hand of welcome is cheerfully ex-
tended in any shipping district, because of the acts of a few
unscrupulous adventurers.
These remarks will apply with equal force to all markets
as well as St. Louis, and this little volume represents so
many of them that our friends will patronize, that we urge
the greatest caution, since few shippers are in circum-
stances to stand the losses frequently arising from shipping
indiscriminately. The grower or shipper who has a copy
of this book has no excuse for taking chances with strang-
72 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
ers as he can find in it the address of a good firm in each
leading market—persons who are well known to the writer
as thoroughly reliable and responsible.
ABOUT COMMISSIONS.
The inexperienced shipper often objects to 10 per cent
commission, the universal charge in all the principal cities,
by firms making a specialty of such products. There is,
perhaps, no business requiring so much stationery, writing,
stamps, stencils, drumming expenses and preparatory work
as ours, and to do justice to these very perishable products.
you can really attend to nothing else while they are coming
in. As a matter of fact, no merchant gets 10 per cent for
selling the goods, for fully 3 to 5 is consumed in the cost of
soliciting, whether by local agent or traveling man, coupled |
with the cost of stencil reports, telegrams, etc.
It would be much easier and more profitable to sell other
goods over which you need not be so exercised at 5 per
cent. The most favorable argument in favor of the justice
and propriety of these rates of commission, is the action of
most of the oldest, largest and most experienced shippers,
who will not ship to any firm who charges less than 7 per
cent for car loads and 10 per cent for smaller express ship-
ments, and at the end of the season the wisdom of their ac-
tions will be apparent. ;
DIVIDING SHIPMENTS.
Fruit growers frequently divide up their shipments too
much. Wecshave in our travels often seen shippers mark
half a dozen packages to three or four houses. This is all
wrong and rarely pays as well as if shipped only to one or
two houses. The same labor and amount of bookkeeping is.
required to record and report these little shipments as
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 73
large ones, increasing the opportunities to make mistakes,
giving as it does double work to express agents at both
ends of the line, frequently increasing the express charges
and requiring so many more reports from here, stationery,
‘postage stamps, price currents, ete. All of which go to
show the practice is illadvised—doubling the labor to all
concerned without any benefit in return.
‘Remember that competition in selling reduces prices in-
stead of raising them, especially on perishables.
A lot of peddlers and small dealers who run from store
to store seeking lower prices will boldly inform you that
they can buy the same fruit at so much less elsewhere,
and they go to the other firm handling the same brands and
tell him the same thing, and one after another comes along
with the same story, and unless the dealer is on the-alert
he will finally conclude it must be so, and then “cutting”
of prices follows speedily. The mischief does not: rest
there, but spreads along the line and others suffer by the
decline. The magnitude of the evil is soon in evidence,
which is too often started in this way—dividing the same
goods on the street and thus creating uncalled for com-
petition. |
THE NEW SHIPPER.
The most difficult man to satisfy is the new shipper.
He expects too much generally. He has an idea that you
await, with some anxiety, the arrival of his shipment, also
a number of your customers. He will expect a long letter
giving the full details of its conditions, etc., what it
brought; and if the returns fail to come up to those of any
of his neighbors, you have made an enemy in most cases,
_ and he is ripe for a change and an easy prey to the first
drummer that comes along, An explanation, if you have
: *s ee | ie FANG f bw ji ue eh
74 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
time to make such, rarely satisfies him. The commission
house soliciting the new shipper will find a number hard
to please; we know this from long experience. And as.
shippers and receivers are looking for all the information
they can acquire, we are reserving nothing through selfish
or other motives from either party in this work.
SOME POPULAR ERRORS.
Tne belief prevails widely that fruit commission mer-
chants are rich, have an easy way of making money, and
steadily adding to their wealth at the expense of the
shipper; that they are in a safe business and should never
fail. This is a rosy picture and we wish it was only half
true. But few are rich, and it can be said with the greatest
truth they are not in the right sort of business to become
rich. There are few,in this city, at least, practicing any
thing but economical habits, either in living or conducting ©
business, and some are remaining in the trade in the hope
that the future will prove more profitable than the past.
In the hot contest for existence in the commercial life now,
the man who succeeds in meeting his current expenses and
bills promptly is fortunate, and the firms that have a little
balance on the right side at the end of the year are not
too numerous.
There are some commission houses who have made
money and who still hold it, but little of it accumulated
from handling fruit and vegetables on commission. It has
been the result of lucky ventures or speculation in other
directions. No firm in this line of business can live solely
on consignments of fruit. All must handle other prod-
ucts at least six months in the year, for the domestic fruit
season pays expenses only while it lasts—no ionger.
The commission man suffers from bad debts, as all —
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 75
others do, two-thirds of his sales are charged up, and no
matter how many bills he loses, the shippers must be paid |
for the goods. If all were sold for cash the receiver would
_ have to take less for his goods, and the shipper would as a
result get smaller returns. The seller, in his anxiety to
pleasethe shipper, beat his rivals and builds up his busi-
ness, often takes chances in this way he afterwards regrets.
Many years ago, when the force of competition was not
felt so keenly, there was more to be said in favor of the
business, and no less inviting field exists at present for a
man desiring to go into business. Many have tried it here
and elsewhere of late years to their sorrow. They found
trying to do a paying business competing with old estab-
lished and long experienced firms next to impossible; that
- not only considerable money but also a wide experience was
essential to success in the undertaking, and that it required
several years to even secure a paying patronage. We have
in our long experience seen so many young men, generally
offshoots of old firms, start out full of hope and soon after
find oblivion, that we are competent to write at length on
the subject, and hint advisedly in the foregoing remarks.
The long hours and long days inseperable from the busi-
ness for at least six to seven months every year, say from
the Ist of April to the 15th of October, or later, is a serious
situation that force of competition compels you to face.
That means 14 to 16 hours work daily, about double the
hours of union labor.
THE DRUMMING QUESTION
Is one of the most provoking to the receivers or dealers, as
well as shippers. It imposes on the commission men a
' heavy tax they have in vain sought to avoid. At fruit-
i
Ny
h
growers’ conventions and meetings, the subject comes up
(9
76 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
for discussion occasionally, and resolutions adopted, set-
ting forth, that houses hiring drummers or local solicitors
will not be patronized, ete. It is equally true, that later,
or before the first case of strawberries is ready, it takes |
only the eloquence of the average drummer to secure it for
his house, and the foregoing resolutions, subscribed to by
the shipper, wholly ignored. When the season is fairly un-
der way the best solicitor or talker, no matter how poor
or irresponsible his house may be, usually succeeds in ‘get-
ting the most, at least for a while, until the returns begin
to come in, when he can be found equally industrious at
other points, and thus while working up a fine business
keeps out of the reach of disappointed shippers.
The result is, every firm, no matter how old, reliable, or
responsible, or how good figures it can secure, will get left
unless it has a man on the grounds to fight for his share.
Thus, in self-defense, he is forced to hire a solicitor and
place him where the shipper says (at the meetings) he is
not wanted. So the shipper after all, creates the evil he
complains of, and sustains it.
RECEIVERS UNJUSTLY BLAMED.
As a sample of how commission men can be unjustly cen-
sured, we will relate an experience of our own which oc-
curred recently. One of our Missouri apple shippers, whom
we esteem very much for his liberal patronage, made a
shipment which we reported by wire same day received—
as in bad order, slack barrels, specks, faulty fruit and bad
packing generally. On receipt of the wire he replied we
must be mistaken, that it could not be his fruit. We tel-
egraphed him to come down on the first train, and if we
were wrong would pay the. expenses of the trip, an offer
he accepted. We showed him his fruit, which he admitted
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 77
was his, opened some barrels not yet touched, and found
them about same as those complained of. He expressed a
great deal of surprise at its condition and how it depreciat-
ed in value in such a short time. He saw then very forc-
ibly the result of rough handling of fruit which should be
carefully hand-picked, and the poor economy in hiring cheap,
green hands for the picking and packing of his apples. He
admitted the fault lay chiefly with the help, who did not
follow his instructions in packing. His trip paid him and
ourselves, too. We could cite a number of similar in-
stances in which commission merchants were denounced
without any foundation for it.
YOU CHARGED ME TOO MUCH!
Every receiver has this charge frequently thrown at him
by more or less angry shippers, whenever the railroad com-
pany or express company makes a mistake or overcharge.
Now, we have nothing more to do with the making of these
charges than the man in the moon. We have to pay what-
ever the express company or railroad company demands,
and if there is anything wrong file your claim, which is in-
vestigated and straightened out afterwards.
SLOW RETURNS
Arise from various causes. Packages come in occasionally
with no mark visible to indicate who the shipper is—
the tag or card torn off, or the stencil number is scratched
or blurred, in the branding, so it cannot be accurately
reported. If no advice by mail, the receiver has to wait un-
til he hears from the shipper. Another serious blunder is
that of the man who uses his neighbor’s stencil without
notifying his firm. The wrong man then gets the returns.
The importanceof advice by mail is manifest here, or,
78 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
placing in package a slip or card showing your address.
We will mail free stamp for marking if requested. Re-
member, each shipper has a different number. in his stamp
or stencil, so if you should use another stencil scratch the
number on it, or he will get your returns.
When small. shipments come by freight, the most pro-
voking delay is that caused by the railroad companies
centering on the east sideof the river in East St. Louis. All
lots smaller than car loads are turned over to some transfer
company on arrival. They deliver the goods, but the freight
bill may not show up or be presented for several days. The
transfer company is not as prompt collecting these bills as
they should be, to enable us to report quickly. The rail-
road companies on arrival of goods, turn them over with
freight bill to a transfer company, and the transfer charges
are added to the regular railroad bills—an extra charge not
always understood by many shippers—and letters of ex-
plantion are often called for. We send our own teams
across the river to East St. Louis, Il]., whenever these small
shipments amount to a load or something near it, but pri-
vate wagons or transfer companies can haul the small lots
and distribute them at much less cost.
HINTS TO SHIPPERS.
A number of shippers, the new ones especially, when
they receive a stencil, regard the number on it as the
street number of the firm sending it out. This number
really represents the shipper’s address—being placed in our
books opposite his name as soon as sent out. Hach has a
different number.. His address on the package in addition
to stencil number is therefore superfluous.
The stenciling should be on the cover of the package, |
_ serving as it does, to keep the right side up. .Such pack-
\
\
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 79
ages as strawberry cases should also be branded on both
ends.
If you have no stencil, a lead pencil can be used to write
the firm’s address, and your own should follow, writing the
word “from” between them. .
A shipper frequently borrows his neighbor’s stencil, and
uses it without notifying his commission house, or scratch-
ing or leaving off the number. You can see how this will
complicate matters. Your neighbor will get the returns,
and if he refuses to settle with you the commission house
must pay twice or incur your everlasting displeasure.
- If there are any empty boxes in a crate, always make lead
pencil note of same on cover; and if two or three varie-
ties are in same package, as is sometimes the case, indi-
cate it in the same way.
In the midst of the fruit season every commission house
is driven to death and has no time to either write or ask for
explanations. If you do not hear from your shipment
promptly, you may consider something is wrong; so send
in a few lines asking and giving explantion in connection
therewith. |
When shipping by freight always notify consignee by
sending receipts or otherwise.
Never use large or irregular nails for fruit boxes or
crates; such spoil the appearance of the package and injure
the sale. |
A common error by shippers is that of waiting too long
before ordering their fruit boxes. They are often detained
on the way, and frequently the box factory is crowded
with orders and you must wait, and your fruit is spoiling in
the meantime.
The cost of numbered brass stencils is 10 cents, includ-
ing postage. Numbered rubber stamps, with pads, includ-
80 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
ing postage, 20 cents. If the surface of your pad becomes
dry, turn it over when not in use and the ink comes to the
surface and stays there.
Whenever practical, fruit should be shipped at night or
in the evening, getting in this way the benefit of the cool
atmosphere while in transit. Getting to our market in the
morning, early as possible, is also an important consider-
ation. If we could get these goods by 4 o’clock, or a little
later every morning, then we would be able to secure bet-
ter prices or results for all shippers. All the best buyers
have left the street by the time most of these early express
receipts arrive. The proper remedy is the using of refrig-
erator cars from which we can get the goods whenever
needed—late or early, and quantity required.
| Saturday is always the poorest day in the week to sell to |
advantage, as no shipments are made on that day. Thurs-
days and Fridays are about best selling days, the outside
order trade on such days being heaviest, and local dealers
also buy largely on Thursdays and Fridays, all being at
home at their places of business retailing on Saturday—
their big day of the week. No business in the produce dis-
trict Saturday afternoon.
Avoid as far as possible getting goune ane market on
Saturday evening or Sunday morning. They will.keep much
better in the country than in the city. Monday morning the
market is usually a little bare, and Sunday night shipments
strike a good market generally.
TRANSPORTATION CHARGES.
This is a very important subject to the fruit grower, espe-
ially if he is an extensive shipper. The cost of transpor-
tation has materially checked the cultivation of fruits and
vegetables in many sections where all other conditions were
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 81
favorable to the enterprise. Express rates in some in-
stances are prohibitive, where there are no competing
lines or companies. Take certain shipping points
in Southwest Missouri for instance, where it costs much
more to market fruits than it costs the Arkansas shippers
‘situated on the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Rail-
road, much further from our market.. However, it is no-
torious that these companies have agreed rates whenever
different roads or competition may appear, and that com-
petition is pratically out of the question. The Inter-State
Commerce Commission, which is now investigating the ex-
press companies methods and rates, are going to cut down
the exorbitant rates prevailing already too long. The Com-
mission is learning how the millions of dollars declared in
dividends annually to the stockholders have been made on
the comparatively small investments of capital by the va-
rious companies. The Commission has intimated in some ~
interviews given to the daily press that the excessive rates
now being enforced by the express trust should be cut from
25 to 50 per cent—a consummation devoutly to be wished
by the plucked people.
Special Rates can always be had on SeAcuble zoods
from the express companies. New shipeprs, located at
new points, where special rates are not established, should
avail themselves of this advantage, and ascertain the
lowest rates they can secure before they commence ship-
ping. There is a marked difference between special and
regular rates. The Florida shippers, for instance, have
from $2.00 to $3.00 per 100 special rates, while the regular
is $3.00 to $3.50 to this city. The value of goods and the
weights of same figure in the case. Heavy goods, like po-
tatoes, squash, cabbage, celery, etc., carry the lowest rates,
$2.00 to $2.50 as to distance,
82 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES y
DRIED AND EVAPORATED FRUITS |
We handle regularly, as do all fruit commission mer-
chants, and our shippers can rely on getting at all times the
best figures the market affords. Barrels are the most ap-
propriate packages, although sacks and boxes can also be .
used. Do not mix the grades in one package. This latitude
being much earlier than the more Hastern States, where
most of the dried and evaporated fruit comes from, ship-
pers will find it to their advantage to ship as soon as ready
for market, and not wait until competition springs from
points further East, New York and New England States,
which furnish a large portion of the evaporated fruit of
the country, finds St. Louis a profitable market; and as
your Climate places yuo several weeks earlier in the market,
you should profit by this opportunity to sell while the mar-
kets are comparatively bare.
TO SHIPPERS OF DRIED FRUITS.
Apples should be carefully peeled and cored, then sliced
or quartered, placed upon frames and dried in a gentle
heat. Gnarly or wormy apples should be thrown aside, or
such places carefully cut out. Peaches may be dried either
peeled or unpeeled. They sell best if cut in halves.
Cherries must be pitted, and to bring good prices they must
be very dry, entirely unmixed with sugar. Black rasp-
berries and blackberries are dried whole, and care must be
taken that they are not crushed and broken. Apples and
peaches, to bring best prices, must be bright and light-
colored; to secure this, they must be dried in a dry air.
The atmosphere is often so charged with moisture, even
in sunshine, that it absorbs more moisture very slowly.
Such an atmosphere is very unfavorable to the drying of
fruit, the juice evaporating so slowly that it decays and
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 83
darkens the color. Those who cannot construct drying
houses should prepare and dry their fruit upon days when
the air is very dry only, out-of doors, or else in-doors in a
gentle fire heat and current of air. Apples on strings
are objectionable. If dried on strings these should be re-
moved before the apples are packed.
EVAPORATING. .
Bleaching is done by exposing the fruit in a wooden box
or special machine, to sulphur fumes. The sooner the |
bleaching is done after the apples are cut the better. Cau-
tion is necessary not to overbleach the fruit or cause it to
both taste and smell of sulphur. In different establish-
ments the heat of the evaporator varies from 95 degrees to
175 degrees Fahrenheit. The fruit must remain in from
. two to five hours, according to the heat of the air in the
evaporator. One bushel of apples is estimated to make
from five to seven pounds of dried fruit.
BREAKING DOWN THE MARKET.
Remember, the market is never broken down by good
fruit. It is the great quantity of poor fruit that oppresses
the market and forces down prices. We are as interested
in sustaining the market and prices as you are, because
when prices are down we get nothing for our labor, and
hence we urge more good stock and less poor and indif-
‘ferent stuff. How much more profitable and satisfactory
to get $20.00 net from ten packages fruit, than to get only
the same sum from twenty packages.
Remember, the packages used for poor ‘fruit costs as
much, and the freight, drayage and all expenses just as
‘much on the inferior as on the best goods—reducing the
84 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
net proceeds to a mere trifle. No profit can be made ship-
ping poor perishables of any kind.
ABOUT DISTRIBUTION.
This is a subject that is agitating the minds of a great
number of producers. It is the main topic at every gather-
ing of producers, in Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas, Missouri,
Kentucky and elsewhere. Frequent meetings have been
called and held the past several years to discuss the
all-absorbing theme, but so far without many beneficial re-
sults. There has been a great lack of concert of action
between the shipping points most interested. Petty jeal-
ousies and selfish motives sometimes exist and destroy
the pleasant relations that should exist between rival
points. Take Arkansas and West Tennessee, for instance,
who begin shipping about the same time every year. To
a great extent they patronize the same markets and .
Should have communication by wire each morning be-
tween the few leading points who ship by car load, and
learn where each was going that day, they could in this
way largely avoid the disastrous clashing that reduced their
returns in past years. |
There is such a wide range of territory, so many paying
markets when judiciously reached or patronized, that there
is room for all as a rule. Surely it does not require a mas-
ter mind to avoid the costly experience arising to the Ar-
kansas and West Tennessee. strawberry shippers of late
years. On some days Minneapolis, St. Paul, Milwaukee,
Omaha, or Denver, were crowded, while other good mar-
kets were almost bare. Two days later the situation
may be reversed—each day showing unequal distribution,
a scarcity here and a surplus there. Kansas City, St.
Louis, Chicago, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Cincinnati or De-
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 85
-troit are all within your reach, and if you find this vast
field too crowded to meet your views, you can still go furth-
er Kast, Pittsburg, Philadelphia, New York, Buffalo, or else-
where. Your berries, tomatoes and peaches should go to
all these points successfully in refrigerator cars.
By intelligent action of this kind, the smalier points and
isolated shippers, too, would be vastly benefited, as the
more equal distribution of the larger shipments would af-
ford them considerable protection, no matter where they
Shipped to.
To propérly begin you should select, in advance, a good
reliable, experienced firm in each of these markets, and
we know of no better ones than those whose cards can be
found elsewhere in this book. You should have a wire daily
from each market, explaining the situation. With reports
daily on your desk from these leading markets, and with
the additional knowledge before you of what rival points
are doing that day, and where they are shipping to, you
are in a position to act intelligently and for the best in-
terest of all concerned. .
It is true there are some additional rival shipping points,
but they do not seriously figure in the case, when you
know what your principal competitors are doing. The
_ suggestions offered apply to all other districts, as well as
the points mentioned.
es few years ago the Associations of Southwest Missouri,
Northern Arkansas and Oklahoma, embracing about twen-
ty four different organizations, got together, selected an
agent and placed him at the junction at Nichols, Mo., through
which fruit from the three states named passed daily. He got
the billing in advance of all these cars from the various
shipping points, and changed the destination of many
cars, thus making a more even distribution. He discovered
86 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Six cars strawberries in one day, billed to Des Moines,
Iowa, out of the total output that day of 17 cars. This
was a sample of the errors likely to arise. He diverted
five of those cars, aS one was ample for Des Moines, and
thus saved hundreds of dollars to the shippers in this one ©
day’s work. On another occasion he found three cars out
of the whole run of 12 cars going to Lincoln, Neb., and as
they were from parties outside the Union they could not
be stopped, but the result can be imagined.
BENEFIT OF ORGANIZING. .
The following paper on “Should Producers Organize to
Market Their Products?” was prepared by the writer and
read before the National League of Commission Merchants
at one of their late annual conventions. It briefly covers
the ground and this work is an appropriate place for it:
Should Producers Organize to Market Their Products?
Most of the receivers of perishable products will answer
this query in the affirmative, because a great many valid
reasons may be advanced to show the benefits arising from
organization. The pioneers in successful organization were
the fruit growers of California. In the early stages of their
efforts to grow fruits and vegetables for distant. markets,
they were beset by obstacles difficult to surmount. The
item of distance to paying markets and the question of
transportation and rates called for the ablest men in the
industry. Powerful corporations had to be handled in the
interest of the producer; living rates, faster time and im-
proved methods were demanded, and the railroads saw the
wisdom of yielding, as the concessions tended to largely
increase their business every year—and the enormous
traffic which followed is no longer news to anybody.
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 87
The further from market the greater the need of getting
together, as the risk increases with the distance. In this
connection, the routing and distribution of the goods be-
comes very important, and cannot be successfully handled
without organization. Wherever there is any considerable
~ number of growers or shippers, steps should be taken to-
wards organization. Elect officers to direct affairs for the
coming season. Good, responsible, experienced firms should
be selected to handle your products in every city you desire
to reach.
-Such firms are bound to take better care of your in-
_terests than of individuals, because there is more at stake,
and the merchant realizes that if he makes a mistake or at
any time misleads you in his advices, he is likely to be
dropped for somebody else. One telegram or letter serves
all—and the labor saved at both ends, by dealing with one
man instead of twelve or fifty, becomes apparent. The
commission man charges the association 7 instead of 10°
per cent, and it really pays him better, because of work
and time saved.
In dealing with transportation companies and other cor-
porations, your claims would receive attention where the in-
dividual would fail; recalling the old adage that in
“Union there is strength.” In buying your packages, fer-
tilizers, seeds or anything else needed by the community,
you can secure better terms than an individual. All sorts
of concessions are made to such. bodies, the profits be-
ing greater and the risks less—all of which is natural and
customary in every channel of trade. Incidentally, the iso-
lated shippers at the smaller shipping points are protect-
ed to a beneficial extent, as the unions and larger bodies
elsewhere, who are posted daily by wire, in a great measure
even up and save all the markets.
88 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VE GETABLES
Much more might be written showing the necessity of
unions and organized bodies, without which the industry
cannot produce all it is capable of at any Shipping point.
it might be urged by some that these unions have a ten-
dency to flock to leading firms in each city. This, however,
need not necessarily follow, as unions, like individuals, go
to different firms, and they will continue to do So, as they
increase and see the necessity for it.
Cost of Distribution of Fruits and Vegetables.
There is no denying the fact that the farmer, gardener,
and fruit grower believes that too much money is consumed
by the class they call middlemen, and, therefore, the vita]
_ question with many is how to reduce the cost of placing
their products before the consumer. I know there are
hundreds who ean handle this topie in an entertaining and
instructive Manner, and I sincerely hope they will come -
to the front with something better than the writer ig
submitting. . |
I am convinced that an intelligent discussion of this
matter will remove many of the supposed obstacles be-
tween shipper and receiver, and enable all concerned to
get closer together, and establish a confidence that should
exist between, the two parties, neither of whom can exist
or succeed without the aid of the other. To begin with, the
commission merchant, middleman or distributor, or what-
ever you see fit to call him, is a necessity—a fixture impos-
Sible to dispense with. He has always existed since there
was anything to distribute, and he is a fixture for all time.
There are certain fixed facts in commercia] life that can-.
not be removed or displaced, and the man who runs count-
er to them will get hurt. Indeed, it might be said that
there is a growing: need of the Services. of the distribu-
tor, as evidenced in the advent of the “broker,” who
FOR NORTHERN MARKE 1S) 89
handles some of the products of the fruit grower and truck
farmer. Some shippers and receivers, too, regard the
broker as a new and unnecessary tax on the business—an-
other commission—that might be dispensed with in the
handling of perishables. It is doubtful, however, if the
class engaged in reaching the consumer is growing or de-
veloping as rapidly as the food products to be handled.
Therefore, the grower and middlemen are as separate
and distinct as the man who makes the waich from the
man who wears it, and yet so inseparable that the maker
cannot exist without the other. However, the commission
merchants do not and cannot in any commercial center cov-
er all the ground between grower and the consumer.
There are additional expenses to those of the merchant it
seems impossible to avoid. One-twentieth of the con-
sumers do not and will not go to the commission man,
since he cannot retail. From first hands it goes to the
grocer, the butcher, the peddler—to all classes of retailors,
and they must make sufficient margin to live. The
margins. outlined so far do not, however, cover
all charges. Every large city has a number of
small jobbers and traders, who buy from first hands and
then sell to all classes of retailers. They buy in big lots,
and therefore, a little cheaper than the small retailer, and
_. they build up a clientage of their own local order trade,
goods which they deliver all over the city. Then there is
the country order trade which another class of merchants
take care of, quoting out prices regularly, both by wire
and mail, which usually affords a fair living to oe
and economical operators. ;
The producer will now see that there are several classes
of regular distributors for which each has to be fully
equipped to properly care for. And yet it seems impossible
90 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES =
to dispense with the services of either class. The perish-
able character of the goods calls for more labor, anxiety
and greater speed in disposing of such products than is
necessary in the marketing of the more staple products.
GOOD MISSIONARY WORK.
We are always averse to complimenting oursedves on
any work that we may have done from time to time, but
the writer takes this opportunity to say that indirectly at
least every commission merchant and fruit distributor in
the principal markets of the country has been more or less
benefited by the advice and instructions the writer has
furnished the shippers and producers through this little
book, which has been going out regularly the past thirty
years. The thousands of workers for whose benefit this
work is published have been benefited and have cheer-
fully acknowledged it in hundreds of letters received
every year. We feel, therefore, we have done something
in the way of missionary work all these years, both for
the producer and dealer and distributor, and feel assured
that our labors in the gocd case have not been barren of
200d results. They have been appreciated to a gratifying
extent by all concerned.
WHAT OF THE FUTURE?
The business of growing fruits and vegetables for com- |
mercial purposes is being in a measure, revolutionized
every few years. These changes and disturbing elements
arise from various causes, largely the force of competition,
both from old fields and new points, increased transporta-
tion facilities, lower freight rates and kindred agencies. The
close observer cannot fail to see that these agencies, often
unforeseen and unexpected, must be met by adopting the
FOR NORTUERN MARKETS. 9]
best and most approved methods in everything pertain-
ing to the business: The fittest will survive, This is the
inevitable law we must all bow to. In a word, there will
be less room in the future for poor and inferior goods,
whether fruits, vegetables or other products, and no show
at all for those wko practice more or less deception in
packing their goods.
In packing and marketing ue the pace has been set
: by the Californians. Necessity was sure enough the moth-
er of invention in their case. They had to excel in every
move, in every labor. The fruits and vegetables of the peo-
ple of the Golden State had to be not only the most attrac-
tive offered, but the picking, packing, grading, marketing,
etc., had in a similar manner to excel, to profitably reach
the very distant markets of the country. When the grow-
ers and producers of other States display the same skill
and pains to excel in their special field they will secure
something like what the business, intelligently pursued, is °
eapable of yielding.
Therefore, if you are going to remain in the business,
you must follow as closely as possible the example of
the men who get big prices for their fruits. You may an-
swer that the California fruit cannot be approached by
the best directed efforts in the other States, lacking the
climate and very favorable conditions existing there and
agoso essential to success. That was in the main true years
ago, but we have shown under the head of peaches, that
the honors are divided between many states—Arkansas
making of late years the greatest showing. If you can-
not raise fruit that so readily catches the eye, you
can exercise the same care in _ picking, packing and
marketing the fruit you have. You can throw out every
specimen that is faulty and inferior—especially when this
92 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
poor stuff that destroys the sale of the other can be other-_
wise utilized by drying or evaporating it. You can at
least use the neatest and most presentable packages. How-
ever, you do not have to equal the Californians in the
quality, size or color of fruit to make the business profit-
able. California’s enormous freight charges prove a big off-
‘set to other advantages.
We have had peaches from Georgia—the Hlberta—as
handsome, attractive and as well packed and marketed as
any that ever left California, but the shippers practised
their methods :as closely as they could be followed, and
this fruit brought here at the time not only the ruling
rate, but beat the average California product. —
In a flying trip I made through the principal Eastern
cities 7 or 8 years ago, I found that the finest peaches that
reached the leading markets that season—not excepting
Californla or any other stock—came to them from Mis-
souri, from Koshkonong, Oregon county, in the most south-
ern part of the State, near Arkansas. The fruit was so
large, handsome and perfect that it created a genuine sen-
sation in all the big Eastern markets. However, Arkansas
_ must be credited with having the banner peach orchards of
the country, as shown by her shipments to the principal
market the past four years.
HIGHLAND (ARKANSAS) PEACHES.
This locality is in Pike county, southwest Arkansas, 100
miles south of Little Rock. The first planting for com-
mercial purposes was in 1904 by the Arkansas Orchard
Planting Company. Mr. J. M. Patterson, of St. Louis, Mo.,
was treasurer and organizer of the company and had
charge of the distribution of the fruit. Our firm (P, M.
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 93
Kiely & Co.) sold the first car four years ago on the St.
Louis market, bringing over $1,200, breaking all previous
records. This car proved a genuine sensation. I know that
last season the Arkansas Orchard Planting Co. and the Pat-
terson.Orchard Co. adjoining, sold a number of cars f. o. b.
shipping point at $2.50 per 6-basket crate, over $1,100.00 a
car.
The fine flavor, high color and carrying quality of the
fruit from Highland made a lasting impression. It is said
that for 50 years there has not been a crop failure, at-
tributed to the soil, climate, and perfect AIR DRAINAGH
SYSTEM. Until recently orchardists gave little credit to
the air drainage theory. It is now a recognized factor and
a great saving to the orchardist, for it does away with
heaters and smudge pots. ~
Air, like water, by the laws of gravitation, travels in
currents. Cold air.is heavier than the warm air, conse-
quently on spring nights as the air chills and becomes
frosty, it goes to the low land and valleys and the warm
air naturally rises to take its place.
The Highland orchards are on the southern and western
slopes of the ridge surrounded on the north and east by
abrupt bluffs from 100 to 300 feet, which leads off into a
valley from one to five miles wide. This gives a perfect
air drainage system. On cool nights in the spring there will
be a difference in temperature of from 10'to 15 degrees be-
tween the valley and the top of the ridge.
This ridge is rapidly being developed into peach orchards
and truck farms for most kinds of fruit and vegetables do
' well there. |
Mr. Patterson, besides his jnterest in the Arkansas Or-
chard Planting Company, has developed some 500 acres,
known as The Patterson Orchard Company, and is now as-
94 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
sociated with Mr. Johnson, President of the Arkansas Or-
chard Planting Co., one of the best known orchardists in
the country, in the development and sale of some 800 acres
addtional, known as The Bert Johnson Orchard Company.
These men now own and control about 3,000 acres of com-
mercial peach orchards at Highland, Ark.
Last season (1911) these peaches were sold in Boston,
New York, Bridgeport, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Columbus,
Cleveland, Indianapolis, Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis and
many other large markets. Prices ran as high as $4.25 for
6 basket carriers, breaking all previous peach records.
New York City had 2 cars one day that averaged $4.00
crate—the next day 2 cars at $3.50 to $3.75. Philadelphia
had 2 cars one day that averaged $3.50, while the smaller
markets sold $3.00 to $3.25, as shown by the trade papers at
the time. |
THE APPLE TRAFFIC.
As an additional illustration, take the apple traffic. New
York State growers and shippers, and practically.ail the
New England States, embrace largely the model packers
and cultivators, with Michigan close to them. When the
New York fruit is offered in this market, the examination
of one barrel of each variety offered satisfies the general
wholesale buyer, but if the fruit is from a Western packer
or producer, as a rule a large number of barrels must be
opened at both ends, and then the purchaser invariably digs
dewn into the middle of the barrel before he can form any
accurate idea of what he is getting, and after a rigid exam-
ination is made, doubts stilleexist. Now, it might be said
that there is plenty of packing done in Western orchards
equal to the best anywhere, but it is done as a rule by or
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 95
under the supervision of some speculator, who has bought
the orchard, and who is an expert in the art of picking
and packing fruit.
I recall a few hours among the apple buyers at Lock-
port, N. Y., a famous shipping town. As each farmer drove
up with his 12 barrels, which fitted in his wagon, the buyer
climbed in, took out a piece of the heading of one barrel—
that was sufficient—just a glance at the face of the barrel.
The price was fixed at once and the examination did not ©
average over two or three minutes. So much for perfect
packing.
Columns of such instances might be cited where fruit
growing, packing and shipping yield fair profits when in-
telligently pursued. Therefore, I claim that relief can
come only through channels indicated: Better cultiva-
iton, better work and methods, getting as near as possible
to the models singled out. ;
WHY THE COMMISSION MERCHANT DOES NOT BUY.
A number of shipping associations and individuals do
not seem to understand why the corantission merchants
de not buy their various ,crops f. 0. b. at depot, .where
grown and packed. It can be said that there are a number
of valid reasons for declining to do so.
To begin with, the very perishable character of most of
the crops constitutes one reason why capital may not be
invested in them. Even if willing to take such chances,
edditiora! risks are involved. Delays, injurious weather,
and other mishaps en route often prove fatal to the
investment. Then the risks are considerable when the
buyer is not on the grounds to inspect the quality and
condition of the goods to be shipped. There is a wide
96 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGE TABLES
difference of opinion as to what constitutes first-class
stock, likewise as to its condition. The products pro-
nounced choice in one section of the country would grade
second-class in another district, so that the man who is
not on the ground has no positive assurance as to what
he is realy getting. The packing, grading, etc., so es-
sential to success, is another important feature to con-
sider. However, admitting all the conditions so far were
favorable to the enterprise, there is still another risk to
meet.
The merchant has no means of knowing how many
other points or parties are about to ship to his market >
similar goods and at the same time. Were this infcorma-
tion accessible there would be some legitimate ground to
stand on in making an effort to buy outright. The weath-
er, too, is often an important factor, as the rigors: of win-
ter as well as summer have much to do in determining the
value of perishables on their arrival at destination.
At best capital is timid even under favorable condi-
tions for investment, and when put into such perishable |
goods as will not at times stand up over 48 hours it must
be regarded as in jeopardy. There are too many invit-
ing fields for capital and there is really no necessity. for
taking such risks where the prospective profits are so
small.
When you approach. such products as apples, for in-
stance, which have some claims as a staple article, you will
observe the fruit dealer, packer and speculator jumps in
and takes hold. He buys without hesitation, and at figures
that sometimes bring him out on the wrong side of the deal. —
There is really no class of investors who display as much
nerve and enterprise as the apple speculators of the
country. They build and support cold storage plants and
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. oe
establish in a measure a fixed value for every barrel of
good apples in the country, regardless of the size of the
crops. Their enterprise, industry and hard work have
served to make the orchards of the country valuable to
their owners, and they have added largely to the wealth
of the fruit rasing sections of the country. It might be
added that there are firms in every large city with such a
big following that they are busy all the year round selling
goods on commission and have neither the time or in-
clination to properly consider the purchasing or specula-
tive problem. Their commission business first of all must
be protected: That will not stand any neglect whatever.
98 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
VEGETABLES.
CABBAGE. :
Can be found in our market steadily throughout the year,
the old and new crop appearing side by side in January,
February, March and April, and the price of new stock
largely governed by the quantity of old cabbage on the
market. The first receipts last year were surprisingly
late, about two months later than the usual first receipts
—a carload from Mobile, which did not show up till the
24th of March, selling at $2.40 crate. On the same date
there was still on hands, in every market at low prices,
the old crop being enormous—especially in New York and
Wisconsin. Old cabbage the first week in January were
$10.00 to $14.00 ton. By the 15th of January the figures
were $16.00 to $19.00 ton. By the ist of February the
market was crowded with fine old stock and prices much
lower, $10.00 ‘to $12.00 ton. February 15th market dull
through excessive offerings. March the 1st we find it
quoted at $10 to $12.00 ton. March 15th slow at $11.00 to
$12.00, and on the 24th when car new Mobile stock came in,
New York Damish sold at $12.00 to $15.00 ton delivered. On
the Ist of April we find old stock much higher, $22.00 to
$25.00 ton, while new cabbage went the other way, Mobile
and Florida stock averaging about $1.75 Crate: April 15th
the price current reads: Z
Cabbage—Draggzing and weak; limited demand for fancy
green Alabama; Florida stock selling for charges or less,
several cars refused by consignees. Quote choice old Dan-
ish at $10.00 to $12.00 per ton del. New Alabama at $1.00
to $1.10 per crate del.; Florida at 60c to $1.00 per crate del.
On May ist, here is the report:
Cabbage—Market higher on choice fresh stock in good
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. — 99
order, and demand fair. Quote Alabama $1.50 per crate
del. for choice and $1.00 (trimmed) for stock off in condi-
tion; Florida Cabbage (trimmed) at $1.00 per crate del. Old
_N. Y. Danish quotable at $10@12 per ton bulk del. On or-
‘ders dealers charge 50c per crate advance on first hand
price for new. Sales: 1 car Mobile at $1.50 del., 2 cars
Alabama at $1.50 del. for choice and $1.00 (trimmed) for off
stock.
For the following two weeks Alabama and Mississippi
furnishing most of the cabbage. Crystal Springs ship-
ping daily fine stock, all their cars coming iced. Here is
the report May 15th:
Cabbage—Barely steady; demand quiet and offerings lib-
eral. Quote Mobile at $1.00@1.10 and other Alabama re-
ceipts at $1.00@1.25. per crate del.; Mississippi (Crystai
Springs) at $1.80 trk. and $1.90 del.. Sales: 1 car Alabama
at $1.10@1.25 del., 1 car Mobile at $1.10 del., part car do at
$1.00 del., 1 car Mississippi Crystal Springs at he 80 trk.,
part car do at $1.90 del.
From the 15th May to June ist receipts largely from Al-
abama and Mississippi. Mobile stock showing more or less
decay or damage, being without ice, while Crystal Springs
have been coming daily in splendid condition, cars being
well iced. Local freight ships from small points in both
states usually a little off in condition. Here is the mar-
ket June Ist: ‘
Cabbage—Easier. Quote NMissiseipal (Crystal ‘gpa dy
at $3.00@ 3.15 per crate del., local freight lots Alabama
$1.75 to $2.25 del. Home-grown sold at 40c per bu. loose.
Sales: 25 crates Ala. at $2.25 del., lot Texas (in mixed —
car) at $2.75 del., part car Miss. (Crystal Springs) at $3.00
Del., part car do at $3.15 del.
Home-grown now well started and you are no longer in-
100 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
terested in the course of the market. After this time St.
Louis becomes a shipper of cabbage instead of a receiver
and distributor. She reaches many markets for a month
or six weeks. The several firms here who make kraut get a
big start very soon with the local crop. The shipments
from here all go out crated, no bulk shipments unless on
rare occasions, through special orders.
July 1st only home-grown in market and prices low. Fine
stock crates and in good shipping order, $1.25 to $1.50
crate. _
On the ist of August we find good home-grown scarce at
21,0 Ib. loose. Northern stock is already coming. Wiscon-
sin selling $50 to $60 ton bulk delivered. Two cars Chicago
crated sold at $3.00 to $38.25 crate.
On Sept. 1st home-grown still coming and selling at 80c
per 100 Ibs. Ohio is shipping 90-lb. crates which are sell-
ing at 85c crate. Iowa bulk coming and selling at $18.00
ton delivered. Colorado cabbage is also arriving and selling
at $1.00 to $1.25 per crate delivered.
October 1st Wisconsin Holland seed selling at $13.00 to
$14.00 ton delivered. Domestic, Michigan or Wisconsin,
dull, $10.00 ton delivered, going largely to kraut makers.
Home-grown from farmers’ wagons 30c to 40c per 100 Ibs.
On the first of November the market report reads as
follows:
Cabbage—Higher and firm. Quote Holland seed in bulk
at $15.00 to $18.00 per ton del. and domestic at $12.00 per
ton on track. Red Cabbage in bulk at $25@30 per ton.
del. Home-grown sold at 50c per 100 lbs. from farmers’
wagons. Sales: 1 car bulk domestic at $12.00 track, 2 cars
Holland seed at $16.00 track, 2 cars do at $15.00@16.00 del.,
2 loads do at $18.00 del., part car bulk Red cabbage at $25.00
per ton del.
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 101
During this month the market braces up and prices
steadily advance so that by the first of December there is
no trace of any home-grown and the report reads as fol-
lows: |
Cabbage—Market strong; demand good. Sales: 1 car
Holland seed at $28.00 per ton on track invoice wts. ($28.00
bid on track and refused for New York Danish), load bulk
and 1 car skd. Holland seed at $30.00 del., 1 car and 2
loads bulk Danish at $30.00 del., load skd. do at $32.00 del.
We have now taken you through the cabbage market
here for a whole year from the 1st of January to Decem-
ber, showing the prices prevailing during 1911, where your
competition springs from during the season.
It should be said before dismissing the subject that
the crop of 1911 was enormous and the prices the lowest in
years, while the Southern crop was seeking a market.
strangely enough this year, to date, March 30th, 1912,
shows the other extreme—for Florida, Texas, Alabama,
Mississippi and Louisiana showing more than double the
prices of the previous year—so that the two years or sea-
sons strike a fair average.
Large heads never sell as well as small to medium size
ones. Small solid heads always keep longer and command
the ‘best prices. The Florida product comes nearer the
dealer’s wants than that from any other States, and the
same may be said of the California offerings, and their
crates (100 pounds net) are the most desirable packages
for long shipments, especially in hot weather, when de-
cay sets in all too soon. The crates from Mississippi,
Louisiana, Alabama, Texas and Tennessee usually weigh
175 to 200 pounds gross. No southern state should shin
such large cabbage crates. If they will confine themselves
‘to 115 to 120 lbs. gross receipt or about 100 lbs. net they will
102 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
secure the best results. Alabama sometimes uses the Flor-
ida 100-Ib. crate. West Tennessee also uses 60-lb. crates.
Mark the number of heads on each crate, whenever pos-
sible. The buyer wants to know this that he may figure
more accurately on first cost and what to retail at.
The Early Winningstadt, Early Jersey, Wakefield and
Holland seed cabbages are the best varieties for long ship-
ments from the South. The Danish is the New York stock
and Holland seed, the Wisconsin favorite, small solid heads.
As the weather grows warmer greater care must be
exercised. It should be nicely trimmed, and though a few
more heads, are necessary to fill the crate, the work will
pay well. It must be tightly packed for the natural shrink-
age, especially in such weather, is considerable, and no
inferior, wilted, overripe, or damaged heads should be
packed or shipped. Western New York is a big’ contribu-
tor to this market during the winter and spring months
and her stock is usually fine, and so is Wisconsin.
| CUCUMBERS.
The first receipts appeared as usual, the first week in
January. In fact, fresh receipts of cukes can be had any
week in the year—we might say every day in the year.
First receipts can no longer be referred to. The offerings
are continuous. This review shows the prices throughout
the year, where from, and other interesting facts of interest
to all cultivators. Prices remained unchanged for two
weeks, the receipts being light throughout. Hothouse cu-
cumbers from the East and New Orleans stock have been
coming since Christmas and selling mainly at $1.50 doz.
From the 20th to 25th of January we find the prices steady.
New Orleans receipts $1.50 dozen and Eastern hot house
$1.50 to $1.75 dozen. Boston was drawn on for stock all °
through January the past 12 or 13 years, prices usually $1.50
\
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS 103
to $2.00, according to quantity coming. February 1st some
small and inferior Stock were quoted 40 to 75 cents per
dozen, while good to choice hot house are $1.50 to $2.00
dozen and Florida $4.00 to $5.00 bushel box. The 5th to
15th receipts mainly Eastern hothouse, which are $1.75 to
$2.00 dozen. From the 15th to 25th offerings larger, with
Hastern $1.50, Florida $2.50 to $3.00 bu. box, and New Or-
leans 75c to $1.00 dozen. From the 5th to 10th of March
Eastern and Florida hold the market, the former at $1.25 to
$1.50, and Florida $2.25 to $3.25 hampers. March 20th here
is the market report:
Cucumbers—Quiet and steady. Quote Florida hampers
at $2.50 to $3.00 for choice green; No. 2 do, nubbiny, etc.,
at $1.50@2.00. New Orleans at $1.00 per dozen. Fancy II-
_ linois hot-house at $2.50@3.00 per box containing 2 dozen—
small boxes do at $2@2.50.
On the ist of April the report reads:
Cucumbers—Fair demand for choice green; culls, wilted
and yellow stock neglected. Quote Florida hampers at
$1.50 for withered and yellow to- $1.75@2.25 for choice,
smooth variety and $2.50@3.00 for choice to fancy green.
New Orleans at 60@65e per dozen.
On the 15th of April market practically unchanged, but
too much inferior cukes are coming. Florida express
charges eat up the poor grades—and although netting but
little, injure the market for the best.
On the ist of May here is the report:
Cucumbers—Slow and easier; free offerings; culls not
_ wanted. Quote Florida hampers at $1.25 to $2.00: New
- Orleans sugar brlis at $5.00 to $6.00—cull and nubbiny stock
less.
May 15th reads. All the hampers referred to are bushel
hampers.
(
104 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Cucumbers—Plentiful, slow and easier. Quote Texas bu.
baskets at $1.40@1.50 and~- crates $1.35 del.; Louisiana
hampers at $1.15@1.25, Alabama hampers at $1.20@1.35;
Florida offerings (in bad order) not sold, offered for
charges.
Southern shippers are no longer interested, as home-
grown usually appear about this time.
Never ship a yellow, wilted, stale, overripe, stunted or
half-grown or overgrown cucumber, unless you want to
spoil the sale of all others. Ventilated boxes or barrels
can be used in shipping. Bushel hampers are, however,
the best packages, afford better ventilation and do not
steak up solid in the express cars as boxes and crates do,
excluding helpful ventilation.
Prices up to this writing, March 14th, this year, 1912,
have been higher. Indeed, the offerings were unsually
small during January, February and March last year, a fact
that should not be lost sight of by those figuring on the
results for next year.
New Orleans usually ships in flat substantial boxes hold-
ing 8 to 10 dozen each, wrapped in paper. In May or later,
when cheap and plenty, they use larger packages and do
not wrap, shipping in bushel crates and chipped or ven-
tilated barrels.
The improved white spine is the most extensively grown
variety for commercial or shipping purposes. It is rather
tender and easily injured, and does not stand the rough
handling the Long Green does, though in flavor and general
good qualities this is not equal to the former. The long
green is regarded the best variety for hot house and earl-
iest shipments, when the largest are sought and the small
ones difficult to sell. If they are cut instead of being
pulled off the vine, both the cucumber and vine will be
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 105
benefited thereby. Always mark the number each package
contains, as the buyer always wants to know how many
pwezen, he is getting. Early Fortune is highly prized in
Florida.
GREEN PEAS.
Usually appear here the latter part of January or Ist
of February. In fact, they can be found here any month in
- the year, but in January and February the receipts are
often very irregular. Last year first receipts were later
than usual, the 28th of January; bushel boxes and bushel
hampers from Florida. They sold at $2.50 to $3.00 hamper
at which prices they remained for two weeks, the receipts
being light and all from Florida. From the 15th of February
ot the 1st of March the receipts were large and prices low-
“er, some damaged and stale, and prices $1.00 to $1.75 bushel
hamper. From the 15th to 20th the offerings are still from
Florida, but much better stock, and the market $2.00 to
$3.00 per hamper, while poor stuff much lower and badly
neglected.
From the 20th to 25th of March very fine peas are coming
from Alabama and selling at $2.50 to $3.00 bushel hampers.
Florida offerings light and poor in quality, $1.00 to $2.00
hamper. From the 25th to April 1st some fancy Alabama
and Mississippi green fancy stock, which has been very
scarce for some time, sold $3.00 to $3.25 hamper. Louis-
jana hampers $2.25 to $2.75. Florida range from $1.00 to
$2.00, and California $1.00 to $1.25 per 20-lb. box. April
1st to 15th the prices steadily declined until the 15th of
April finds the figures $1.00 to $1.50 per bushel hamper.
Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana receipts embrace the
bulk of the offerings. It rarely pays Florida to ship this
late or later.
April the 20th the market report reads:
106 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Green Peas—Slow and easier; offerings include consider-
able spotted, stale and slack-filled packages, which are hard
to sell. Quote Alabama hampers at 90c@$1.00 for choice
fresh green, slack packages, spotted, etc., at 50@75ec; Mis-
sissippi bu. boxes at 75c for slack to $1.00 for well-filled
boxes.
On the Ist of May the report reads: .
Green Peas—Fresh receipts light and choice green in fair
demand; stale and hard very dull. Quote Alabama small
hampers at 75@90c and large hampers at $1.00@1.25 for
fresh green; Mississippi bu boxes at $1.00@$1.25; and
hampers (Boonville) at $1.50; Arkansas 1-3-bu. boxes at
50@60c and in sacks at $1.25 per bu.
Here is the market May 10th: :
Green Peas—Barely steady; free receipts and fair de-
mand for choice fresh green. Quote Alabama hampers
(rather hard and stale) at $1.00; Mississipp1 hampers
(Boonville) at $1.20@1.25 and bu. boxes $1.00@1.10; South-
ern Mississippi long hampers at $1.00@1.15; Arkansas 1-3-
bu. boxes at 40c and bu. sacks at $1.25.
May 20th market a trifle lower. Home-grown are now
coming and you are no longer interested in the market.
Up to this writing, March 20th, 1912, the market has been
practically bare of green peas—just a few from Florida and
California. The very bad weather conditions throughout
the south the cause of this marked scarcity.
Green peas are generally a profitable crop for Southern
growers, when properly handled. The importance of get-
ing them here green and fresh and in neat, ventilated
packages like the bushel hampers, must not be lost sight
of. They don’t stack up solid in the express cars, thus.
shutting out vntilation, as do boxes, which have been used
upto last year, They have the short hamper and the regu-
f~
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 107
lar bushel hamper. This is confusing and leads to dis-
putes, especially as to the difference between the two—only
the regular bushel hamper should be used. A number of
these packages are reshipped; such bringing the _ best
prices, but only the freshest and nicest looking stock,
properly packed, go to this trade. Peas that are over- ©
ripe, discolored or wilted, as some of the receipts appear,
are almost unsalable in any market.
Another great mistake is that of picking too soon, be-
fore half-grown or half-full. The past year a number of
the boxes used were poorly made, the openings frequently
permitting the peas to drop out freely every time the box
was moved. ‘They heat readily in large packages, especially
in barrels, sacks or tight packages, even when shipped by
- express. They should not be out over two days and nights
at most, though they cannot be regarded very green or
fresh if on the way longer than twenty-four hours in the
warm weather usually prevailing at that time. They heat
in 12 hours in bushel boxes or larger packages under un-
favorable conditions. In coming from the far South in Jan-
uary, February and March the same need does not exist for
small packages. The weather being so cool then that bush-
el boxes or hampers come through, as a rule, in good order.
In packing shake down thoroughly, and a little pressing
down in fastening cover of the hamper won’t hurt them.
Have them as cool and dry as possible before packing, to
avoid heating. The least dampness soon heats them, or
they get mouldy, and the larger the package the greater
the danger to.goods while in transit, especially, unless
_ packed under the most favorable conditions.
A big local seed house here claims “First of All’ the |
best early out, others claim Early Alaskas. The early
May is a prime favorite, while the marrow fats usually
}
108 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
look too soon discolored, ripe or stale, many of them from
Louisiana early in the season.
STRING BEANS
Can be had here now every month in the year, strange as
it may seem. The bean is more of a staple crop than peas, __
covers a wider field, and is always more profitable to grow ©
in the south for northern markets. They keep longer in
transit and are not quite so perishable under unfavorable
conditions. As soon as the home crop disappears, usually
towards the middle of November, new ones show up the
1st of December, if not earlier, from some part of Uncle:
Sam’s broad land.
The first receipts were surprisingly Doe appearing on
the 25th of November from Florida, sold at $2.00 to $2.50
per bushel. The first Southern Texas beans appeared No-
vember 29th, selling at $2.50 to $2.75 bu. hamper. Florida
beans sold same day $2.75 to $3.00. The demand was in
excess of the receipts, which were small and irregular un-
til the 5th to the 10th of December, when the figures are
$3.00 to $3.50 bu. hamper, all from Florida. From the 14th
to the 20th the prices are $4.00 to $5.00, the pale color,
probably the Refugee, selling 50 cents per hamper less
than the dark green ones. December 30th they are plentier
and lower, $3.00 to $3.50.
January 10th to 20th, prices $3.00 to $4.00, according to
the amount offered.
February ist the market report reads:
String Beans—Quiet and easy; pale-colored beans slow
and offerings mainly of that kind, wax beans dull too, but
dark green in fair demand. Quote Florida round green at
$2.00@2.25 per hamper for pale-colored and $2.50@3.00 for
dark green; wax beans at $1.75@2.00 for good and $1.00@
1.25 for heated. |
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 109
Demand for wax-beans rather limited in this market. The
round-wax, like the round green, sells 10 to 25 per cent
higher than the flat varieties.
The receipts continue steadily and all from Florida, but
show some decline through increased offerings until the
- 8th, when the report reads:
String Beans—Quiet and steady; fair demand for dark
round ereen beans, but pale-colored and flat wax beans
dull. Quote Florida young tender dark round green at
$2.50 and choice at $2.00 per aues int and flat wax at $1.50
—spotted less.
Ten days later we find the receipts from Florida are
eradually increasing, so the 18th reads:
String Beans—Barely steady; demand quieter today
and offerings ample. Quote Florida hampers fancy young
dark green at $1.75@2.00, coarse do and pale at $1.25@1.50,
wax beans at $1.50@1.75.
March the 1st we see Florida is still the sole contributor
and the receipts lighter and prices higher and apparently
better stock:
String Beans—Higher and firm on fancy dark green;
pale-colored slow. Quote Florida hampers young dark
green at $2.50 and pale-colored green at $1.65@1.75.
Strangely enough, from the above date we find a gradual
advance in values till the 15th of March, when the re-
port reads:
String Beans—Choice green in good demand. Florida
hampers pale selling at $2.50 to $2.75 and $3.25 for dark
round green; but a lot of 15 hampers pale, in bad order
(delayed in transit) sold at $1@1.25,; and 10 hampers do
at $2@2.25.
| On the first of April Florida is still holding the fort and
the daily price current reads: |
110 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
String Beans—Scarce; fancy dark green beans in good
demand; coarse, spotted and inferior stock not moving. —
Quote Florida hampers at $3.00 for pale to $3.50 to $3.65 for
fancy dark green; crates (stale, coarse and spotted) at
$1.00.
By the 15th of April we find Florida, Louisiana, lower
coast and New Orleans and Texas shipping, hence On niee
much larger and prices lower, as follows:
String Beans—Moving slowly, and supply cinsideruee in
excess of requirements; Texas and Florida growth more
or less coarse, spotted and ropy, but New Orleans and
Louisiana offerings of good quality. Quote Louisiana (Low-
er Coast and New Orleans) hampers choice round green
and wax at $2.25; Texas hampers round green at $2.00@
2.25 for choice and $1.00@1.50 for coarse (some refused),
1-3 bu. baskets wax at 75c, hampers flat green at $1.00 to
$1.50 and wax at $1.25 to $2.00; Florida hampers round
green at $1.25 to $2.00 as in quality. 3
On the 1st of May the offerings are represented from sev-
eral points in Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Texas and
Southern Mississippi. Mobile is shipping in solid car loads
and the condition of the offerings range from very bad to
choice stock. Here is the report:
String Beans—Lower, market depressed by heavy offer-
ings, which included fresh and delayed shipments, and a
large portion out of condition—nested, stale, heated. A
car Mobile hampers round green (delayed) selling at $1.50.
to $1.65, del.; early express receipts from Alabama from
$1.25 for dirty and spotted to $1.75@2.00 for choice to fancy
(mainly $1.75@1.85), later express receipts at $1.50@1.65
and freight at $1.50@1.60, also a delayed freight shipment
of 100 hampers at $1.35. Louisiana offerings (from both
Lower Coast and New Orleans) also included a good deal
\
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. slulg
in bad order—nested and poor round green selling at 50c
to $1.00 per hamper and fair to fancy at $1.25 to $2.00, and
hampers wax beans at 50c to $1.25; Texas hampers (nested)
at 75e—choice worth $1.50; Florida hampers choice round
green at $1.75@2.00 and coarse at $1.00@1.25.
On May 15th the receipts are lighter and stock in better
condition. Report reads:
String Beans—Weak and lower, under large and exces-
Sive supplies; couple refrigerator cars on sale, besides free
express receipts. Early, Mississippi hampers fancy solid-
packed sold at $1.25 in jobbing way delivered, but later ex-
press receipts just as good sold at $1.00@1.10; a delayed
shipment (spotted) sold in part from 90c down to 60c;
Alabama and Louisiana hampers round green sold at $1.00
*@1.10. 7
On the 1st of June the market is in better shape, show-
ing less poor and damaged stock. The report follows:
String Beans—Steady and firm, with a good demand for
fresh young beans; coarse, spotted, heated and ropy stock
not wanted. Refrigerator car Mississippi bu. bxs. and
hampers selling at $1.50. Quote Alabama freight receipts
at $1.25@1.35 and express receipts of round green at $1.35
@$1.40, and corn beans at $1.00 per hamper, (coarse,
stale, heated and ropy less); Mississippi express receipts
round green early at $1.25@$1.40 and later at $1.40@1.50. |
On the 15th of June prices are too high—misleading on
account of the great drouth. Home-grown are now coming
and prices usually decline steadily after this time. Here
is the report:
String Beans—High-priced, because of extreme scarcity
and the demand for choice green beans unsupplied; yellow
and ropy stock not wanted—however, some from Mississippi
offered that wouldn’t bring charges. Mississippi choice
Wz SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
round green in bu. boxes sold at $2.75 and hampers $2.75 to
$3.00; Arkansas hampers (short and dry) at $2.25. Home-
grown round green sold at $2.75 to $3.00.
Home-grown usually appear about the middle of June
and take possession of our market till about the middle
of November, when they disappear for the season. South-
ern shippers are no longer interested in the course of the
market here, but the more Northern markets may prove re-
munerative for weeks yet.
Fall or later shipments sometimes pay fairly well for a
limited time. The flat (Harly Mohawk) is the earliest.
The Valentine or round bean, is tenderer and less stringy
and sells higher. Flat beans always much cheaper than
the round ones. |
Remember that the light colored or silver colored varie-
ties are cheaper than the Valentine, yet do fully as well
in some eastern markets.
Burpee’s stringless green pod bush bean we regard as
very dsirable and they are also very early.
Pack some as the pea—though they do not shrink as
much as the pea whilein transit. They stand shipping bet-
ter than the pea, especially under favorable circumstances.
In packing exclude all the moisture possible and let
them be as cool and dry as circumstances will permit. With
proper precaution so many will not reach here mouldy.
Baskets or hampers should be used as they afford more ven-
tilation than any box. Whether stacked up in express Cars,
freight or refrigerator cars, the bushel Pamney will be found
the best package.
TOMATOES.
Tomatoes can be had in this and all large markets every
month in the year. The Floridans have made wonderful
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 113
progress with the tomato, and to reach all the big trade
centers far in advance of all others, had to resort to irriga-
tion at some points. Now very choice Florida tomatoes can
be found in all the large cities throughout December, Jan-
uary, February and March, when she has practically no
competitors. It is true some tomatoes came into the West-
ern markets during that time from Cuba, California and a
few points in Southern Texas close to the borders of Mexi-
co, and also from Mexico. In fact, they have been coming
somewhat irregular from Tampico, and a few other points
in Mexico, say from the 15th of January to the 15th of
March, the past several years. The Florida shipments being
light and irregular owing to several freezes there the past
winter, the Mexicans found a better opening here. The
Florida product is so inviting in size, quality and condition,
being wrapped in paper, and neatly packed in six-basket
crates, holding about three pecks (carriers), that all other |
offerings suffer by comparison. This crate is by far the
best package for the purpose—so well ventilated and ad-
mirable for shipping purposes. Choice stock is invariably
looked for in such packages.
Last year the first tomatoes appeared long before the
1st of January. The home crop here was practically ex-
hausted by the 10th of November, and a few days
later California stock appeared in 4-basket crates, the reg-
ular California package, holding much more than the so-
called 4-basket crate used by Texas and other southern
states. The demand was rather light for the following
month.
California held the market at $1.25 to $2.00, depending
on amount offered, condition, etc., until the. 23rd of Decem-
ber, when Florida stock appeared and sold at $4.00 to $4.50
crate (carriers). A few days later several Florida crates
114 . SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
came, but were found too ripe and soft, selling at $2.00 to
$3.00. pt
The first week in January California and Florida were
exceedingly scarce and very high, the 4-basket California
stock $3.00, and the Florida carriers $4.00, all fine order.
Here is the market from the 13th to 18th of January:
Tomatoes—Fancy sound ripe scarce, but in only limited -
demand. Quote Cuban at $4.00@4.50 per 6-basket crate;
California at $3.00 per 4-basket crate—off stock less; last
sale fancy Florida at $6.00 per 6-basket crate.
On January 25th only Cuban and Mexican stock coming,
Florida shipments having disappeared for a week. Cuban
are quoted $3.00 to $3.50 for 6-basket crates and Mexican
$3.25 to $3.75. February 2nd market same, with California —
offerings at $2.00 for 4-basket crates. |
On February 10th we find Florida and Cuban tomatoes
selling at same price, $2.00 to $2.50 per 6-basket crates for
choice, and fancy $3.00 to $3.50, and Mexican fancy $3.25.
to $3.50 for 6-basket crates. By the 15th all grades and
receiptsscarce r and higher—25 to 50 cents above last
quotations. On the 20th Florida $2.50 to $3.00 for choice
and $3.50 to $4.00 for fancy. Cuban $2.00 to $3.00, as to
quality and condition, and Mexican 4-basket crates at $1.50.
On the 25th market is just the same on all. March Ist
market dull and receipts heavier. Principal offerings from
Florida and prices $2.25 to $3.00. March 10th report reads:
Tomatoes—Lower, and slow; market oversupplied. Quote
Florida 6-basket crates fancy at $1.90@2.00 and choice at
$1.50@1.65—car sold at $1.90 for fancy and $1.50 for choice
del.; Mexican lugs at $1.25@1.50. Cuban (fancy) slow at
$2.00@2.25 per 6-basket crate.
March 20th they are lower by about 15 per cent from the
“above quotations. On the 25th of March they are slightly
\
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 115
lower, but on the Ist of April still lower as this report
shows:
Tomatoes—Market unsettled A irregular; supplies ex-
cessive and quality of offerings show wide variance—a
good deal of soft and overripe on sale. Quote Florida 6-
basket crates fancy at $1.835@1.50 del. (soft do $1.00) and
choice $1.15. ‘
April 15th, market better. Florida 6-basket crates range
$1.50 to $1.90. Only Florida stock arriving about this
time. On the 1st of May market repozrt reads:
Tomatoes—Market strong and prices tending upward.
Quote Florida 6-basket crates fancy at $2.75 to $3.00 and
choice at $2.25 to $2.50, with even more asked by some
holders. Sales: part car at $2.25 and $2. te del, * car (yes
- p. m.,) at $2.50 and $3.00 del.
) From the 10th to 15th of May, Florida crates $2.50 to
$3.00, and inferior and culls, too green, damaged, over-
ripe, etc., $1.25 to $1.50. Louisiana stock $1.50 for flats or
4-basket crates. .On the 25th we find nothing from Florida.
The report reads:
Tomatoes—Market firm, with a good demand for choice ©
- gmooth sound ripe. Quote express receipt Texas and Mis-
sissippi 4-basket crates ripe at $2.00@2.25; Alabama 4-
basket crates at $1.50 to $2.00. |
From the 10th to 15th of June.
Tomatoes—Texas refrigerated fancy sold in jobbing way
_ delivered at $1.10@1.15 per 4-basket crate—car from Rock-
port cleaning up at $1.00—leakers at 60c to 75c. Express
receipts Mississippi at 75c to $1.00 per 4-basket crate; Ala-
bama trophy at 50@60c and acme at ras (few fancy at
$1.10) per 4-basket crate.
From the 15th to the 20th prices are only about 10 to
15 cents lower.
116 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Here is the report for 20th of June:
Tomatoes—Fancy sound smooth ripe refrigerated acme
moving freely at steaay prices—several cars unloaded this
‘morning; half-ripes, overripe, ete., dull. Texas refrigerated
fancy sold mainly in jobbing way delivered at $1.00 per 4-
basket crate—4 cars sold at that and 1 car at 90c@$1.00
del. Freight receipts Alabama trophy at 50c to 60¢c and
acme at 75e per 4-basket crate. |
On the 26th of June the market is lower and the report
reads:
Tomatoes—Market steady and fancy smooth ripe refrig- .
erated acme in fair demand; half-ripes, overripe, leakers,
ete., dull. Texas refrigerated fancy sold in jobbing way
delivered at 75c to 80c per 4-basket crate—leakers less; 4
cars sold at 80c, 1 car and part car at 75@80c and 1 wreck-
ed car at 15c to 40c—all del. Express receipts Tennessee
dull at 50c to 60c per 4-basket crate; Alabama trophy at
50c and acme at 75c per 4-basket crate.
By the lst of July prices are unchanged, but you will
see in the report of that date that home-grown have ap-
peared and it is therefore time for all shippers to discon-
tinue:
Tomatoes—Active movement at steady prices; receipts
large and demand good for fancy refrigerated; soft, over-
ripe, leakers, etc., dull. Texas refrigerated fancy sold in
jobbing way delivered at 70c to 80c per 4-basket crate—
leakers less; about 5 cars sold at 80c and 1 car at 70@80c—
all del. Express receipts Tennessee and Alabama at 30c to
50e per 4-basket crate—leakers less. Home-grown sold at
$1.75@2.00 per bu. loose.
The first week in July prices are about 10c crate ied:
Therefore, after the first week in July you are not inter-
ested in the market. |
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 117
The importance of proper handling, packing, ete., is
not properly estimated, and cannot be considered too Sse-
riously. If ripe tomatoes are going to be gathered, be
sure you put them in a separate box; but ripe stock should
not be sent forward unless you are only a few hours’ ride
from market. Even then they are liable to arrive in bad
order through rough handling.
Generally speaking, the proper time to gather Td pack
is when the tomato is full grown and beginning to color or
partly colored, depending upon the time in transit. The
warm weather prevailing at the time will ripen them fast
enough. You should not lose sight of the fact that a good
many are wanted for reshipment and to be fit for this
trade, the best we have, must not be fully ripe when they
reach us.
When shipped by freight they must be gathered still
sooner, when full grown, before coloring sets in. Freight
is not desirable unless you have some assurance in regard
to time, something you never get. In fact, less than car
lots are most uncertain and may be out three days or. five
days. Central Alabama or central Mississippi is as far off
from this market as local freight shipments should be
attempted.
We have for instance local freight shipments, usually 10 to
30 boxes grape fruit from Florida in winter, that arrive in
good order, that reach us usually in from 10 tol5 days. They
are wrapped in double paper which affords protection
against freezing.
The six-basket crates or carriers (three peck capacity)
are decidedly the package, and next to that is the four-
basket flat crate, not quite half bushel. The four basket flat
crate used so freely by Texas, Arkansas, West Tennessee
and Mississippi, is well adapted to their wants and material-
118 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
ly helps the sale of the goods. The package has much to do
with the sale as well as the carrying of the fruit, much
more than the average shipper is aware of. The successful
grower uses the best package. He can’t succeed without
them.
No knotty, stunted, over-ripe or otherwise imperfect stock
should be put in the package under any circumstances.
Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, Alabama and West Tennes-
see packing is usually very fine, and Arkansas is rapidly
falling in line and getting to use the four-basket crate.
There is a very wide demand for the tomato, all classes
being purchasers as soon as the prices become reasonable.
The demand for it is steadily on the increase.
A great deal of money has been made off the tomato,
not only in the South, but also North and Hast. The South
is destined, however, to remain the most profitable region
to cultivate them for commercial purposes. The improved
facilities and lower rates for reaching Northern or distant
markets, continue to afford a‘ substantial encouragement.
An acre of ground can be made to yield handsomely in
efficient hands; from 100 to 250 bushels, according to cir-
cumstances, location, etc. Two hundred is, perhaps, the
extreme limit in the South, and 300 in the North. ~
As to varieties, will say that the “Acme” and its class
should head the list for this market, and for most other
markets, too, as it is a universal favorite. Livingston’s
“Beauty” and “Perfection” and “Stone” close to it, and any
smooth, round, medium-sized variety might be added. Dark
- red color is favored most by buyers. All varieties not per-
fectly smooth surfaced should be discarded—such as the
Trophy and Maul’s Early and their class.
Don’t forget that last year’s prices were above the av-
erage, owing to the drouth and prolonged heat which partly
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 119
destroyed crops here and elsewhere in the Central West.
The Southern shippers, however, were not so seriously
affected.
In regard to packing it must be admitted that the Florida
people are rapidly forging to the front as expert packers.
In fact, their pack is close to perfection. We have today,
for instance, March 22nd, car 6-basket crates from Miami,
Fla., a great packing and shipping center. There are two
grades, fancy and choice, the latter grade having just 30
tomatoes in each basket, 180 to the crate. The fancy has
24 tomatoes in each basket, 144 to the crate, and their
condition from ripe to half ripe—not over one-fourth just
barely ripe. This affords the dealer a chance to hold a few
days, which he could not do if all ripe, showing pack, and
* grading just about right.
TEXAS BERMUDA ONIONS.
_. Southern Texas has been making more money out of this
crop the past several years than any other crop raised
within her borders, considering the amount of capital in-
vested or needed. The State has made wonderful strides in
the cultivation of the piquant and pungent onion the past
seven years. The marked advantage in onion raising is its
comparative freedom from the perils of unfavorable weath-
er conditions, to which many other crops have succumbed.
Such an impression has the Texas Onion made in the
markets of the country that all the prevailing rules and
marketing methods heretofore existing in the Central and
Eastern States have already undergone a wonderful and
radical change.
Hven Texas must soon yield some of her profits to
the owners of thousands of acres, just across the
border, which it seems are well adapted to onion
120 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
culture, with the big additional advantages of be
ing earlier. In fact, the first 15 or 20 cars going out
will be Mexican stock—as was the case last season.
Whether these Mexican onion fields will continue to in-
crease in the vicinity of Laredo or elsewhere in the Repub-
lic remains to be seen. There is a duty on foreign onions
of 40 cents per: bushel, or crates, 57 Ibs.
The acreage of Onions at Laredo is variously estimated
by the principal growers there at 4,800 to 5,400 acres. It
may be safely estimated at about 5,000 acres. There are
many other shipping points in Southern Texas where the
Bermuda Onion is the principal crop, embracing the follow-
ing towns, but the list is far from complete:
PHATE ee Oe Re a eee 5,000 acres
Big Wels oot wee eT On a at Ate Ne ee 650 acres
COUR ree cae ne aii meh Aue ea eo rao aoe 400 acres
INST AG Oe HS AAs leo OMA) A aN Ae Mah dit Ac A 350 acres
Hiaele “Pass er oor a ea eee a tant eee 300 acres
ETS SHOT et a 8 POPE Ni) ES ALE Ning 225 acres
TORRY VEN 0 Gace gy wach eh amici ce gine ie aaa 220 acres
PP OLOEE | Itc salty Oe RRR aw ee Wh aes A. Ne Rin eae a 200 acres
PRCA SA Chis Baoan. Lentini dh ROUT eee NOUR VaL Te 180 acres
ea Pry Or Mee ak, SORE ON a, ae oe 125 acres
Tor Sev HVS ys A Se eG cote | Ne eee 100 acres
EB 0 tit aaa epee Ac Wie oe age cia UN eRe oem WR Dooly oat AP 50 acres :
WIE SARS 1 Bil: Hn Een Co Oa MUO Aa TUE i LIE IL 40 acres
PUBERTY) SPR ea, Ie ee tke Gi ite ae ea 30 acres
OTWALOS Nicos of cee EOI ra ON Es cae 28 acres
WP alrireriaseess iseeg way oe he ied Rane Ged Sie ote 25 acres
IG 2 eR a Onc va Aly OP eae gare CQO ibe 25 acres
ER TOE Sh Peo es ain Ral lcs aa a Se 20 acres
BLE ie he ce Rs ae he ae a ee 15 acres
Nie Aen pw is 8 ae vc bhet Bins 4 48g hala tage Cg ae os Ole a
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 121
The magnitude of the Bermuda onion crop just maturing
can be seen through the array of figures furnished the
Kansas City Packer in its issue of March the 16th, all
coming from the leading growers themselves at the va-
rious shipping points who certainly were not interested in
getting beyond the most conservative estimate as to the
acreage or number of cars. |
The Laredo district seems to be the ideal section for
successful onion culture. It’s the earliest going out and
will strike all the big markets under the most favorable
conditions, and almost bare of old stock as well as new.
The first 100 cars of her crop will likely break all records
in the way of net proceeds.
At this writing, April 12th, new onions from Laredo are
* here and selling at $3.15 per crate, 57 lbs. gross, the high-
est price ever paid here for such stock, while the old stock
brought $2.85 bushel, both record prices.
The Texas crop of onions last year was 2,800 car loads.
The crop this year has been carefully estimated by the
most competent authorities, and it is placed at 1,000 cars
above last year’s output, or 3,800 cars as the total crop for
1912. At this time (April 4th) it is presumed no disaster
or serious injury to the crop is looked for—or is likely to
arise.
IRISH POTATOES.
The first receipts usually are anywhere from the
2st. of January to the ist of February. The first
receipts here last year did not arrive until the
6th of March, seven barrels from Bermuda, which
sold at $7.50 barrel. On the 7th small shipment
Florida bushel hampers, Triumphs, sold $3.00 hamper.
-March 10th car Florida hampers arrived and moved freely
122 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
at $2.75. On the 14th we find market weak at $2.25 to $2.40
hamper. On the 20th jobbing at $2.25. April 1st $2.25 to
$2.50. April 10th, unchanged, all Florida stock. On the
20th car Texas Triumphs in cummer crates sold at $2.00
Florida $2.00 to $2.25 hamper and Louisiana Triumphs $6.00
barrel. Here is the market report May Ist:
New Potatoes—Firmer; light offerings and demand fair.
Quote New Orleans Triumphs at $6@6.25 per brl, $2.15@
2.25 per bu. in sks. and $1.60 to $2.00 per crate: Mobile
hampers Triumphs $1.75. Sales: 35 bris. Triumphs at $6@
6.25 per brl del., part car Louisiana Triumphs del—sacks
at $2.15@2.25 per bu and bxs at $1.60@1.65 for No. 2 and
$1.85@2.00 for No. 1.
) Receipts steadily increased daly until the 12th of May
when the report reads:
New Potatoes—Market barely steady on choice Pichon
with ample offerings and only a quiet demand; white hard
to sell. Quote sacked Louisiana and Texas Triumphs at
$1.05@1.10 per bu. del; Louisiana sacked white at 75c¢ per
bu del; Alabama Triumphs and Louisiana white in hampers,
dull at 75c per hamper. Sales: 1 car and 2 loads skd.
Triumphs at $1.10 del., 50 sks. do at $1.05 del., 171 sks.
white at 75c per bu. del.
Just ten years ago, May 10th to 20th, figures were just
about the same as the above.
Strangely enough the first week in June when the new |
home crop begins to appear and prices much lower in conse-
quence, we find receipts lighter and prices higher, due to
the protreated heat and drouth in this and all adjoining
states. June Ist the report reads: a
New Potatoes—In lighter offerings and higher on fancy
sound skd Triumphs, with a right good demand; small-
sized, poor and off stock dull and cheap. Quote choice to
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 123
fancy sacked Triumphs at $1.10@1.15 per bul. del. ; spotted
sacks, inferior and small less. Sales: load small-sized skd.
Texas cobblers at 75c del., 1 car fancy Texas Triumphs at
$1.12 trk., 1 car do at $1.15 del.
Market steadily moved up until the 15th of June, when
we find the following startling figures at a time when the
home crop usually makes its appearance on the market,
but the heat and drouth now so injurious and widespread,
explains the whole story.
July Ist the report reads:
New Potatoes—In smaller receipts and stronger, with
sales loose farmers’ wagons at range of $1.25@1.50 per bu.
mainly at $1.40@1.50. Eastern cobblers jobbing at $4.85
to $5.00 per bri. del.
On July 15th the following repute shows about double
che Customary prices about this time: |
Potatoes—Receipts 1 car on C. L.,1lonL. & N. Higher
on home-grown Harly Ohio, sales loose from farmers’ wag-
ons ranging from $1.00 to $1.40 per bu.; receipts much
smaller and highest prices paid late in day. The usual
_ course of the market is steadily downward from May 15th
to July 15th.
The market is now over to Southern shippers, and they
are no longer interested here.
One of the greatest mistakes made by early er
_ is that of putting in with the better ones the very small
ones. Half a bushel, or even a peck of these little, worth-
less things, spoile the sale of the whole barrel, sack or
package, and shippers have no idea the injury they inflict
upon themselves and on the market by gathering and
shipping such objectionable stuff. The retailer can’t sell
them and somebody must eventually throw them away.
The greatest care must be exercised in the gathering,
124 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
handling, packing, etc.—must, in fact, be handled like ber-
ries—to avoid the many bruises that very soon afterwards
become visible through becoming red,. dark and discolored,
thus largely depreciating their market value, those not
fully matured always shrinking up badly. At this early
stage quality and not quantity must be considered; and sa
it is with all this early, perishable stuff. The buyers of
high-priced stuff want only good; the inferior they won't
take at any price. A few Arkansas growers have found the
Bliss White Triumph very profitable.
In shipping by car-load be sure to secure a well-ven-
tilated or cattle cars—sacked—sacks on their ends—not
flat, and the sacks in two rows on each side of car, and an
open passage through the middle of car. Occasionally cars
come into the depot leaking—the contents nearly worth-
less. The weather was exceeding? ly warm, close and damp
at such times and the cars were almost air-tight and pos-
‘sibly the potatoes were sunburnt before they were sacked,
and the result was a serious loss to shippers.
Half-bushel boxes and bushel hampers usually bring
earliest receipts, but when the prices are down to $1.50 per
bushel, hampers, 3-bushel barrels or sacks should be used;
sacks, 90 lbs., 1144 bushels. Florida begins with bushel
hampers. |
For early shipments the packages must be thoroughly
ventilated, whether boxes or barrels are used and should
be well filled so as to prevent shaking while in transit. The
unripe or those not fully matured, are easily bruised and
soon become so discolored as to spoil the sale of all. A
number of growers ship a little too soon and lose money
by doing so. .
It is very important that potatoes should be barreled or
sacked as soon as possible after they are dug, as lying in, .
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 125
the sun heats them, imparts a bad taste, renders them
unfit to eat afterward, and causes them to rot very quickly.
Avoid digging immediately after a heavy rain. All pota-
toes should be barreled or sacked when as dry and cool as
it is possible to have them. Assort very carefully and
ship nothing but the largest, having them as uniform in
size as possible, as culls or small ones, but add to the
weight and damage the sale, so that they bring no re-
turns and depreciate the value of the full-size one with
which they are mixed. If you should ship small ones marr
the package No. 2.
Early Rose, Early Ohio, Snow Flake, Burbank and Rurals
are standard varieties here, as they are at most other
points. Michigan Rurals, also Wisconsin and Minnesota
Rurals, supply all the middle west from November till spring
planting is over, and Triumphs from the Southern States
soon supply the market. We regard the Early Ohio as
most valuable because of its great earliness, and place it
first, where it will succeed. It is the big crop here with
all home growers. It’s their only hope, as they cannot
compete with the north in growing later. varieties. The
Triumph has become quite a favorite in all the Southern
States, where it has proved profitable.
SWEET POTATOES.
We can offer but little encouragement as a rule to South-
ern shippers of sweet potatoes. The crop here is usually
very large, and rarely a failure or partial failure, and now
the local crop supplies the trade for nearly ten months in
the year. This leaves but a small gap for early Southern
shipments. A good part of the crop is carried through the
winter very successfully through dry or warm storage, and
126 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
withdrawn as occasion may require, either for local or out-
side demand. This winter just past disclosed the smallest
supply and highest price perhaps in 20 years. Last sum-
mer, with its four months of continuous heat and drouth
brought about not only a very small crop but a very late .
one, hence much higher prices than usual. The large size
and somewhat coarse texture, coupled with a slight lack
of flavor, as compared with the home-grown, forms some
additional objection. The Nansemonds and Jersey Yel-
lows of local growth, are small to medium in size, clear,
bright, smooth and solid, with splendid keeping qualities,
and sell perhaps 10 to 20 per cent higher at all timse. There
is, however, a disposition to experiment with the Jersey
Yellow in several Southern states, in the near future. We
have had many letters on this subject from many Southern
shippers who are going to experiment with the Jersey
Yellow.
The local crop is composed of the red and yellow Nanse-
monds and some Jersey Yellows—very similar in appearance
to the Yellow Nansemonds. The Southern Queen and Red
Bermuda has a limited following. From the 15th of April
to the 15th of June usually afford the best opening to the
more Southern shippers. The prices were so high the
past season for reasons given, that they would prove mis-
leading. They are especially low here in October and
November, excellent stock being offered usually at 35 to 45c
cents a bushel, figures which exclude all outside shippers.
The first receipts are liable to come from any Southern
state except Florida, which could not afford to grow them
for outside markets at any time on account of heavy freight
charges. Oy :
Would suggest writing for prices and prospects a few
days before you are ready for market—to other markets as
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 127
well as this. This book furnishes thhe names of first-class
firms in all the leading markets who can be relied on.
The first receipts, small lots, usually appear in boxes,
one-half or bushel, or bushel hampers, and later in barrels.
Sacks afford the poorest protection, as the stock in them
often show up on arrival somewhat bruised or discolored.
Barrels and other packages should be well ventilated.
CAULIFLOWER.
It is quite strange, but true, that this very desirable
vegetable does not receive such attention as it is entitled
to at the hands of Southern growers. Mobile parties
shipped us very successfully years ago, usually a month
or so each season, getting fair prices. Florida for several
years past has been shipping with good results. We think
its general neglect arises from a lack of experience essen-
tial to its successful cultivation. The market here is sel-
dom crowded with nice, fresh stock until the home-grown
supply or season has fully set in, when the offerings be-
come the largest of the year.
California has been shipping it to this and other mar-
kets by the car load quite regularly for years, seeking the
various markets of the country that affords the best open-
ing. California’s enormous freight charges to the princi-
pal markets, $300.00 to $350.00 car, compels her to seek
those markets almost bare of competition. Southern Texas
is, however, experimenting and will probably soon show.
some good results. In fact, she has done so already.
It is regarded a valuable and profitable crop in the East,
and could be made so, we think, in the South. Long Island,
N. Y., ships to the principal markets of the country by the
- ear load, largely during November and December. The
128 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Southern growth should be coming here in March and
April. We judge the principal reason that cauliflower is
not more generally cultivated in the South is owing to
the scarcity of suitable locations. Its natural and most
congenial home is by the sea shore, the moisture insepara-
ble from such a locality having a beneficial influence. Iv
has been, in fact, asserted by eminent authority, that it
can’t be grown, except under such favorable conditions
or influences, notably, salt water. This statement, how-
ever, will not stand in the face of the fact that St. Louis
County produces magnificent crops of the finest cauliflower
every year, and we are nearly a thousand miles from the
coast or salt water, and hence we say that the profits the
business in the South can be made to yield are not fully
known outside of Florida.
The first receipts on the 2nd of January, 1911, were from
southern Texas, a few barrels by express, selling at $10.00
barrel, 5 dozen California stock started about the same
time selling at $3.00 crate (2 dozen). On the 10th a car
of California arrived and sold at $2.40 to $2.50 crate. No
Texas for the few days preceding. First of February
Florida hampers 1% bu. capacity, selling $1.75 and -Cali-
fornia at $1.75 to $2.25 crate as to condition. From the 15th
of February to the ist of March only California offerings
and market steady at $2.00 to $2.25 crate. By the 25th of
March it’s searee and high, California $3.00 to $3.50 crate
and home-grown (green house), $2.00 to $3.00 bushel box.
On the ist of April only home-grown (green house) of-
fered $2.50 to $3.50 bu. box. On the 12th home-grown only
offerings, $1.75 to $2.75 box. May Ist, $1.50 to $2.00, as
to size of heads. May 15th offerings, home-grown exces-
sive, selling at 75c to $1.00 box. June 1st very dull and
cheap, 20c to 50c box. Soon it is entirely neglected, sun-
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 129
burnt and discolorea, though the prolonged heat and drouth
of last summer, so it soon disappears for many months.
Colorado begins about August 25th, her crates (2 dozen)
selling at $2.00 to $3.00, receipts being small and continue
for a few weeks. Western New York, especially the Buf-
falo district, commences the first week in September with
mixed refrigerator cars holding cauliflower, lettuce and cu-
cumbers, the cauliflower selling at $1.25 to $1.50 crate. The
following month, October, Michigan makes a limited show-
ing of cauliflower, cucumbers, etc., but this closes the caul-
iflower year.
GELERY:
The traffic in celery has grown to wonderful proportions.
Each season during the past 15 or 20 years developed a
- largely increased demand and also adequate supplies to
meet the growing consumption. There was an abundance
of it and to give it additional prestige and claims on the
public, the quality steadily improved, and soon it became
accessible to all and the cost no longer kept the public from
it. The small lots by express grew in a brief period to car |
lots from Michigan, Colorado, Florida and California.
Michigan begins her season about the Ist of July and
remains a free shipper to all the leading markets east of
the Rockies until midwinter, when her supplies are ex-
hausted. In January Michigan winds up her season’s oper-
ations, sometimes a little earlier, as hard freezing begins
there early in December and it’s hard to handle after that
time. Yet she stores some occasionally for some of her
customers. Receipts of home-grown are light until about
the first of December. During December and January the
local season, which is brief, is at its height. California
crowds the market just as soon as she gets a chance, and
during January, February and March the supplies from
130 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
the Golden Satate are usually heavy. Florida has also been
coming to the front the past eight or nine years, shipping
here and elsewhere by the car load in March and April.
The Florida stock looks very white, nicely bleached and
attractive, yet not as crisp and tender as it might be, but
being without competition during a good portion of her
shipping season, gets good prices. Florida has what is
known as 10-inch crates and 12-inch crates, holding four to
six dozen celery stalks, as to size of same. There should
be only one size crate. The crates are considerably smaller
than the California, Colorado or Michigan bulk crates. The
Florida crates should be the same size to avoid misunder-
standing between buyers and sellers. .
California is steadily growing as a formidable competi-
tor in all Western markets, and shipping too when most
others have retired. California ships in straight car lots
during the winter and spring months. There is only a gap
now of two months, May and June, between the old and
new crop.
The area and range of territory adapted to celery cul-
ture, is rapidly widening and revolutionizing the business.
Occasionally our first receipts come from Wellington, Ohio,
a famous section for onion and celery culture, but the
weather is so hot either in June or July that the demand
is always limited as it wilts and withers all too soon await-
ing dealers or consumers.
The local crop of celery is not as large as formerly, when
there was less outside competition, so that the acreage here
is shrinking instead of increasing. It comes in late, how-
ever, avoiding the heaviest competition, that of Michigan
especially. Hence the local crop appears late in Decem-
ber and during January and part of February when the
receipts from outsiders are rather limited.
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 131
Prices of celery during 1911 were so very high because of
_light crops everywhere east of the Rockies, that the figures
given were so much higher than usual, practically 25 to 50
per cent above the average season, they had better be
eliminated. Michigan, for instance, sold carloads here in
November at nearly double the price she received just a
year before. Strangely enough, celery has shown during
the three weeks from the middle of March to the 7th of |
April, 1912, the widest range of prices ever known here ina
similar period. On the 15th of March best California celery
sold at $7.50 crate. After that it steadily declined until
$2.50 crate ruled for the best grade. Florida showed up in
the meantime, causing the big drop.
LETTUCE.
Has been coming regularly and freely for years from the
South—Florida, Louisiana and Southern Texas leading, es-
pecially during January, February and March. Briefly, it
-may be said that there is no beginning or ending of the let-
tuce season. It can be had every week in the year, the old
crop of one section of the country side by side with the
new crop of another part of the country—hard to say where
one began and the other left off. |
Florida begins in a small way by express early in Novem-
ber, later in the mouth in solid carloads, refrigerators. The
latter part of November finds even Michigan is represented
by small shipments occasionally in November. Lettuce is
quoted 25th of November, Louisiana sugar barrels well iced,
$3.00 to $5.00. Home-grown, 45c to 85c bushel loose. All re-
ceipts rather leafy. December ist Florida hampers 1%-
bu. capacity $2.50 to $3.00 New Orleans sugar barrels $5.00
to $6.50. December 10th all offerings much lower except a
refrigerator of Florida stock which sold at $2.00 to $2.50
132 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
per hamper. For the first week in January here is about
the average daily report: ;
Lettuce—Fancy head lettuce firm and in good demand;
loose, leafy, small heads, etec., dull. Quote fancy Florida
(received in refrigerator car) at $3.25 to $3.50 per crate;
and express receipts at $1.50 per hamper for wrecked to
$3.00 for fancy in sound well-filled packages. Quote New
Orleans sugar brls. at from $2.50@3.00 for No. 2, to $5.00@
6.00 for fancy according to packing. Lower Coast small
barrels sold at $5.00 to $6.00. Chicago leaf lettuce at 30@
35¢c per box (pecks).
On the 25th of January ‘the market reer reads as fol-
lows:
Lettuce—Hasy and quiet. Quote refrigerator Florida
hampers at $2.25@ 2.50 del and express receipts (more or less
damaged and packages broken down) at $1.00 to $2.00 per
hamper. New Orleans sugar bris. $3.00 to $4.00. Lower
Coast small brls. at from freight charges for small heads
and inferior to $3.00 for best offerings—stock mainly infe-
rior. Chicago leaf lettuce 3244 per box (peck).
On February 25th here is the market:
Lettuce—Choice Florida head lettuce firm, but poor
stock (heated, frozen, etc.) neglected; New Orleans and
Lower Coast dull, too. Quote Florida refrigerated hampers
in jobbing way del. at $1.00 to $1.35 (some heated selling at —
50ce to 70c) and fancy in crates at $1.50@1.60; express re-
ceipts at 75c to $1.00 per hamper. New Orleans and Kenner
sugar brls. and Lower Coast small brls. dull at $1.50 to $2.00.
Home-grown (hot-bed) 40c per box, loose.
March ‘25th reads:
Lettuce—Quiet; fancy ead lettuce steady, poor stock
hard to sell. Quote choice to fancy Florida hampers in job-
bing way at $1.50 to $2.25 del—poor dull at $1.00@1.25 del.
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 133
Lower Coast small brls. at $2.50 to $3.00. New Orleans su-
gar brlis. at $2.75 to $3.25. Home-grown leaf lettuce 40@
50¢ per box. |
On the 15th of April reads:
Lettuce—Southern weak and dull, on account of poor
quality and condition of offerings; Home-grown plentiful,
too. Quote Texas sugar brls. at $4.00 to $5.00; Louisiana
short hampers (Pontchatoula) at $1.25@1.50; New Orleans
sugar brls. at $1.50 to $3.00; Lower Coast small brls. in
bad order sold for charges. Home-grown leaf lettuce at
50c to 65c per box.
By May the 15th only home-grown offered, all shippers
being forced to withdraw and the Southern shippers are no
longer interested. In July and August mixed cars, refriger-
‘ators, embracing considerable lettuce, comes from Buffalo
and other western New York points—also from Chicago.
DAMAGE AND LOSS. TO SHIPPERS.
It will be noticed that in all these reports covering lettuce
and also often covering beans, peas, cucumbers, peppers,
potatoes and similar goods received by express daily during
the shipping season, the packages are usually referred to as
“more or less damaged and packages broken down.” Let-
tuce, it will be observed, is quoted $1.00 to $2.00 hamper—
the difference generally averaging 50c hamper in favor of
the packages not smashed at the transfer points before get-
ting out of Florida. There is no telling how many thousand
dollars are lost annually in this way to the shippers.
The owners and shippers of these crops have for years
submitted to these wrongs and losses because they could
not afford to prosecute the Express Company for each of
these offenses, a fact the Express Company knows very
well. f
134 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
We have occasionally presented claims on behalf of the
shippers, but generally found it a waste of time unless you
take the matter into court—an expense rarely justified.
It should be stated that the Express Company knows we
are not interested financially in these claims or adjust-
ments, hence the shippers claims and demands will bé more
readily recognized, as it is to them they are indebted for
the business. The damage to goods through delays en
route are frequently serious, and at least a portion of them
should be paid by the express companies. The shipping
associations should take up these matters.
The Louisiana people thoroughly understand the art of
packing early vegetables for Northern markets. As can
readily be imagined, most fresh egetables would heat quick-
ly—long before their destinations were reached, in such
large packages as sugar barrels, and hence ice is used at
all times during the shipping season and cannot be dis-
pensed with. This is especially true of LETTUCE, RAD-
ISHES, SPINACH, PARSLEY, MUSTARD GREENS,
KALE, CARROTS, BEETS, TURNIPS, SPRING ONIONS, |
| KOHLRABI, ete. The home grown crop keeps coming
throughout the winter when mild weather prevails, and ap-
pears side by side with the consignments from the South,
and being so very fresh, so much more inviting, sells higher
than most of the shipments. Good sized heads are what is —
needed—stale-looking, discolored, leafy and heads running —
to seed should not be shipped, nor should any stunted or im- |
perfect head be packed, and if dirty or sandy should be
cleaned: before shipped.
BEETS.
Beets paid fairly well here the past 10 years. In the
early part of the season the receipts are mainly from New |,
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 135
Orleans and vicinity. The first week in January New
Orleans offerings are 25 to 35ec a dozen’ bunches, and $3.00
to $3.50 per sugar barrel iced. The market is still full of
old beets which are selling at 30c to 40c a bushel loose.
On February ist old stock still lower, 25c a bushel loose,
and New Orleans 20c to 35¢c dozen bunches, according to
sizeof same. On the ist of March the market is practi-
cally unchanged. April 1st old stock still at 25c a bushel,
loose, and New Orleans 20c to 35c per dozen bunches, as
to size, etc. May I1st local crop old beets 25c to 30¢e
bushel, loose, and New Orleans 20c to 30c dozen. You are
no longer interested because home-grown supply the entire
trade later.
This year, from the first of January to date, April ist,
1912, the prices were away above last years on both old
and new stock, so that we have the two extremes close to-
gether, so much higher, that they might prove misleading
if given at length. |
These New Orleans sugar barrels hold 10 to 13 dozen
and 30c-to 40c dozen is the usual price during January,
February and March. The express company gives low
rates to encourage shipments, and $2.50 to $4.00 per bar-
rel, the usual price, seems to afford satisfaction, as the
beets come along all winter and spring without interrup-
tion. They stand shipping better than most early vege-
tables, a point in their favor. They come in fairly good
order without ice until the hot weather sets in. New Or-
| leans, however, always uses-ice, even by express.
ASPARAGUS.
‘Can be grown profitably for Northern markets, but we can-
not encourage heavy shipments here. Our own gardeners
136 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
furnish it so extensively and begin so early in the season,
that there is rarely a profitable opening for outside parties
at any time of the year, though the various markets repre-
sented in this book can doubtless offer more encourage-
ment. Asparagus is a big specialty with many gardeners
around here and they commence shipping some to other
markets early in the season. Heavy shipments came here
from California during last February and March, but it
was too expensive for general use. The first regular re-
ceipts from the south appeared on the 6th of February in
half-bushel boxes neatly partitioned off, allowing a little
square for each of the 24 bunches in the boxes. It sold for
several days at $3.00 to $3.50 box. They were shipped from
Alabama and Southern Texas. By February 20th to Ist of
March offerings much larger and prices $1.75 to $2.25, com-
ing from the same sections. April 1st prices are about the
same. California still shipping.
May 1st, West Tennessee, Southern Missouri and South-
ern Illinois are shipping and prices are considerabe lower,
so that Southern shippers are no longer interested.
SPRING ONIONS, LEEK, AND SHALLOTS.
Come in here freely every spring in February, March and
April, in all sorts of packages, and sell at all sorts of
prices—someof them down to express charges. If they are
cleaned off nicely, stripped of the outside brown casing
which renders them unsightly, the roots trimmed and tied
in bunches of six to eight stalks, no dead leaves, only the
pure white and green color visible, and packed in crates or
boxes ventilated, they will bring much more than a portion
of the receipts, which are pulled out-of the ground and
thrown into boxes without any attempt to clean, pack or
render them attractive to buyers, who are accustomed to
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 137
see all such goods here in the most attractive condition at
the various stands and stores where handled. The large
stalks do not sell near as well as small ones, which are
better adapted to the wants of the table. Some cof the
bunches shipped are so small it takes 50 dozen to fill a
sugar barrel, including cracked ice, while 30 dozen would
be about right when well iced. Leave on the tops also. It
makes the bunches look larger and makes a better im-
pression on the buyer. During the past month the highest
prices that were ever paid here prevailed for some time
owing to the marked scarcity everywhere, and New Or-
leans, and Kenner, Louisiana, seemed the only source of
supply. On a few occasions they sold as high as $20 a
barrel—60 to 70 cents a dozen, or about four times the
usual price. Last year showed the other extreme, aver-
aging during January, February, and March, about 15c per
dozen bunches. |
- New Orleans and vicinity contribute most of the offer-
ings here until home-grown are plenty.
‘ RADISHES.
‘Suffer more while in transit than perhaps any other vege-
‘table and a few crushed leaves will soon start the whole
lot on their way to destruction or decay. They should not
(be shipped with the soil still clinging to them, the way
jonions sometimes come. Should be washed off clean and
‘tied in bunches, yellow leaves removed and dry and cool
before packed. Don’t use barrels, however, for our market,
/unless well iced. Must advise going slow for this market.
a ew Orleans ships heavily here throughout the winter in
| Sugar barrels well iced and neatly packed. In fact, Louisiana
|ships here steadily for four months, beginning early
December and shipping steadily thereafter until April,
138 «=©SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
when the several states adjoining us, especially Hastern
Arkansas, gets started. Arkansas ships early in April quite
freely in barrels, “chipped” to afford some ventilation and
shipping without ice, being out only nine to 12 hours—long
enough, however, to have some of them arrive here more
or less ‘heated. When trains are late, a few hours, as
sometimes happens, the barrels are dumped out on arrival
to lec the contents cool off. Alabama shipped enormous
quantities of radishes, the majority white, from the 15th
of March to the 10th of April, largely in bushel hampers. :
~ - Those in barrels were iced and needed it.
- Louisiana’s enormous crop every year is composed of
the round white tipped variety, which has a big following
everywhere. The long radish, light red or pink color, has
also quite a following. They are largely grown in South-
ern Mississippi, also considerable in Alabama, Tennessee,
and Arkansas, the latter state the long radish almost ex-
clusively.
We often see shipped in here large, soft, over-ripe roots
that are hollow inside. Such are neglected and won't pay
to ship here, or probably anywhere. A good many from
Texas are too large, soft and spongy—overgrown. They
should be gathered and shipped before they get so large.
Mississippi ships quite freely here in the four-basket
crates used for tomatoes—the four baskets removed—and
this makes a splendid package for them—a flat, well ven-
tilated package of such capacity meeting all the important
requirements, especially in the matter of ventilation.
Three-peck, or so-called ‘bushel boxes, are also used by
many shippers in Mississippi until warm weather sets in,
say April.
The radish is growing in popularity and the demand for
it has steadily increased=-more through lower be aes sea
(
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 139
perhaps any other cause. ' It is almost within the reach of
everybody now throughout the year.
OKRA OR GUMBO.
Okra or gumbo.can be grown profitably for our market
in a limited way. Florida shipped here very successfully
the past ten or 12 years during the winter and spring when
she practically has all markets relying on her. ‘Texas,
Alabama and Mississippi are next, soon followed by West
Tennessee and Arkansas. Florida ships in the regular six
basket crate, a splendid package for it, and she also grows
the dwarf variety—small, short pods, about one and one-
half inches long, whieh the trade likes’ so well.
It usually sells $2.50 to $3.00 per crate, occasionally $3.00 to
$3.00, until the states north of Florida begin, when it de-
clines rapidly. The long, big, stringy pods should be
abandoned for the dwarf sorts. They won’t pay in any
market. The must be gathered before they get big and
tough—when crisp and tender. |
This winter up to date, March 30th, 1912, gumbo has
been scarce and high, owing to adverse weather in Florida,
which furnished about all that came here.
It sometimes comes in peck and one-third bushel boxes—
beginning at $1.00 per box and soon declining to 50 cents.
It is so light, express charges do not amount to much.
Some West Tennessee parties shipped here quite success-
fully the past five years. Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas
and Southern Texas ships considerable every year. ‘The
dwarf small pods, 1% to 2% inches, make desirable sizes.
The four-basket crate or six-basket crates are ‘the best
packages. “The one-third bushel box has become a back
‘number for any purpose. Such packages are destitute of
140 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
needed ventilation, and conceals instead of revealing the
contents.
EGG PLANTS.
Egg plants are so heavy, the charges, especially by ex- ©
press, become a serious matter. They can come here profit;
ably for a while, at least, especially when shipped by fast
freight or in mixed refrigerator cars, with melons, canta-
loupes and other goods coming that way from many points.
Ship none that are in the least injured or half-grown dam-
aged or otherwise faulty and only-in ventilated barrels or
boxes. The egg plant season is now a long one here.
Florida is one of the principal fields of supply early in the
season. She ships in barrels, and in half-barrel boxes or
erates, mainly in 1% bushel boxes or crates, the most de-
sirable package, because a good many dealers would find a
barrel too much, and during the winter and spring months,
when she supplies most of the markets, gets generally
good prices. '
It was unusually scarce this past winter and remains
scarce and high-priced up to date, March 30th, 1912, far
higher than usual. }
The first week in J anuary shows Florida offerings at $5.00
per 1% bushel crate, and some poor Texas stock at $2.50
per bushel hamper. A few small consignments of Mexican
stock came early in January, which sold at good prices,
$3.50 bushel crate—but latter part of January the Mexican
stock was the only offerings, $2.00 to $2.50 bushel crate.
Texas and Florida receipts very irregular during January.
First three weeks in February show only Florida stock,
which ranged $4.00 to $5.00 crate, the receipts being light.
and irregular. By the 1st of March larger receipts, Florida
$3.50 and Mexican $1.50 to $2.00. From the 15th of March
\
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. ee kc a
to the ist of April scarce and only Florida egg plants are
coming; prices mainly $3.00 to $4.00 per 114 bushel crates.
From April 5th to 15th Florida plenty and lower, $2.25 to
$3.25 crate. From the 15th April to the ist of May receipts
are liberal and quite steady—prices equally so, $2.50 to
$3.00 crate, 14% bushels.
‘From the 8rd to 12th of May, lighter offerings, $3.00 to
$3.50. Receipts in excess of the demand from 15th to 20th,
and prices away down—$1.75 to $2.25, all Florida. —
June ist only $1.25 to $1.75. June 9th, $1.75 to $2.25 and
June 12th receipts sold $3.00 to $3.50, 20th, $2.50 to $2.75,
and Louisiana bushel hampers $1.50 to $2.00. July 3rd,
Florida, $1.25 to $1.50, and Alabama and Louisiana bushel
hampers $1.00. However, Southern shippers are no longer
interested, as home-grown soon take the market.
Receipts this year up to date, March 30th. Receipts light,
irregular, very high average, hence quotations no proper
basis to go on for the coming year.
SQUASH.
Squash comes regularly from the South, Florida first,
later from Southern Texas, New Orleans and Mobile, and
usually brings paying but not big prices. The past several
years Florida shipped here in 114 bushel boxes heavily, us-
ually beginning in January. In fact, Florida is likely to
keep the principal markets supplied during January, Feb-
ruary and March, or until the States north of her get started
—unless checked by winter frosts, as she has been the past
winter. Her first offerings usually bring $2. per bushel box,
but they soon decline to $1.00 per box. The first receipts
last season appeared later than usual, February 23rd, in
11% bushel crates, which Florida uses now for squash,
quitting the bushel box. Such goods are so heavy to go
\/
142 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES My /
by express that the greatest caution must be exercised |
to avoid losses. They usually get here in mixed cars, with |
tomatoes, celery, lettuce or potatoes. During March they |
ranged from $2.00 to $2.25, which does not show large
profits, although squash carries about the lowest express
charges out of Florida, $2.00 to $2.50 per 100 Ibs. February
receipts made a better showing of net proceeds—averag-
ing probably $2.50 crate, 114 bushel or half-barrel capacity.
It comes successfully in ventilated boxes or barrels and
wrapped in coarse brown paper; the usual price, according
to receipts and circumstances, after the season is well
started, are from 20 to 40 cents per dozen. Pack none that
are speckled, bruised, soft or otherwise injured or faulty.
Nearly all come through successfully by fast freight.
The round squash and bush scallop, or yellow patty-
pan are the sorts wanted in this market. The long of |
crook neck yellow sorts are actually unsalable here, while
they may do fairly well in Chicago and other markets. —
Mississippi, Southern Illinois and Arkansas shipped sev-
eral lots of this crook neck squash here the past few years
that had to be dumped. :
HORSERADISH.
There is no vegetable probably about whose successful
cultivation so little is known. It must be admitted, how-
ever, that few sections are adapted to its culture. The soil
required is a dark rich loam, which should be thoroughly
prepared in advance. It grows from root cuttings 3 to 5
inches long, which are planted in a slanting position 2 to 3 _
inches deep at surface and 5 to 6 inches deep at bottom of
root and 8 to 10 inches apart in the rows, which are gener-
ally 3 feet apart. At least once or twice during the grow-
ing season the earth must be sufficiently withdrawn to en-
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 143
he
able the cultivator to remove the side roots, allowing the
main or tap roots to stand, when the earth should be re-
placed. We know of no place in the South where it has
been successfully grown. It has been tried around New
Orleans, where it is supposed the conditions were rather
favorable, but failed. Marketable roots must be at ‘east
6 to 8 inches long and 1 to 2 inches in diameter, and should
average 144 inches. The usual price is $3 to $5 per barrel
or 3 to 5 cents per pound.
PEPPERS.
Are steadily growing in favor here and sold very high at.
times during the past six or eight winters. The several
freezes in Florida cut off her customary shipments during
the winter and spring, especially during January, Febru-
- ary and March, when she is really without competition in
all the large cities. Receipts were light and irregular
throughout the winter up to date, March 30, and prices
were high throughout—mainly $3 to $4 for carriers or 6-
basket crates. 2
The large bell or sweet variety sometimes referred to
as the “Bull Nose,” is preferred. The small, long ones are
not liked nor any of the hot sorts. The mild to sweet
sorts are in request by most of the consumers here. Ship
{ in the regular six-basket crate as Florida does. They come,
however, in all sorts of packages, especially bushel hamp-
- ers, crates, etc. We know of no vegetable for which the
demand so steadily increased during the past 7 or 8 years
as for peppers. They are so light the express charges do
not amount to much. |
SPINACH.
_ Spinach came here profitably last spring from Arkansas,
144 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Tennessee and Western Kentucky for quite a while and
this spring (February and March, 1912). there were fre-
quently paying openings for it. In fact, there is
a growing demand for it. At this writing, March
30th, it is free sale at $1.25 per bu.’ hamper, and has been
the past several weeks, considerable coming from Ala-
bama in bushel hampers. Norfolk, Va. frequently ships
by the car load (barrels) during February and March, also
kale. Home-grown is gradually increasing. After this
time car loads of spinach sometimes come here from Bal-
timore in February and March. Most of the spinach re-
ceived during January, February and March sold from
$1.00 to $1.50 per bushel hamper, and came largely from
Alabama. Texas occasionally struck some big prices for
it during January, February of this year, 1912.
TURNIPS.
There is no crop that is so universal as the turnip—
none that succeeds so well under adverse circumstances in
the matter of soil, climate and other important conditjons.
They grow where most other crops fail. It is perhaps the
only food product or root crop that can be grown in every
state in the union, and only in the arid lands and most im-
; Tacs eee ‘ ee
poverished sections of the country would it fail to grow if .
at all fairly started. It stands more drouth than any other
root crop. Strangely enough, it is one of the most
unprofitable crops because so widely cultivated and |
being raised everywhere, and in addition a good keeper,
there is rarely a profitable market in sight—save’ in few —
exceptions and only for a short time.
Protracted drouth in growing sections sometimes causes —
searcity-and high prices, and this is especially true of 1911,
as 1912 opened with a surprisingly small crop carried over,
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 145
Hence prices advanced rapidly during January, February
and March everywhere—fully double what they usually are.
All roots crops were about double the usual value during
the same period because of the widespread drouth last sea-
son throughout the Central West and South. Hence the
prices ruling from January ist to April ist, 1912, would
prove misleading if given here.
The cultivation of the Swedish turnip or Rutabaga is
largely confined to Minnesota and Canada, the latter stock
considered best. .
SUGGESTIONS TO SHIPPERS.
1. When making consignments always write your Com-
mission Merchant, stating what shipped, number of pack-
ages, whether by express or local freight, date shipped,
road shipped by, contents, ete.
2. If shipment consists of a carload, always wire the
car number and initials of car and name of road car will
be delivered over at destination, so consignee can know
where to look for car and what car to look for, as some
cities have four or five roads over which a car can arrive.
8. It is always best to insert on Bill of Lading the name
of delivering line.
4. In shipping Draft Bill Lading attached or Order Noti-
fy, shippers will avoid confusion and in good many cases
severe losses by inserting on the Bill of Lading the clause
“Permit inspection without Surrender of Bill of Lading.”’
5. Shippers will make money by advising their mer-
chants what the correct rate of freight on their ship-
ments is, and will greatly assist in preventing over-charges -
by sending Bills of Lading with the RATE INSERTED.
6. In case shipments are diverted after having been
! a“
‘146 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
made, the house to whom shipment was originally made
should be always advised promptly.
LESS IMPORTANT VEGETABLES.
We have already reviewed at length the kinds of vege-
tables we recommend as most: profitable for this market.
The remainder we bunch together and suggest planting only
to a limited extent until you learn from experiment what
other markets as well as this may do for you. We believe
each is worthy of a trial, in a limited way. It is certain
you will not find any of them profitable here if you wait
till home-grown appears.
- EARLY CORN, CARROTS, PARSLEY, KOHLRABI, PAR-
SNIPS, MUSTARD GREENS, OYSTER-PLANT OR SAL-
SIFY, RHUBARB, ETC.
As already stated, New Orleans ships enormous quan-
tities of these early vegetables to this market—bunched
vegetables nicely iced in sugar barrel, so that they reach
their various destinations throughout the country in
splendid condition. We would advise opening communica-
tion with the various other firms represented elsewhere in
this work. | |
Today, March 30th, 1912, we find the following vegetables
quoted in our daily market reports—all from New Orleans:
Endive, $1.50 to $2.25 per sugar barrel, iced. Escarol, $2.00
to $2.50 per sugar barrel, iced. Romaine, $2.00 to $3.00
per sugar barrel, iced. Kohlrabi, 15c to 30c dozen bunches.
Parsley, 10c to 12c per dozen bunches.
While everything else is much higher than usual these
vegetables, because of the limited demand for them are
cheap—too low to offer much encouragement to anybody.
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 147
BIG LOCAL CROPS. :
The great number of gardeners in the vicinity of this
city now accomplish so much through the aid of hotbeds,
cold frames and early forcing, that quite a list of vegetables
can be had here at the stores and stands throughout the
year. The changes, improvements and progress developed
in this industry here within the past fifteen years are simp-
ly surprising and surpass those near any other large city
in the West. The figures ruling for these less prominent
vegetables during the past three months, January, Febru-
ary and March, 1912, have been so high that it would be
a mistake to quote them—being so much higher than usual.
THE EVER CHANGING AND SHIFTING CONDITIONS.
To vegetable shippers generally we will say that other
agencies besides overproduction figure in the decline in
prices. Lower freight rates and quicker time in transit are
often prime factors in the changein values. For instance,
shippers who formerly sent small lots, now ship by car load
or get others to join them in making up a car. Thus not
only are much lower freight rates secured but also quicker
time in transit, all of which operates against the isolated
and small shippers, who cannot secure either the low rates
or shorter time en route accessible tothe car lot shippers.
These remarks apply with equal force to fruit shippers.
It may be added here that the fancy prices formerly paid
for certain articles will practically never be known again.
Thirty-five to 40 years ago the first receipts of strawberries
brought $2.00 quart. Five years later $1.50 quart were the
best figures, while the past ten years 75c to $1.00 have
been the outside prices for the first receipts from Florida,
a few days before Christmas. Our berry season 35 to 40
- years ago lasted less than three months, while now seven
148 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
months of the year may be regarded the strawberry season.
The season for everything is so lengthened that no product —
becomes a novelty at any season of the year. Thus prices
are leveled by the great variety as well as the big offerings
of everything which can now be produced steadily through-
out the year through our matchless resources of soil and
climate.
GIVE THEM A CHANCE.
Very often shippers receive returns that do not satisfy
them—or are disappointed over results. At times they re-
gard the charges excessive and accuse the merchant of
overcharging. Again shortages arise—or part of the con-
signment is damaged through accident, delay or otherwise,
and the receiver in his hurry overlooks making explanation
with sale, or the circumstances that led to lower prices for
same. :
The shipper should remember that in the busy season—
which is when himself and his neighbors are shipping—
the average commission merchant is driven to death. The
merchant, for instance, may make a note of the necessity
for explanation to shipper to account for low prices, but
in the evening when he has a stack of letters before him to
answer, not to speak of account sales, checks, drafts, etc.,
he finally forgets all about it, in his anxiety to get ready
for the out-going mail.
In such cases we have occasionally in our travels on
the road seen a shipper get mad at the commission mer-
chant and tell his neighbors without reserve that they beat
him out of so and so. Under such circumstances the ship-
per should ask for explanation, which can be done on a
postal card—giving dates and particulars. In many cases
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 149
the reply received will show that there was no just ground
for any charges of the kind.
PREPAY YOUR TELEGRAMS.
It has become a. practice among certain shippers to ask
questions and seek information by wire, and let them go
collect, and the reply they also expect the commission mer-
chant to prepay. Thus the merchant is not only expected
to furnish them important information free of charge, but
also pay anywhere from fifty cents to one dollar each way
for the privilege of doing so. In many instances there is
not a cent in the deal for the commission merchant, and
the shipper only is benefited and the questions asked are
in his interest. The idea, for instance, of asking an offer
on goods and expecting the merchant to pay—beth wires—
well, it’s absurd! Why the shippers should expect such
costly favors free, remains one of the unexplained com-
mercial conundrums of the times. When these telegrams
come from Florida and other points in the far south, the
situation is especially aggravating, the cost of ten words
being generally 60 to 75 cents. We recall especially one
case, a young man in Florida asking information, and let
the charges go collect, and because the answer came
collect, the seeker of the news got indignant and
asked for an explanation. In a _ courteous note he
_was requested to kindly transfer his patronage to some
other house who could appreciate his fine sense of fairness
and justice.
- The local agents, too, working on commission, frequent-
ly develop a weakness of this kind. They want a division
of the commissions, but forget about a proper division of
the cost of telegrams which*helps to build up their fees.
Prepay your telegram and your merchant will prepay his.
150 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
TABLE SHOWING AMOUNT OF SEED NECESSARY FOR
-AN ACRE AND NUMBER OF POUNDS TO BUSHEL.
No. lbs. ‘to bu.
en AT a eat cic eae he he eae anerta hte et Maomn Ee 60
PEUSTROME y oiho ele 6 cle ie lta heh apes Ge ke ener ae ee 60
ay 10 PUMA A aL A As A Soa PDD MA AE BU a 60
x3 ga spear eam A ERP TMG RERUN 2) Pee hiesr E GL Wg or 60
Oy LE) Wl 0 Vc! C0 MRM ee Met Ales RRR R TPS oui ye or a2 INAS A 60
Grass," BEM a ee os So. Case ea eee A ae
a Blue fOr Lawns. ey Hh ah a ee 14
1 1b. for 15x15 feet Square.
ON ain LUG MON PS GUTS cae cial ies sala ales dce iremdale, ao gi ae
is IVET RGU O LOT 88 oe cedar tle e a doe RR Pas © bene ec ee 14 |
" awit IX tures, Ce soe s Won aera bees Pens Pens 14
1 Ib. for 15x15 feet square.
7 LG Died 6 p7 Ano Pantie ame a Meee Derngeerey A my Gy aM de gh 14
Th RG LOD pers wae cous een Se ica au cep eee ain 20
MATTEO TINY dig 2's oc essa ho dre eh ae CRI eRe la hee ee ee a 45
Hungarian............. TM iurd arb ahanee Sa ateda sae DR Este oan 48
Millet, German or Golden..............see cece cee eees 50
Buckwheat......... pind er EUR reo tebe ruvaher eal ane atte 2 eres edie 52.
BPO OF woos Ges Wate Bae oh hae w has Oe ea eam ae weal 48
IAT MOTD ia el pares eee ek Be ek grateshomuatete a vitets te 50
Cane Seed for. POdders oie. aes. arena fat eg 50
* A A) SOURIS hie vibeets on by aicier gv ts Po eet cite 50
ASAI GOL ERB ING sas pies dereteltove dies nies oe Puells nies ay acaya' alles si sistary wattle t 46
PURE OGG 'y 465 dba b pinieve we ink wen le alofetatel Glave stn faieimialc cee fa 56
PVCIT BGAIG soos nig weiain's a ciety ore'ota alae cleletsibnn om Mele mie 60
PGI PF OaS ioc tk ee ee eelbiule'e 3 FR he heroin Seana: gene 60
Cow or Southern Peas.............. civ oeis hatred oshat 60
Garden Beans, Dwar. i). ic 2[eosecnas cate cae 60
CULO SOU vais sa’ hin edad « Cedeikie amie’ s cee aw ee een en eselnielt BZ
PPOGAGOEB, EUG Ta vei bsG ves asf Va bind ale wisi p Ginn eo ww ere os 60
Rape, DWartl HAG ss 5.5 ok + Finkle Pele eee eee sealers
OOO Gs TR TUG so sins kia idsw' 5 von ais ossip pih-op aM Miatnin els aidindlb, nid 48
WE ME RVE Nel sa rin sdiin Wil ha byl chatecasectre tutes Sek mutate hee ee huevo wt 56
8 NEM 0 ia iig ries bony 4/0 ema Ore aor ewe ee oo RTECE Whee Nae 32
Be ee Syed eia'h win'ete ane dig ela a Manane ts baie Mc ere ed 56
RB EG bch ead biete coin eae Pi ial sul 60
UIT TR aso ew asa Wale sie aM ialehe oh Da tea alece whales aN nd 5g WMaL
Quantity to acre
20 to 30 ‘Ibs.
8to10: ‘“
8to1i0 ‘
6to 8 *
12to15 “
2to 3."
30to40 *
20to 35
30 to 40 = ‘‘
30to 40 “*
15 to25 ‘
15to 20 ‘
12to15 ‘*
28to35 SS
25 to35
1to 1% bu.
4to 6 qts.
5to 6 Ibs.
20to40 ‘
4to 8 ‘
4to 6 *
1to 11% bu,
14to 2 *
1to 1% “
1to 1%“
1to 1% ds
10to15 ‘
8to10 ‘
4to12 Ibs.
2to 2% bu.
4to 6 qts.
2to 246 bu,
1to 1%‘
1%to 2
4to 6 Ibs.
40to60 ‘
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 151
A TABLE SHOWING THE NUMBER OF TREES OR
PLANTS TO THE ACRE.
Distance. No. of trees.
GAMA UGG WAY eae ob iegs ca cis Since ea 6 bs lk Pa peda 43,560
PREC ADA “CACY WAY kos. so iso 0. sil eccte sam else bare «es £0,890
eee AMEN CCA OMe WAN. 5 ius. eo chk was coe wba» 4,840
PmOew AMALEvCAGI, WAY . bcc). «owe nw eke hcp hc e ee 4 oer |
5 feet apart each way....... SP Te ea aN Git ect tage 1 1,742
MmeeU AMAEL CaCNy Way. .)6 sc. dk cheb ere eabla wh ecu eae 1,210
Meteer Aan CACM WAY i suc ok Sb < bce ucla pterete es oe aw eos 888
8 feet apart each way........ th ae ae hah 680
PCC CDA COC, WAY. co ian iiec'e cc obs ee sls eines oes Sigh
eee EAM AEG, CAC AWAY oe oe ek 6.5 a alin e wealth ducdane A434
11 feet apart each way...... Be eR Rye os SMe 360
Peet oa Marl, CAC, Way . 6208 cc's obo de bie die ese ccna ale 502
seen spark. GACH WAY. .: Lies oles Sly cs ev sn dee he. 257
14 feet apart each way........ BE A aha a oliaPay Se altars — 222
Bemeeu um pace CaGiic WAY. ods evs esis oc cgcte cs ehe eae 's e« 193
16 feet apart each way............. re ORS BSS: Aa 170
17 feet: apart each Way... se... cen ae Gye aWirg eet” fod ~ 150
Mee eet OE CAC My Way oh.) os soles waa ko ga ate ec oe wenn os 134
Perec h DAT CAC: WAY % a6 sssie ale spare Bale occ av eteere & ag 120
PUMBCCUAADALE, CAGE WAY vic cc las od aid ns chore cc olkloe Matele gw ye 108
iWeerreeL Apart each Way 6.6. oc ec eee es (ie Su Seen 2S al 69
Bemeer ADALe CAC WY 6 ho 3 6 souls gist ols e Sei tuoin wiecgsS ole) en hes AS
Rule—Multiply the distance in feet between the rows by
the distance the plants are apart in the rows, and the prod-
uct will be the number of square feet for each plant or hill,
which, divided into the number of feet in an acre (43,560),
will give the number of plants or trees to the acre.
~ Distances for planting various fruits will be given under
respective headings in this catalogue,
1s2. SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
THE COMMISSION HOUSES,
Representing the leading markets shippers are anxious to
reach, are selected with the greatest possible care. They are
old, reliable and experienced merchants, who have made
fruits, vegetables, etc., a specialty for years. They are, in
the main, our correspondents, personal friends, with whom
we do business in their respective markets, and shippers
will be at once saved the trouble of seeking the standing
or names of reliable and responsible firms in all these
markets.
It is, in fact, such a list as only a man in the trade or
business is capable of selecting.
Their names could not appear in this volume at any
price unless we Knew them to be entirely reliable and trust-
worthy. We have admitted such markets and such callings
as we know our readers are interested in.
You should correspond with each, telling them what’.
you will have to ship. They will then be in a position to.
_ Keep you advised as the season advances and you should in
return favor them with your shipments when you conclude
to patronize their markets.
The other business cards, respecting SHEDS, FRUIT.
AND VEGETABLE BOXES, CRATES, WEEKLY PAPERS,
etc., are such as are of immediate interest to you and will
be found equally reliable and worthy of your patronage.
The SEED HOUSE and BOX FACTORY can furnish you —
an illustrated catalogue containing a fund of valuable in-
formation.
CONSIGNING VS. SELLING F. O. B.
We receive a great many letters every year from ship-
ping districts throughout the country asking for informa-
tion relative to organizing and conducting shipping associa:
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS 453
tions. It is generally admitted that the first important step
is organizing. To market perishables (fruits and vegeta-
bles), organized efforts should always lead to the best
result. An association equipped for business will find the
subject of distribution one of the most important connect-
ed with the industry. Hence the new man in the business
must be governed by the counsel of the experienced in
such matters, because experiments are usually more costly
than profitable.
In the forty-five years we have been in the commission
business we can recall nothing better in the way of good
advice than the following address of J. B. Graves, of
Neosho, Mo., before the Illinois State Horticultural Society.
Mr. Graves is president of what might be termed Missouri’s
model shipping association. Mr. J. H. Christian, the man-
ager, informed the writer that his people could show bet-
ters results during seven consecutive years than the many
rival organizations who pursued a different. plan in mar-
-keting. The most experienced of kindred organizations
elsewhere will find something new and instructive in this
address.
The expenses connected with conducting the organiza-
tion, who are paid and how much and the methods of
payment and how expenses are kept at the minimum, and
how payments are made pro rata to shippers, and how
often, are facts of interest to all engaged in such enter-
prises. :
The manner of picking, packing, grading and marking the
different qualities and finally the stamping of the shippers
name on the end of each case, together with much addi-
tional detail, constitute much useful and valuable infor-
mation.
“The Fruitman’s Guide,’ which published the address
154 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
soon after its delivery, comments editorially on the paper
thus: ; ;
J. B. Graves, of Neosho, Mo., a man who certainly ought
to know what he is talking about, is a great believer in
the commission merchant and the important part he plays
in the marketing of goods on a commissidn basis. Every
reader of the Guide who is a grower and shipper should
read what Mr. Graves has to say regarding co-operative
fruit-selling—not through track buyers—but through com-
mission men. Listen to this part of an address read by
Mr. Graves before the Illinois Horticultural Society:
“Down at Neosho, Mo., we have an organization of
fruit growers that has been fairly successful in the busi-
ness, and has made a good reputation throughout Missouri
and in all the markets ‘where it has done business. We
have an organization of about 140 members. It is mainly
a strawberry organization, its work being almost exclu-
sively the growing and shipping of strawberries. We have
been organized about eleven years. At one time we
had nearly 200 members. |
“The officers of our society consist of president, vice-
president, secretary, treasurer and a business committee of
five, one of whom is corresponding secretary and business
manager. We used to pay our business manager two
per cent of the gross sales of our fruit. Out of that amount
he paid his assistant, the bookkeeper, the inspectors at the
loading station, and all the helpers that were necessary to
load the fruit upon the cars. When all these were paid
there was left the manager about $1,000, sometimes a little
more and sometimes a little less. Now we pay the manager
one per cent of the gross sales. He pays none of the ex-
penses just referred to and the association pays them all.
“We prefer paying a commission to paying a salary for
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 155
three reasons: the commission has a tendency to stimulate
the manager to do his very best for the growers, for the
more fruit he can sell at a good price the more he will
make for himself. In case of a shortage of crops he Wilt.
fare and fall with the rest of us, and in case of a total
failure we will not have to go down into our empty pock-
ets and ‘dig up’ to pay him for work which he did not do.
“We put upon our business committee men of good judeg-
ment, men of recognized business sense. We select for
- our manager a man of demonstrated business ability, a
man in whom the association has the utmost confidence,
both in his competency as an agent and his honesty as a
man. The business committee hold meetings as often as
they think necessary to look after the interests of the asso-
ciation. They consider every subject thought to be of im-
portance to the growers. They provide the growers with
box and package material. They provide them with stamp-
ing outfits, and every grower is required to put his personal
stamp on both ends of every crate, together with the va-
riety stamp and grade. On every crate of ‘A’ grade the
manager puts the association trade-mark, a copyrighted
stamp, which is the association’s guarantee of high quality.
They provide the growers with tally sheets with which to
keep the account of the berry picking. They provide them
with pickers and packer’s rules, with bills and posters for
advertising for pickers, and with all other needed supplies.
They make arrangements beforehand with commission
merchants to handle our fruit the ensuing season. They
know before the berries are grown where the bulk of
them will be marketed. |
“We never sell to track buyers. We always consign to
commission merchants. We have demonstrated to our
‘satisfaction that it is to our advantage to do so. We get —
156 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
better prices than most of our neighbors who sell on track.
‘‘We stand by the commission people in the beginning when
the berries are the best and prices high, and they stand by us
in the end when they are poorest, when the track buyers would
desert us.
“The business committee arrange with the railroads for
their share of the business. They arrange for plenty of re-
frigerator cars. They arrange for re-icing cars in transit.
They arrange with electric light and telephone companies
for their services at the loading shed. They arrange with
numerous men for their services as bookkeeper, inspector
loader at the shipping station or instructor in the field.
They look after the details of the business, having author-
ity to attend to it just as though it were their own.
“We have a constitution and by-laws by which we are
governed. In it is specified who may become members and
upon what conditions they may remain. In it are pointed
out the duties of the officers and members. In it is pointed
out how the officers are paid for their services and the
growers for their fruit. The secretary andtreasurer are each
paid $25 per year. The members of the business and audit-
ing committees are each paid $2 per day for services act-
ually rendered. The manager is paid one per cent of the
crop, and the president is paid in glory.
“The growers are paid their pro rata share of each day’s
sale. To illustrate: Suppose five cars are sold. One goes
to Kansas City and sells for $2 per crate, one to Omaha
and sells for $2.25, one to Denver and sells for $2.50, one to |
Minneapolis and sells for $2.75, and one to Duluth and sells
for $3. We find the total net value of the five cars and
the total number of crates in them. We divide the total
net value by the total number of crates and the quotient is
the average price per crate and that is what the growers
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 157
are paid. And so on to the end of the season. In the
by-laws it is specified that the growers must deliver all
their fruit, which they have to sell, to the manager, and
that they must not pay more than the association price
for picking, which is 1144 cents per quart. In it is specified
that the fruit must be carefully graded ‘A’ and ‘B’ and that
if any does not meet the requirements of the ‘B’ grade it
will not be shipped at all. The only difference between the
two grades in size. The ‘A’ grade must be large. The ‘B’
grade may be smaller, or medium size. But the little
dinky, buttony or warty berries must not be packed at all.
All berries to be shipped, whether ‘A’ or ‘B’ must be sound,
well-shaped, well colored and clean, and the measure must
be scriptural, pressed down, shaken together, heaped up
and running over.” :
A MODEL CONTRACT.
The following is a copy of agreement or contract between
the Warren County Strawberry Growers’ Association of
Bowling Green, Ky., and their Commission houses in the
various markets they consign to.. It is so concise and to
the point, that it is worthy of reproduction here. Divest-
ed of all superfluous legal garbage, it will be recognized at
once for its good sense and brevity.
While it is our intention to sell all of our berries for the
cash, F. O. B. Bowling Green, yet we may have to consign
some cars before the season is over, so we have selected
your house for your market, for all cars we may have to
consign to your city, provided the following conditions and
terms will meet with your approval:
You to receive all carloads of berries we consign to you
for our account, and to sell such cars of berries for the best
*
158 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
possible prices, and to wire us each day, stating exactly
what the berries were sold for, and to make returns on all
sales promptly, giving us a detailed report on sale of all
cars consigned to you and prices obtained, and you further
agreeing to charge us for your services not over 7 per cent
on sale of all cars we consign to you.
We agreeing to consign no berries to any other house in
your city while consigning berries to you.
Furthermore, it is understood.that both you and our As-.
sociation reserve the right, if for any reason whatsoever,
either party of this contract, to withdraw and cancel this
agreement without any notice other than so notifying the
other party three (3) days in advance of such action. °
If this meets with your approval, you will please confirm
same at your earliest convenience and oblige.
Yours truly,
H. D. GRAHAM, Manager.
COW PEAS.
Cow peas we consider a regular Southern crop, and one
that paid mighty well the past several years. We have
handled considerable of them for years from Southern IlIli-
nois, West Tennessee, Western Kentucky, Northern Mis-
sissippi and Northern Alabama. It is one of the forage
field crops of the South, and is next to clover, if not as
good for renovating or enriching the soil. They can, of
course, be used for stock feed or seed purposes. There
are a number of varieties, but the main or standard sort is
the Whippoorwill, well-known and widely cultivated. They
have ranged during March from $1.75 to $2.00 bushel—good
stock April 6th selling at $1.85. They can be shipped suc-
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 159
cessfully in sacks. Should not, however, be held until
warm weather sets in, as that marks the advent of the
weevil. You should get rid of your crop by the first to
middle of April. Speculators have to put them in cold
storage later to save them from the weevil.
Approximate Time for Certain Varieties of Seeds to
-Germinate.
PUSDETASUS . 6 os base 20 GaN OO a ci ahaa ir aesoa tg 10 days
JE" S11 AS a den 8 CAS, A VOITOMG: 2. SCOR, sie see i 10 days
25 18 2 er ee Bi ears VAT ORRS Oe hes melee hoe ah 10 days
Cauliflower ........ LO dams Parsley Yodo. 20 days
UC a ee a ne adays: | PCAS. Jas. as kk. vee 8 days
BRIM issn aos wage se a 10, days | PeEDDEL, Se ao) bse: cane 10 days
ROTM i ade, Bea 2 wide eos .8 days | Pim pins ) 05.05% 5 to 8 days
Cucumbers ....7 to 8 days Radish ......... «4 4 days
LSE 0) 21 01 CaM ae ea LOGY Se.) SDMA oiisia leans Bice. > 8 days
times ok es a 4 days | TOMALOES. (sone a idaala 10 days
Watermelons .....- 10 days | Turnips sees .5 to 7 days
Cantaloupes so .2./.. 8 days i Tobacco iu... eee 10 days
SAMOS 4. . 12 to 18 days | S@uashy 5 ot. eel. 5 to 8 days
10 Nh ote ne eet rae 6 days |
160 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
BUSINESS LAWS IN BRIEF.
|
Ignorance of law excuses none.
It is fraud to conceal a fraud.
The law compels no one to do impossibilities.
An agreement without consideration is void.
Signatures made with lead-pencil are good in law.
A receipt for money paid is not legally conclusive.
The acts of one partner bind all the others.
Contracts made on Sunday cannot be enforced.
A contract made with a minor is invalid.:
A contract made with a lunatic is void.
Contracts for unite borire 4 in Sunday newspapers are in-
valid.
Each individual in a partnership is responsible for the
whole amount of the debts of the firm.
Principals are responsible for the acts of their nucane
_ unless they do something unauthorized or illegal.
Agents are responsible to their principals for errors.
A note given by a minor is void.
It is not legally necessary to say on a note “for valite
received.”
A note drawn on Sunday is void.
A note obtained by fraud, or from a person in a state
of intoxication, cannot be collected.
If a note be lost or stolen, it does not release the maker;
he must pay.
The indorser of a note is exempt from liability if not
served with notice of its dishonor within twenty-four hours
of its non-payment.
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 161
POULTRY RAISING VERY PROFITABLE.
As we have reached the last. pages of this edition, we
find we have some space to spare from the fruit and vege-
table topics, and it occurred to us there would be no more
fitting place to devote a few pages to the raising of
Poultry, which is usually incidental to the cultivation of
fruits and vegetables.
Hundreds of our shippers in Missouri, Southern Illinois,
Arkansas, Western Kentucky, West Tennessee, Missis-
Ssippi, Northern Alabama, Northern Louisiana, Oklahoma
and Texas, raise lots of Poultry, Eggs, Butter, etc., and
we wish to call the attention of this people to the fact
that we handle such products, especially during the win-
ter, when they have most time to prepare and ship them.
Other commission merchants, whose card is in this book,
representing their réspective markets, will also handle
these goods for you, but if they do not care to do so,
their neighbors in the commission business will very cheer-
fully take and sell them for you or for them.
The prices on such goods have been steadily advancing
in all markets during the past 17 years, and if the prices
ruling 14 to 17 years ago paid them, the profits today
must be very much larger, in view of the big increase in the
values of such products everywhere. Poultry and EHggs
have become staple articles just as much so as Cotton,
Corn, Wheat, Apples or any other products regarded safe
to handle throughout the year. The markets are not
broken by heavy offerings as in former years when prices
went very low occasionally.
There is nothing that can be grown on the farm that
162 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
would pay so well, considering the capital and labor in-
volved, as the poultry crop. The farmers’ wives and
daughters can look after these matters while the farmer
himself can be engaged in what. he regards as more im-
portant work. The income from such sources has grown
to one of great extent in every state and will continue
to do so.
Poultry and Eggs are staples that have gone up to stay
and will never again be cheap, because the meat supply
will always be high enough to keep the poultry crop at ~
good figures. Whenever the market declines to any extent,
it is immediately cleaned up by the speculators, who will
put the surplus in cold storage, killing and dressing when-
ever necessary, and the same can be said of eggs, which
are put into cold storage in all cities in March, April and
May, when the crop is at its height. In this way good
prices can be obtained throughout the year and will be
in the future. There is so much feed wasted on every
farm that it is surprising the poultry crops are not larger
every year. ;
To further illustrate the advance of prices in the in-
dustry, we submit herewith a table of prices, showing the —
figures ruling in 1895, a year ago and the present quota-
tions. We happened to preserve a few market reports,
going to show the low prices. formerly prevailing, and did
we not see these figures in the Price Current, which is
one of the most accurate and reliable published in the
country, we could not believe that such low prices pre-
vailed as late as 17 years ago. }
Here are the figures that will be interesting at this ;
time to most people raising poultry: |
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. | 163
PRICES JUNE 27TH, 1895.
ee he eae) te OLN aE EI es 8c . Doz.
five? Chickens’ (Hens is), nC Poahs5 hI 7c Lb.
“ Roosters ..... ac tebe ute SECU: Ro 34%c “
Se Ur mey san: SUU SAO. SOARS Toa DC m
eMOuctc Old) (et 2 BL ee 6e ae
er OTM SUNG KIS Se. Sab I 7-8¢ i
See OMIM CO COSE A s ages slncece « ne, eee is 7C -
Geese (Old): fi kee! wa Ta Me 3C Es
PRICES JUNE 27TH, 1911.
TSE) ak a tical ain a aN le 12c Doz.
ive: C miewens? (Mens) Ts). os oe keke a eee 10%c Lb.
Pee OOCKS and SUVS. aoc i eka ea cee 6c x
Sem MOISE ce it ae. Sale a wae we Cate 18-15¢ id
pee UC ES "(Ould he 10c
Se MN NUNC OP ake cscs Bie aa eae ee Lic ns
ip gti 0) SOULE GS NS (6 aa a ec Sa NE CAR a 9c *
Hil GIS Sas O16 Raine acl ea ni, eatin re Ce 6c 4
PRICES APRIL 19TH, 1912.
Pie eta a hs wales hak’ chthage pea aikiaes vata mie oye 18¢., Doz.
Ieive Chickens (Hens) 2.5.06 ec. Sele DR. 12%c Lb.
‘Capone, 6.40°8: lbS.e. .; Rs eae gee 16-17¢ “
Be MOOS Na aces idl aie gi tg em ara Mae wl as 6-7¢ «
ee CMmCKen, BEOLMOPSs. a. wu tices h eccu he DOR fe
ee burkeys ((CNOIGE) \. sq cs ce 14c e
bMS (OME iany icy a ahiet ses ntclaner ore Sera ke es
ReMICKS GY OUME yA ees aie a ea a eb 15¢ i
ME TIGEESC, OA Sateld ie Sioa ly, Siete el hain oO eg .-1le
To show how the South has responded to the call for
diversified crops, and especially in the poultry line, we
recall very distinctly from 20 to 30 years ago the best
order trade that we had for dressed poultry came from the
1644 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
southern cities for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New
Years. Every year regularly we had extensive orders for
Dressed Turkeys, Chickens, Ducks, Geese, etc., from New
Orleans, Mobile, Birmingham, Memphis, Galveston, Hous-
ton, Dallas, San Antonio, Vicksburg and Jackson, Miss.,
and in fact, from many of the minor markets.in all South-
ern States, but a wonderful change has taken place since
then.
Mississippi is a heavy carlot shipper of poultry and
eggs, shipping to outside markets every winter and spring
quite freely. West Tennessee, which shipped here nearly
altogether in former years, now finds the Southern cities
their best markets, especially Mobile and New Orleans,
who have quite an outlet in Cuba for such goods. Texas, to
which we formerly shipped so much dressed poultry, ships
hundreds of carloads out of the state every year, in addi-
tion to supplying all her home markets, that have grown
up to a wonderful extent. So, instead of being importers,
all these Southern states have become exporters of poultry
and eggs. j
It should not be forgotten in this connection that all
staple crops have their brief season and then they are
gone until the following year, but the poultry and egg.
supply run forever, like a river, and are coming along
every month in the year. In that respect they are widely
different from all other crops, so the income is steady,
and as it comes to some extent every month in the year—
chickens and eggs—it counts up much faster than the aver-
age observer is aware of.
You are not at the mercy.of the Beef Trust or any
other food trusts while you have such crops on your-
premises in addition to fruits and vegetables. It makes
the farmer and trucker more independent throughout the
oe a bm,
: te Ne te
eee
Va
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 165
year. If you will improve this and similar opportunities
available, you will be more prosperous than ever. Back
of your efforts in this direction you will have the sym-
pathy and patronage of an appreciative public who re-
gard the poultry industry the only means of escape from
the Beef Trust, whose methods to enrich themselves are
too well known to dwell on here.
THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF COMMISSION MER-
CHANTS.
This is a body of men who have been:of great benefit
to the producers. and shippers of the country in yrarious
ways since they were organized 20 years ago. Much need-
ed and long delayed reforms have gradually come through
the advent and activity of this industrious body of com-
mission merchants. For years the leading commission
merchants of the various cities of the country felt the
necessity of getting together to eliminate from the business
abuses and evils which were growing up unchecked on
every side. None of -the existing evils perhaps were as
had as those adventures in the ranks of the trade known
s “fly by night” commission men and speculators. This
class was steadily growing and making it more difficult
for the legitimate dealer or commission merchant to exist.
The operations of those men grew larger and bolder from
year to year, and their actions and methods brought dis-
eredit on the whole fraternity, so that finally the shipper
and producer was bewildered and dismayed at the outlook
confronting him. ;
Correspondence began at once between the leading firms
in the principal markets over the situation, which was
steadily growing worse. Finally a day was set for a
convention in Chicago in the winter 1892-93, just 20 years
%
166 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
ago last January. The convention was made up of 21
delegates representing eight cities—New York, Phila-
delphia, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Baltimore
and Louisville. Many of these members become quite
prominent in the organization later. This was the be-
ginning of a body destined to live for all time. The organ-
ization grew and prospered on its merits. Never did a
body of business men work so hard or unselfishly in their
efforts to make this league a success and worthy of the
patronage of the best class of shippers throughout the
country.
This convention at Chicago lasted two days. It was
a period of incessant work in behalf of the new organiza-
tion. The election of officers resulted as follows:
President, J. J. Phillips, New York City; Vice-President,
Geo. W. Barnett, Chicago, III.
Both were able and distinguished men, whose counsel
was quite valuable in that gathering. Col. Phillips, one of
the most distinguished men in the organization while he
lived, was largely responsible for the Constitution and By-
Laws of the League, a production that could not well be
improved on. Both these gentlemen, several years after-
wards, passed over to the silent majority, deeply regretted
by their co-workers and friends in the organization. A.
Warren Patch of Boston, who is still actively engaged in
business, was made Secretary, a position which he filled
for fifteen years afterwards. The writer, P. M. Kiley of
St. Louis, was elected Treasurer. Some years afterwards
he was made President and finally served one year as
Secretary.
‘The growth of the League after the convention was
steady, and the printed reports of the proceedings of the
convention were read with much interest in every leading
1
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 167
market in the United States. Then followed the estab-
lishing of branch leagues in all other leading cities, until
at present we have a membership of 400 firms situated in
28 of the leading markets of the United States. Seventeen
States are represented.
Only leading distributing centers are regarded as eligible
to League membership. Many of the towns who apply
for admission to the League are not large enough to meet
the requirements. Three leagues of the minor class have
had to withdraw from the organization during the past 20
years, feeling that they could not live up to the require-
ments of the organization. The smaller towns find it more
difficult to do so apparently.
The establishing of the National League brought to the
front, aS usual in such cases, a trade paper, the manager
of which put in a year in helping to organize the League,
and got a liberal patronage on that account from the
League for several years afterwards. That gentleman
passed over to the silent majority and his paper died with
him. However, worthy successors came along and multi-
plied and became of much benefit to the organization,
helping to eliminate the evils complained of and in pro-
tecting the shipper and producer against the class who
preyed on them too long, and unfortunately, very success-
fully. The trade papers together with the League made
it so hot for the “fly by night fraternity” that their
elimination was only a matter of time, until at present
there are but few in any city that can be considered very
detrimental to the trade. Only through thorough organ-
ization can results of this kind be secured. The wide
publicity given to these gentry led to the prosecution and
imprisonment of a number of them; in fact, several served
168 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
a term in penitentiaries, all of which had a telling influ
ence in the right direction.
_ Another valuable feature that figured in the eliminating
of the worst element in the commission business has been
the postal laws and enforcement of same, which prevented
the swindling class from operating through the mails. The
victim, having this protection through Uncle’'Sam, has only
to call on the postal authorities with his letters to sup-
press or prosecute the men by whom he might be defraud- —
ed. It is Singular how many shippers have been swindled
by those using the mails for such purposes or violation of
postal laws. With all such weapons available to the ship-
per as furnished through the postal laws, it is his own fault
it he becomes a victim. — , |
Some few that continue to prey on the public and who
hesitate making promises through the mails, boldly go out
on the road and invade the homes of shippers and become
profuse in promises, which they do not always live up to,
and the shipper in this way has practically no recourse.
He takes his chances with them, which- he should not do
unless after careful investigation of their claims.
It is a notorious fact that most commission. merchants
are aware of, tnat a certain class go around in the produce >
district as well as express offices with their book and pen-
cil and deliberately copy names of shippers from. pack-
ages everywhere they find them, where such goods are re-
ceived daily. They acquire in this way often a valuable
list of shippers, which are afterwards caught by well writ-
ten letters. Sometimes they get good returns for a short
time, until they secure the confidence of the shipper, but
finally he is plucked.
Many commission firms on this account hesitate sending
out stencils with names on, knowing that in many cases
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 169
such eventually lead to trouble and loss to, Shippers. We
can say from our own experience that men, who have
been shipping us for years, have been caught in this way—
something that would never have happened had not their
names gone broadcast on packages to these scalpers and
frauds, who. often sell this list of names at the highest
price they can get, to parties who are willing to use them
for improper purposes. We have been called on by many
of our shippers to 2g0 around and try to get a settlement -
Out of , efforts that are usually barren of
results. Others take their medicine and keep quiet, not
being willing to be publicly paraded as victims. These
losses and humiliations can be avoided by sticking to firms
they know are reliable.
OUR INTERESTS MUTUAL.
| The interests of the commission merchant and produc-
ers and shippers are largely mutual. Their business is
widely different from ours, yet neither can succeed with-
out the aid of the other. While occupying a different field
of labor through the year, yet each is. interested in the
Success of the other. This situation hag led to organization
of the different bodies interested. The Shipping Associa-
tions are doing a good work for their members, because
‘im union there is strength and influence—securing advan-
tages that individuals could not hope for.
The National League is accomplishing much for the
Producers as well as for themselves through organized
efforts. To enumerate what it hag done during the 20
years of its existence would make a long story—far too
long to cover in the brief space assigned to the subject
in this book. Farmers, as a rule, are too isolated to get
together and exist as a permanent organization in their
ie, Cae a’
170 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
own defense. Unfriendly and hostile legislation; excessive
freight rates, indefensible express tariffs, and last but
not least, refrigerator car Service and private car lines,
which the league has been fighting successfully the past six
or seven years—beginning at our Louisville Convention in
1904.
A committee was appointed there to investigate private
car lines and refrigerator car companies, their methods,
rates, icing charges, etc. It was soon found that they
made practically such charges as they saw fit—enjoying
some of those rare opportunities peculiar to monopolies.
Their freight rates, icing charges and incidental charges
suggested that the Interstate Commerce Commission was
the proper authority to investigate all those private mo-
nopolies. John C. Scales of Chicago, a veteran commission
man and also a veteran in fighting excessive rates or
charges on any commodity handled by commission mer-
chants, was made chairman of that committee.
The work of this committee, as disclosed in the annual
reports at the League’s yearly conventions, shows that no
mistake was made by the convention in selecting same
eight years ago. Each year’s report showed what they
had done in behalf of the organization and the ship-
“pers everywhere—relieving them of many burdens in exces-
sive charges to the various markets of the country—their
many conferences with the Interstate Commission, and
in responding promptly as witnesses before Congressional
and Senate committees as occasion required. The final
report of the committee ~submitted at the annual con-
vention in New York City last January closes with the
following from its able and hard working chairman:
“T cannot close without most sincerely thanking the mem-
bers of the Refrigerator Car Lines Committee, Mr. George
FORK NORTHERN MARKETS. 171
W. Bond, Mr. Chas. A. Muehlbronner, Mr. Frank EH. Wag-
uer, Mr. Chas. B. Ayers, Mr. George F. Mead and Mr.
Carl W. Kimball, member ex-officio, for their staunch fealty
to the chairman and their readiness to respond to every
call in the interest of the League. I wish also to thank
the officers and especially the President for his consistent
and constant aid and to thank the entire membership of
the League for their loyalty to this committee Without
harmony and loyalty within an organization working for~ -
a common end, nothing can be accomplished; through the
agency of these two elements always uppermost this
League has accomplished much. No single organization
in the United States has won more practical results in
fts chosen field in the real interest of the whole people
' than the National League of Commission Merchants. True
to the lofty aims. set forth in the preamble to its constitu-
tion, this League has always been found in the forefront
of every struggle for the right and always will be if every
member but remains steadfast and true. If I gauge this
League aright, its pole star is the golden rule, nothing
more nor nothing less.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN C. SCALES.
These gentlemen, who Mr. Scales thanks so warmly for
their efforts during the many years of their joint labors,
embrace some of the brightest men in the organization.
They are all ex-presidents of the League, and in point
fof ability are fully equal to the average Congressman; in
fact, several of them are experienced legislators and law-
_ yers, who in their younger days abandoned law for the
more active calling and harder work of the commission
merchants. Mr. A. C. Muehlbronner represented Pittsburg
172 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
for years in the Pennsylvania State Senate, while Geo.
F. Mead of Boston served his city in the Massachusetts ©
State Legislature a number of years. Geo. W. Bond of
Baltimore is a good lawyer as well ‘aS a successful mer-
chant. President Carl W. Kimball, who is occupying the
office of president for a second term, is one of New York's
most distinguished commission merchants and a general
favorite with the trade. Frank H. Wagner seems to be
admirably equipped for the position. He has a wide ex-
perience with legislative committees, including Interstate
Commerce Commission, Congressional and Senate comunit-
_tees. Chas. B. Ayers is usually at the head of some com- —
mittee every year. He has been chairman of the Press
Committee the past several years and always a hard
worker in any committee he may be a member of.
There are, however, many other committees in the Na-
tional League where there is plenty of important work.
The Transportation Committee has always rate problems
and rates to look up in every section of the country, and
conferences with freight agents are numerous, as well as
with the Interstate Commerce Commission, before whom
many of these disputes are finally adjusted. J. S. Crutch-
field of Pittsburg, Pa., was for several years at the head
of the Transportation Committee, being an expert in such
matters, his firm having much to do with railroads,
W. S. Gavan, of Baltimore, has headed this and other‘
special committees at times and as one of our ex-presidents
and one of the hardest workers in the League since it
started, his services have been most valuable. |
The Southern Weighing Bureau the past two years has
been a source o ftrouble and loss too to many melon re-
ceivers here and elsewhere. Some of our leading receivers -
here informed me they had to pay ovrchargs on many
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. 193
cars—1,000 to 4,000 lbs. above actual weight on these cars,
weighed, or passed on, by this Bureau. The Southern roads
terminating here usuaily insisted on collecting according
to such records. The National League, in defense of its
members and shippers, had to take this matter up with
the Interstate Commerce Commission to avoid further dis-
pute and loss.
UNIFORM PACKAGE LEGISLATION.
This subject is still open and unsettled. A year ago
this past winter, we had a bill covering the whole matter
introduced. in the House and Senate in Washington—ad-
mirable measures, which were completed after several con-
ferences betewen the leading men in the principal markets
of the country. What constituted a legal package was out-
lined at length, whether barrels, bushels (hampers or
baskets), half bushels, pecks or quart boxes or baskets—
in cubic inches or otherwise. When the bill came up in
the Senate a year ago, one or two Southern Senators took
the floor to oppose it—stating they believed each state
was the best judge of its own wants or needs in such
cases, etc.
These objections killed the bill in the Senate for last
year. A similar bill was prepared and introduced in both
houses this past winter, which it is believed will meet
with a better fate. Hach of those measures carried the
unanimous indorsement of the National League, the North-
western Fruit Jobbers’ Association and the International
Apple Shippers’ Association. Many fruit growers’ societies
in New York and other states indorsed it—all fully ap-
preciating the need of such a measure for the entire
country.
For instance, when a merchant in any city telegraphed
Pe
174° SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
to any state in the Union for a car of apples, peaches,
pears, grapes, Strawberries or any other commodity, he
should know in advance exactly what each package con-
tained—whether a legal measure or short package—hence
the pressing need of uniform package laws.
Among the gentlemen who gave much time and thought
to this important subject—preparing papers, which were
read at the annual conventions of the League, Northwest-
ern Jobbers’ and Internaitonal Apple Shippers’ Association —
—are A. T. Cummings of Boston, W. H. Bahrenburg of New
York City and W. L. Wagner of Chicago. These gentle-
men visited Washington on several occasions in the in-
terest of this measure, as did the business manager of
the League, R. S. French of New York City.
When the National League was organized, they dis-
covered a good many unreasonable classifications of goods
on freight tariffs. Pears, for instance, carried much
heavier freight charges than apples on every railroad ana
in every state, and it took the Transportation Committee
of the League two years to get all those corporations
throughout the country lined up in behalf of the pear
shippers, and ever since the rates are the same on both.
A hard fight and an expensive one is that of the League
and other business organizations against the methods and
unjust rates of the express companies operating through-
out the country for years. The efforts of so many commer-
cial bodies to bring these monopolies before the Interstate
Commerce Commission was at last successful. The dis-
closures before that body the past few months must have
proved welcome and refreshing news to Rockefeller and
his colleagues in the Standard Oil operations, as this
trial gives them an opportunity to exclaim, “There are
others.” Some members of the commission intimated
FOR NORTHERN MALKKETS. 175
toe (members: of the «press that .a, cut.of 25. to
50 per cent in some instances may have to be
made. The outcome will prove a relief to the thousands
who have contributed so long to the enormous earnings of
the express companies—so widely published recently. As
these Corporations engage the ablest lawyers in the coun-
try to fight their battles, the League and other business
organizations had to secure experienced lawyers to prop-
erly present and prosecute the cases before the Commis-
sion.
Hence all these matters practically cost the League on
an average some $3,000.00 annually since it was organized
20 years ago, and while credit can cheerfully be given to
‘the Northwestern Fruit Jobbers’ Association and Interna-
tional Apple Shippers’ Association and some other organi-
zations of minor importance, yet the assessments fell
' heavier on the League members than any others, owing to
the fact that many members of the League are also
members. of the Northwestern Fruit Jobbers’ and Interna-
tional Apple Shippers’ Association—so instead of paying
one assessment, they pay. three—one in each of the
organizations they were identified with. The cost of at-
tendance at conventions reach fully $75.00 to each visitor.
So you will see that in the aggregate this work, member-
ship, duties and cost of attending conventions, cuts into the
income of the hard workers in the fruit and produce trade.
There is nothing of a selfish character in evidence at
any of these conventions. They are free to anybody in-
terested, and in the annual call for the conven-
tion,, a special invitation is extended to the grow-
ers, shippers and shipping associations, representatives
of the press, including trade and agricultural papers,
and also to the Poultry, Egg and Dairy interests through-
176 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
cut the country. It can be added that there are no execu-
tive meetings at any of these conventions—no closed doors
—everything being wide open and free to all interested in
their labors during the convention. Our gatherings and
objects differ widely from those of the trusts, monopolies
and corporations that prey on the public.
This is but a brief and hasty review of what the League
has been doing as a body since it was organized. —
The National League gets out every month, through its
manager, R. S. French, No. 204 Franklin St., New York
City, a Bulletin containing a review of passing events in
the trade, current legislation—favorable or otherwise to
the shippers of the country—a review of the crops, prices
and prospects, also freight and transportation matters of
general interest. It imparts in every issue more or less
information of Special interest to shippers everywhere as
well as to commission merchants in the twenty-eight
cities where the League has branches. A copy will be
mailed to any applicant at any time, free of charge. Every
Shipping Association and carlot shipper in the United
States ought to have a copy of every issue .
DISTRIBUTION TOO EXPENSIVE.
There is no doubt there is too much money wasted in
getting the perishable crops of the country from the pro- -
ducer to the consumer. One of the Lig expenses, which
looms up at the beginning, is the cost of securing the
goods—whether consigned or sold for cash—a big expense
which should be dispensed with. The big margins that
stand between consumer and producer should .be steadily
reduced. Every leading city has a number of traveling
men, who, “during a good portion of the year, are on the
road securing supplies of the various. crops steadily matur-
i
= ae Peta OS 9
FOR NORTHERN MARKETS. — 177
ing with the passing seasons. Many firms in every market
have not only one representative, but several, so as to
cover the different sections of the country, since one man
could not possibly do so. It generally takes three men to
cover such a broad field. The cost of this help throughout
the year in railroad fare, hotel and incidental expenses,
together with salaries, amounts, to a large sum, and yet
all these funds must come out of the goods sought. If the
- erops so acquired are bought F. O. B., then the cost of the
goods—the expenses of getting them and the profits ex-
pected on the investment—must be all added together and
deducted from the actual value of the goods.
Now, here is a problem worthy of the serious considera-
tion of the most progressive and practical Shipping Asso-
ciations of the country. Let these bodies figure out the
best course to pursue to avoid this heavy tax on their prod-
ucts. ‘This is the initial tax, and a heavy one, and the
remedy should begin where the evil starts.
California crops are not taxed in this way. Let the ship-
pers of other States study their methods in avoiding this
ruinous tax. Their crops have a wider field to cover than
the crops of any other State, and if their goods were se-
cured at the enormous cost inseparable from getting crops
in other States, then the California growers would go
broke at once.
_ A square and absolutely reliable pack might solve the
problem. Then the buyer could sit at his desk and order
by wire a car of goods he may need and the investment
could be thus divested of the big cost of getting them.
The methods in vogue in all the States east of the
Rockies disclose an army of traveling men, going from one
place to another in every shipping district in each State,
and the prices ruling at the various points, to which these
178 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
men are invited by so many who will not consign, are
largely governed by the amount of competition visible. A
big crowd means good prices. A small gathering means an
absence of sharp and spirited competition, and hence lower
prices. Such places could doubtless do better consigning
to a good firm in each market usually patronized, as the
figures paid where the rivalry is strong will set the pace
for consigned goods.
MIXED CARS.
Mixed cars should be shipped whenever possible. Crops
maturing about the same time could be shipped to better
advantage in this way. A mixed car can be sold quicker
than can straight cars of anything. Take the commission
house who has the usual following of grocers, butchers,
market.men and small dealers—they all handle a variety
of such goods, and if they can secure all at one store it
is to their advantage to ao so. It’s a convenience to both
buyer and seller. 3
COLLECTING FOR LOSS OR DAMAGE.
The work of collecting from the Express Companies for
damage to goods while en route, or loss through rough
and hurried handling at transfer points or after arrival at
destination, or through long or unreasonable time en route,
or shortage in contents of packages, which occasionally
appears, should not be as difficult to collect as heretofore.
These companies are now under the jurisdiction of the
Interstate Commerce Commission, are common carriers,
and must recognize all proper claims of their patrons. We
have stated elsewhere in this work that we often found it
a waste of time filing claims for damages to goods coming
from the South, especially from Florida. Southern ship-
POR NORTHERN MARKETS. — 179
pers commence early. Soon afterwards a declining market
sets in everywhere for the remainder of the shipping sea-
son, and delays en route means a certain loss to the ship-
per. We recall one occasion where we filed claim against
the Adams Express Company, and after waiting for a long
time—after repeated calls for settlement, we were in-
formed they had lost the papers in the case. When a firm
is thus deprived of the only weapon they can use, they
are practically helpless. The express ticket, on which ‘no-
tations were made of the damages or loss, is the vital part
of the evidence. Hence, in presenting your claim, file a
duplicate and not the original, which may be useful later.
WOULD RATHER LET THEM ROT THAN CONSIGN.
Every man on the road hears this expression occasion-
ally. It comes from some man who fell into bad hands
once or possibly twice in consigning indiscriminately—
without making proper inquiry about the firm he entrusted
with his goods, and after this experience he condemns the
entire fraternity—puts them all on the same level. He is,
therefore, easy prey for the first speculator that comes
along. The shrewd buyer takes advantage of his weakness
and buys far below the value of the goods. Should the
evil rest here, the loss would be confined to one man, but
unfortunately it inflicts many additional losses later, be-
cause the buyer sells same in his market much lower than
his neighbors can afford to sell. He sells low and yet has
a margin in sight for himself, but he glories in the oppor-
tunity he has to make his rivals lose money. If some of
this fruit is shipped to other markets, similar loss follows,
and everybody patronizing those markets at the time loses
money through this one indiscretion—so the injury be-
comes greater than will appear at first glance.
180 SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
CO-OPERATIVE STORES BEST DISTRIBUTING PLAN.
The past 50 years shows that the plan of co-operative
stores, as established in England’s leading cities—London,
Liverpool, Birmingham and in many of the minor markets,
is, or has been, the best available so far. This scheme
has, it appears, reduced the margins between the producer
and consumer to a minimum. The Associations buy all
their goods from first hands—from the producer, distribu-
tor, or both, and at the lowest prices. Supplies are pur-
chased by the carload, and the goods are distributed direct-
ly to the chain of stores throughout the city. The actual ~
cost of conducting the business or stores is deducted from
the profits and dividends declared every six months, or
quarterly, if desired by the stockholders. Every patron,
with few exceptions, become stockholders in these stores
they trade with, and thus contribute to their own earnings
or incomes. Doubtless, it would be difficult to improve
upon this plan. The great objection to the plan of co-
operative stores in this country, is) the fact that most
prospective investors know that corporations here have
a weakness for absorbing all the profits in anything they
manage.
POULTRY RAISING PROFITABLE.
A few pages in this work are devoted to poultry raising,
showing the prices of to-day, April 25, 1912, and the prices
prevailing same time 17 years ago. Poultry nearly doubled
in value during that time. However, the figures were sum-
mer prices, which are always much smaller than those
prevailing during the winter months, January, February
and March, when dressed stock is coming, which sells at
least 25 per cent higher than live poultry sells for in sum-
mer. Heges are also much higher in winter than summer,
\ ' *
ESTABLISHED 1880.
GEO. HITZ @ CO.,
WHOLESALE
COMMISSION MERCHANTS,
30, 32 and 34 S. Deleware Street,
INDIANAPOLIS. IND.
Indiana’s largest dealers in all kinds of
EARLY
Fruits and Vegetables.
Personal and Special Attention given to Consignments
MEMBERS OF
National League of Commission Merchants.
Western Fruit Jobbers Association.
International Apple Shippers Association.
‘‘Trading’’ Members Produce Reporter Co.
Branch House, ANDERSON, IND.
sah
BRANCHES:
Calumet, Mich.
Hancock, Mich.
Winona, Minn.
Lockport, N. Y.
Sheboygan, Wis.
STOCK
$250,000.00
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way - - MILWAUKEE
We make a specialty of Southern Fruits and Vegetables in
their season, and have the largest trade in this
section for these goods.
WE SOLICIT YOUR CONSIGNMENTS.
—1382—
C. H. KUEHNE, JB. (CHASTAIN:
President . V. Pres. and Treas.
| coal Commission Co.
COMMISSION “MERCHANTS
RECEIVERS AND DISTRIBUTERS OF
Fruits, Produce
and
Vegetables,
520-522 Walnut Street,
ee AA ea. Com ys IVECO
Produce Exchange Bank, Kansas City, Mo.
Traders National Bank, Kansas City, Mo.
Mercantile Agencies.
REFERENCES
P. M. Kiely & Co., St. Louis, Mo.
SPECIALTIES—Small Fruits, Early Vegetables.
Accounts of Associations and Individual Shippers so-
licited. Our method is quick sales and prompt returns.
Rubber Stamps, Stencils and Market Quotations furnished
free,
no a3
J) a 32 see
Is One of the Best Markets in the Country for Good Goods. .
The Lawrence-Hensley Fruit Co,
Will Handle Your Early Fruits and Vegetables and
_ get You Good Results; Why Ship to the Eastern
Markets When They are so Often Overstocked,
When You Can Ship to a City where You
can Depend on Getting a Steady
Market at Good Fair Prices.
OUR SPECIALTIES:
CAR LOTS:—Strawberries, Watermelons, Peaches,
Tomatoes, Grapes and Early Southern Vegetables.
Both Car Lots and Express Shipments.
THE LAWRENGE-HENSLEY FRUIT 60
1624 Market Street - DENVER, COLORADO
1 84——
|
BUFFALO, N. Y. WATCH OUR MARKET
FKED BKENNISEN
156 MICHIGAN ST.
ae oe
i pat dee LS ae
CITRUS AND DECIDUOUS FRUIT,
VEGETABLES AND PRODUCE,
POULTRY, EGGS AND BUTTER.
HERE ARE MY FACILITIES FOR DISTRIBUTION:
Private Sale in Car Lots on Track.
Jobbing from Cars on Track.
Private Sale from Store of
F. BRENNISEN & SON,
GENERAL COMMISSION MERCHANTS,
156-158 Michigan Street.
AT AUGTION SALE BY
BUFFALO UNION FRUIT AUCTION COMPANY.
CORRESPOND WITH ME—Let us get acquainted. I'll gladly inform
you all about Buffalo as a Distributing Market.
Sa Vole
SG. Palmer Company,
Wholesale Fruit and Produce
7
COMMISSION MERCHANTS
ne
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.
x ef
WeE INVITE | INFORMATION
CoRRESPONDENCE ¥ 2 ~ i LN # CHEERFULLY GIVEN
ud ie ee
ASSOCIATE HOUSES IN NORTHWEST:
ST. PAUL, MINN.
DULUTH, MINN. - - MANKATO, MINN.
;
8G" We Handle All Fruits and Vegetables in Their Season. a
—186—
_ ABE PITTSBURGH MARKET
IS REPRESENTED IN ALL PRODUCING LOCALITIES BY THE
IRON CITY PRODUCE CO., INC.
ones) eee) oa
REFERENCES:
Western Savings
and Deposit
‘ We are Members
of the
=
> fh
rgvi53A>OH004d SINAN
National League §= Bank.
Ss
of co || Or any reliable
Saiatiecion a Produce Firm
=o in the United
Merchants. §y oe States!
CHAS. A. MUEHLBRONNER is the President, with an
experience of over twenty-five years. We know the wants
of the trade and are equally familiar with the wants of
shippers.
Quick sales and PROMPT RETURNS have always been
our motto. This Company is RESPONSIBLE and RELI=
ABLE inevery respect. Any consignments you may make
to them will receive the best of attention.
Write for any information desired, Stencils furnished on application.
IRON CITY PRODUCE CO., INC.,
20! Ferry Street, PITTSBURGH, PA.
—187—
2
OMAHA!
O. W. BUTT
WHOLESALE
Fruits, Vegetables and Produce,
801-803-805-807-809-811 JONES ST.,
OMAHA, NEB.
The above firm has large warehouse, facilities for both cold
and common storage, situated on Union Pacific
trackage, and does a strictly
car lot business.
Practical experience, so essential in the distribution of all
perishable products appeals to all shippers, and the
O. W. Butts’ firm solicits correspondence and
offers its services in any capacity
that the trade desires,
Leg
WALTER SNYDER, President. WM. J. BLANKFARD, Vice-President.
DANIEL J. ROBERTS, Sec’y and Treas.
The Snyder & Blanktard Co,
INCORPORATED, CAPITAL PAID IN $40,000.00.
220-222 Light Street Wharf,
BALTIMORE, MD.
SOLICIT CONSIGNMENTS OF
ALL KINDS OF :
_ > Fruits and Vaketibles.--
PERSONAL ATTENTION. . |. PROMPT RETURNS.
w & QUICK SALES. & ws
National League oi Commission Merchants oi U. S.
International Apple Shippers Association.
CABLE ADDRESS, ‘‘SSNYDER” BALTIMORE.
LONG DISTANCE PHONE, ST. PAUL 811.
... SEEDS...
Market Gardeners, Truckers and Farmers
We can furnish you with Fresh and True-to-Name
GARDEN, FARM and FIELD
a ee
Catalogue Free.
Correspond with us for Special Prices.
SCHISLER-CORNELI SEED C0,,
No. 813-815 NORTH FOURTH STREET,
ST. LOUIS, MO. |
in] 90
ESTABLISHED 1839.
John Nix & Co.
Wholesale Fruit and Produce
COMMISSION MERCHANTS
No. 281 Washington Street,
NEW YORK.
Early Fruit and Vegetables
A Specialty. |
WE GIVE ALL SHIPMENTS OUR
PROMPT PERSONAL ATTENTION.
nn
MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE.
a
Cincinnati, Ohio.
J. J. CASTELLINI
Commission
Merchant
320 LONGWORTH ST.
Our growing shipping trade enables us to obtain
top Market Prices. We solicit only FANCY FRUIT —
AND VEGETABLES. Inquiries earnestly invited.
a i i
MEMBER OF
Cincinnati Fruit Auction Co.
Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce.
Cincinnati Commercial Association
Produce Reporter Co.
The National League of Commission Merchants
of the United States.
—192—
INCORPORATED 1880. CAPITAL STOCK, $500,000
ST. LOUIS BASKET & BOX CO.,
148 Arsenal Street = “ ST. LOUIS, MO.
-
IDEAL SHIPPING PACKAGE FOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
LESLEE BERRY CRATES,
Always popular with Commission Merchants.
SEND FOR CATALOGUE.
—193—
=,
D. O. WILEY & CO,
Rien gon: Fruit and Produce?
COMMISSION MERCHANTS
20 Woodbridge Street, Cor. Griswold,
DETROIT, MICH.
Car Lots A Specialty.
.. MEMBERS OF...
NATIONAL LEAGUE OF ComMIssION MERCHANTS,
INTERNATIONAL APPLE SHIPPERS ASSOCIATION.
—194—
I. D. SAYRE, J. LORENZO JOHNSON, W. E. SPR UANCE, JR
ESTABLISHED 1871
C. @. Justice Company
COMMISSION MERCHANTS
123 Dock Street
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
Fruits and Vegetables
Prompt Personal Attention Given to All Shipments.
Quick Sales. Quick Returns.
MEMBERS MEMBERS
National League International
of Sinan Apple
Commission Merchants Wu Shippers
of the United States. ‘ Association.
Shipping Stencils or Stamps on Application.
lo
Fa tch © Koberts
‘COMMISSION
MERCHANTS .
suther rut and Vegetables
I f North Market Street
- Boston, Mass.
All fue Given Prompt and Personal Attention.
| Quick Returns.
—}+0+——
Members of the
- National League of Commission Merchants.
—196—
THE A. C. BLAIR CO.
“CRO
RECEIVERS AND DISTRIBUTERS
OF
FRUITS AND PRODUCE.
feces
Stitt tt 2 CiTry
WE ARE SPECIALISTS IN THE LINES WE
HANDLE.
WE SELL EITHER AT AUCTION OR PRIVATE
SALE.
+--+
If you want a ‘High-Class Representative on the
Cleveland Market, Write or Wire US.
aati meee ad
REFERENCES: MEMBERS OF
Mercantile Agencies, Nat’! League of Commission Merchants
Produce Reporter Co. International Apple Shippers Ass’n.
a
“Get Acquainted With Us.’’
Dore-Redpath Company
Fruits, Vegetables
and Produce —
111-1138-1 15 East Third Street,
ST. PAUL, MINN.
—198—
FRUIT AND VEGETABLE ASSOCIATIONS,
DEALERS AND INDIVIDUAL GROWERS,
will find it to their interest to correspond
with and ship to
C.H. WEAVER & CO,
65-67 W. South Water Street,
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.
With two adjoining stores, eight salesmen in this department
and a continuous experience under the same management
in this market since 1863, our judgment, facilities
and capacity for disposing to advantage
of large or small shipments of
Fruits and Vegetables
is unsurpassed. Stamps, information, and references from
dealers and growers who have patronized us for
years, furnished on application.
WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE
National League of Commission Merchants.
International Apple Shippers Association.
Western Fruit Jobbers Association of America.
BY (> >
JUN 8 1912
COLMAN'S RURAL WORLD
65th Year. #stablished 1848
Published by
COLMAN’S RURAL WORLD PUBLISHING CO,
L. W. PETTY, Pres. HK. M. ZIMMERMAN, V. P.
W...N., BELIOE“T, Sec’ y.
Cotman’s Rurat Wortp is the most ably edited
weekly Farm, Stock, Poultry and Fruit Journal in the
country. Scores of able correspondents contribute to
its columns—P. M. Kiely, veteran fruit commission
merchant, is a contributor. As an agricultural paper
it has no equal. It has a Home Circle Department
which is eagerly sought by the ladies. As ‘an adver-
tising medium it stands alone when rates are compared,
which are cheerfully furnished. |
See our list of premiums given with niibeeh pies
Sample copies free. Subscription price, $1.00 per —
year. :
COLMAN’S RURAL WORLD,
| 821 HOLLAND BLDG.,,
ST. LOUIS.
—200—
Baty
, pa .
? Vs pan eon a ¢
ene =! yo
En PFE 9R 99045299 seeesseerorcesieseesss:
°
%
ESTABLISHED 1871
FRANK E. WAGNER © Won. L. WAGNER
6M. H. WAGNER & SONS
MARKETING AGENTS AND JOBBERS
_ Fruits and Vegetables
PIONEERS and SPECIALISTS in the marketing of
Southern Products in and from the GREAT
CENTRAL MARKET. |
Experience, Ability and Connections of more than
forty years upbuilding are at the service of shippita
organizations and individuals.
BANKERS: First National Bank of Chicago.
MEMBERS —
National League of Commission Merchants of U.S.
Western Fruit Jobbers Association of America.
International Apple Shippers Association.
123 W. So. Water Street - Chicago
oO CO DCCC CC Le LeC eC CCCCo COCO OOELS eoccccccoscce:
4
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Feveessssscscsecsesscsececeseerecceseeessesessseesereseereneal
©0908000000S880888COO8CCESEE8OCO
ESTABLISHED IN 1866.
Poth KIELY
COMMISSION MERCHANTS,
No. 903 NORTH FOURTH STREET,
=——S§T. LOUIS, MO.—— )
We never buy or speculate in anything, hence never have
any goods of ourown to come incompetition with those of our
shippers—most of whom know our entire force is always free
to serve them. We have not put a man on the road in over 28
years to buy or solicit for us—giving shippers generally such
good service that we have not found it necessary to do so,
_ hence this big tax is lifted from the business, as it should be,
in the interest of all concerned. We are trying to remove the
big margins between producers and consumers, and in this
way benefiting both.
FRUITS IN RELIABLE
THEIR SEASON AND ALWAYS
A SPECIALTY. PROMPT.
MEMBERS NATIONAL LEAGUE COMMISSION MERCHANTS.
Special Attention Given to Early Fruits and
Vegetables from the South.
STENCILS, STAMPS, PRICE CURRENTS, Etc. FREE on APPLICATION
This book free to all enclosing Five cents in Stamps to cover postage.
0200008008000 080908999808 8880089889000 8998809999999009909090898
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6
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PSCSOOHOSSSSOHOSOHOOHSOOSOHOl SOOOOCOOOSCEZESCOESECEOSE
Ev. E. CARRERAS PRINTING Co., ST. Louis.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
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