The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-15
MARKET BASKETS
co INTO DISCARD
New Parcel Post Regulation
Will Facilitate Shipment of
Farm Produce to City Homes.
INCREASE SIZE OF PACKAGE
Parcels Weighing Twenty Pounds
Can Now Be Mailed Dis
lance of $50 Miles.

WIN the country fairly teeming with
appetizing foods, there is enough go
ing TO waste on outlying farms to sup
ply whole cities. But when Uncle Sam
finishes the great RECONSIDERATION
schemes that are now under considera
tloh. the thrifty housewife will east
the market basket into the discard and
reN wholly upon the parcel post for
hef daily supply of fresh eatables BY
thS parcel post acting through rural
uuityerE' the mails viii be utilized in
moving the retail produce from the
farm. and one OF the high cost
problems Will be solved
The latest wrinklc-and one that will
greatly Increase the scope OF the parcel
posts the increase Iii the weight of
packages that went into effect this
morning. Where shippers were former
~ restricted to eleven pounds. IL Is now
possible to send parcel Weighing
twenty pounds within radius OF $50
miles at q cost of 81 cents, or In case
OF local delivery at a cost of Is cents
postmaster General Burleson has init
mated that the arrangement Is tom
porary. and that the bars will soon be
let down, ana il will be possible to send
a twenty pound parcel from coast
TO coast.
Is Of InestImnblc Value.
VIII prove OF inestimablc value. Where
the small size of the parcel made the
naillnE OF farm products impractt-
cable heretofore, ii is now possible to
have n friend in the country send in
enough vegetables TO make an excellent
menu for a family Of four at n cost
which will hardly exceed the price Of
car fare TO the city market and there
VIII be the certainty that the goods
viii be strictly fresh.
For instance, family using three
dozen eggs and two pounds OF butter
each week can make arrangements to
have this amount sent in from u neigh
boring Chesterfield OF Henrico farm
The eggs viii weigh less than five
pounds. which, with the butter and
prescribed packing. will make "A parcel
Of less than ten pounds Drop "A card
to tho farm and have nice spring
chicken or two added. or one OF II dozen
products of the farm. The postage will
be 10 cents. and the best thing OF all
the goods can he sent c. .. d, making
The convenience all the greater
Cinch for Farmer.
Taking the other side Does the
farmer want a few groceries? Moth
ing easier than for the dealer to pack UP
the goods, and out they 20 by first
post Quite n number of articles can
be secured in a twenty pound parcel
To day an enterprising South Rich
mond grocer Will mail 10 a customer
in Bon Air a package containing the
following: sugar Ave pounds: six
cakes soap, one and half pounds.
meat TWO pounds; cheese. one pound
/ four boxes crackers. two pounds: can
syrup, one and one half pounds max
ing a total OF thirteen pounds In ad-
dition. the following miscellaneous
articles viii he added Two yeast
cakes. toothbrush and powder. three
pair childrcn's stockings. two spools
thread writing tablet and a shirt The
total weight of tho goods and reccp-
tacle is nineteen pounds, and II WI
cost 4 cents 10 mail
The farmer who lives two miles
/ from a store figures that il IS worth
more than II cents for MIN 10 hitch
up team and drive 20 the village
grocery. His order came in by tele
phone The goods viii leave Manchos-
ter Postal Station early this morning
and WI be in the hands OF the con
signec before dinner
Make Prcpnrn TONS for Rush
At tho Richmond post-oflce and the
subetations, preparations for hand
ling the Influx OF new business have
, been made When the new system
was put into operation al the main
Office, Postmaster Edgar Allan. Jr.. was
Instructed 10 put on two clerks. Since
]
three others. and Il Is expected tina;
further increases Will he made in the
near future, Starting with one wagon,
tho local office now has four teams
/ engaged exclusively in the parcel post
department.
The enormous amount Of business
done by the new postal department
has been the sources of great graft
ncation to the ON cials who inaugu-
rated the system, and changes will be
made as rapidly as possible in order
to improve the efficiency of the eel :
vice. During the first six months
more than 3oo.ooo,o00 parcels were
mailed. and 1t Is expected that this
Will be increased to more than ZOO
100000 before the end of the year
The variety OF articles that can be
mailed is without end. Among the more
| common catables are fish, fr-sh MEATS
dressed poultry. etc. The State Of Eir-
| ginic utilized the parcel post t" send
out automobile license tags this year
! and the merchants are using; the sys-
1 tenn wherever practicable.