The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-16
TAPE WOUND ROUND, THE PARCELS POST
Features Inclined to Delight the Patrons Next
 Month
When Third Glass Matter Is and When It Isn't Third Class-Re Sure and Get Right Stamps on the Package
(Hartford Courant,

(Hartford Courant)
 One of the recent news stories re- garding the parcels post innovation has announced that the postmaster general has bought over $100. 900 worth of tape1ines which are to be used in measuring parcels post pack ages It may be true but any 1ayman may be excused if he finally con- cludes that the entire purchase has been wound around the law with the intention of hobbling, it, of driving postmasters to insanity and the pa irons of the post office to profanity
 The first and great commandment of the parcels post law is that par cells post matter shall embrace all products, not now embraced in the first, second or third class, not exceed ing eleven pounds si in weight, not inches in length and girth com bined, nor in form or kind likely to injure the person of any postal employee, or mail matter and not of 8 character perishabIe within a period reasona ply required for transportation and deliv- cry.
 It is assumed that farmers will be interested in the parcels post, espe- cially as the law says that farm and ed to come in and be weighed and measured and, as few farmers have taken course in postal law, it might be well to say that. in general way, first class matter means letters and postal cards; second class, newspa- pers and periodicals sent from the of CTS; third class, other printed matter and seeds, bulbs, plants, roots and cuttings up to four pounds in weight. thing not heretofore designated.
 Just here, to show how the law works out, it will be observed that, Fl, Ay~I1 r,lo ,kc zf5 r7d cuttings may reasonable be assumed, to be farm products, under the parcels post law. they are expressly included in third class matter under law which antedated the parcels post en- actment. This point is further illum- mated, or otherwise. by a recent dec cock to the effect that seeds. bulbs, plants, roots. and cuttings are, by his mandate, both third class and parcels tinue to pay the third class flat rate of 1 cent for each two ounces in weight. instead of the eliding scale per zone. And. there you are! The seeds, bulbs, plants. roots and cuttings go at the old rate, may be mailed up to eleven pounds in weight but mo- body knows, as yet, whether the com mon postage stamps are to be used on the package or the parcels post the farmer in West Woodstock, Conn. i. who wishes to mail a seed potato to his second cousin in Maquoketa, Ia-, old rate of postage even though he raised the potato in the back lot but he will have to see a lawyer before postage stamp which he must affix to the package.
 Miles of tape encircle the zone fea- ture of the law by which the postage depends upon the distance of the haul of the package so that the West Woodstock farmer may pay cents
 
 to send one of the. same size and weight to his cousin in Maquoketa, Assuming that he has another cousin in Cedar Rapids, Ia. he will pay still another rate and, if he malls another package to another relative in Sioux City he will pay another rate No the intricacies of the zone system. If manufa cturers employ trained force, they may sometimes master 1t, but 1t must remain 8 mystery to the occa- siona1 shipper.
 The parcels post stamp is worthless on any other form of mail matter and the same day just to add. apparently, to the confusion and to commemorate an exposition which has not happened And finally, assuming that the ship. per has got the right weight. the right brand of stamp and a package that comes within the ruling as to size for him unless he has his own ad- dress, as well as that of the consfgnee placed legibly upon the package.
 If he survives all this, it is up to him to- carry, or send, the package to the post office-none of your let ter-box business for the parcels post and he and the postmaster must go into conference over 1t. The postmas- ter must produce his chart and find what the rate is for the distance to be travelled and then the man or woman who mails it must settle up. What the postmaster will say, when 4 number Of packa ges are brought in, as he is just ready to close the mall, will not be placed on the package. der certain conditions cannot be mail ed under other conditions. A West Hartford man may mail a chicken to a man in Hartford, so far as one he cannot send tito Kalamazoo, Mich, for obvious reasons. man in Eng land, or Italy. may mail rom any point in those effete monarchies an II pound package to any point in the United States for 79 cents, but the Hartford man who wishes to send package of like weight to San Fran cisco is in fair way to pay s1.S2, or something like that.
 Of course the parcels post will be utilized in local service; For aught city can mail home the remains Of their customers collars and cuffs; manufacturers may send their pro ducts; department stores may mail 1 they can only determine what things can and cannot be sent. There will be lots of fun with 1t because the con the caliber and color of the twfhe with which he may wrap the package. Some day even the postmasters may stamps and handling the packages, but 1t looks good deal as if more tape will be needed in a short time.
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