Norwich bulletin., 1913-12-20

prescribe a remedy: when we know the facts we may be able to find a cure for our economic ills.
 Here. for illustration, is the scheme of investigation which the secretary proposes for one phase of the problem, the marketing proposition:
 Marketing surveys, methods, and costs, including especially avail able market supplies in given produc- tion areas demand at consuming centers, cold and other storages, marketing systems. and prices, and costs of wholesale and retail distrihu- tion of farm products.
 Second-Tr Transportation and storage problems the elimination of waste connected with surplus market sup plies: terminal and transfer facilities, freight congestion, car supply, deterl- oration in transit, extension of the practice of preceding perishable pro ducts and other special services.
 -'Third-City marketing and dis tribution and the promotion of direct dealing between producers and con sumers by parcel post, express, and freight.
 -Fourth-Study and promulgation of market grades and standards. methods of preparing perishable products and the ultimate establishment of official market grades and standards for farm products.
 "'Fifth-Co- operative production and marketing investigations"
 Now, that looks good to melt looks mighty good. It indicates that, at last, the department is going to be- gin work at the right end. It's a work that is going to take time, if done thoroughly but 1t will be worth while, no matter how much time and money it takes
 We've all had our ideas as to what is the matter with us. You've had yours. and I've had mine, and Bill Smith has had his. We've all tried to judge right. but we haven't had the evidence to insure that we actually did so. We've been inclined to make up a verdict before knowing all the facts in the case. The departments present plan is to collect the facts. which it can do and we. individually, cannot. Then the arriving at a right verdict reasoning on the part of the jury
 When we know exactly what the obstacles are that dam the flow of our progress, and just where they are, then we can dig them out and open the channel to an unimpeded stream.
 Who was. it,-Josh Billings?-who
 
 Onless ye know?"
 Anyway, the saying contains as much sense as humor. It argues well for the future of farming that our chief government helper is going to get for us the knowledge, once in possession of which we can prophecy understandingly
 I'm particularly interested in the third and fourth sub divisions of the proposed investigation. They're all worth doing,-the whole five, but seem to see an outlook for quicker alleViation of the situation in the in vestigation of these two. Of course. you all know that the limit of weight for parcel post packages was raised from eleven to tweny pounds last summer. That experiment worked so well that it is now to be raised again, for local delivery and the first two zones, anyway, I'm not sure about the others,-tO fifty pounds. That is coming, as 1 understand. with the new year. If the newspaper summaries of the proposed changes are correct it will enabble the farmer to send a fifty pound package from his door, ii he is on a free delivery route, to tha door Of any customer within 150 miles who is similarly situated, for fifty four cents. Or, to send a similar package to any customer within the local zone for thirty centS,-hVe cents for the first pound and a cent for each additional two pounds or fraction. therefore. This ought to help amaz- ingly. when it gets into smooth opera tion and becomes universally under stood .
 Then there is urgent need of the establishment of market grades and standards. One thing which stands in the way of our getting right prices is that we don't supply produce in the right grades. In truth. we haven't any grades. Each one of us makes up his own standard out of his own head and according to his own tastes or prejudices.
 Too many of us fail to realize that, if we expect to sell things at first class prices. we must supply what the is eager to pay firSt-cIass prices fOr,-not what we happen to have in surplus. For illustration: personally prefer green asparagus. I think it tenderer and sWeeter and bet ter favored. But if the rich folks in town who buy asparagus and can afford 10 pay high prices for it, want