Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-01-14
Division of Markets Recommended.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WOULD
HELP ELIMINATE THE MIDDLEMEN.

/ DIVISION OF WaIkotb iu tuo 0opot tm0os
of Agriculture. The Secretary specifies
various items of service that could
be performed by such an Office, with re-
recommendation that they be adopted, II
liz Is created. The report covers 391
pages and is crowded with information
with regard to the subjects treated.
BY PRODUCERS TO CONSUMERS.
The report treats OF the movement Of
farm products from the farm to consum-
or through great variety OF channels.
| The simplest distribution Is the direct
one of delivery by farmer to consumer,
and next after this is the delivery by in.
dividual farmers or associations Of
farmers to individual consumers or asso-
Citations of consumers. In these direct
forms of distribution the middleman is
eliminated although Of course interme-
diate services are performed either
by producers or by consumers or by
both parties.
INTERVENTION OF MIDDLEMEN.
Among the varieties of middlemen
concerned in tho marketing of farm prod
ucts are the travelling hucksters who
90 from farm to farm gathering eggs,
butter, poultry, calves, and other com.
modities, which they sell to shippers,
iobbers, or retail dealers. The country
merchant is often the first receiver of
such products as eggs, farm-made butter,
poultry, wool, hides, cotton, and some
times grain and bay. In regions where
grain 10 the staple product, the tendency
has been to displace the country mer-
chant by the grain buyer and the local
elevator man.
Farmers commonly sell through com.
mission merchants and to some extent
directly to Wholesale dealers and also to
retail dealers. The farmer who employs
a trustworthy commission merchant who
will handle his products honestly and
honorably will get the current prices for
them within the range Of the commission
merchants business, but the farmer
often finds himself In the hands Of q
commission merchant who falsely re-
ports that the products were received in
damaged condition or that they were
of grade lower than they were in fact.
or he reports receiving prices lower than
those actually received by him for the
products. Worse than this, 1t 10 by NO
means rare that the commission mer.
chant has sold the products and failed
to return the net proceeds.
Samples Of transactions In which only
one middleman intervenes between pro-
ducer and consumer include the com.
mission man at large market who re-
ceives consignment OF live stock from
farmers and sells to packers; the factor
to " whom the planter consigns his rice or
cotton and from whom purchases are
made BY millers; the warehousemen who
manage tue sale of Virginia planters
tobacco.
The Intervention of two men between
producer and consumer is . common
occurrence. Fruits and vegetables are
often marketed through the aid OF two
middlemen, the city commission dealer
and retail merchant.
MORE THAN TWO INTERMEDIATES.
A series of three middlemen may In.
clude first the local buyer or the ship
per; second, the commission dealer or
the wholesale merchant; and third, the
retail merchant. In the sale of fruit by
cities east Of the Mississippi River, the
auctioneeer is an additional middleman.
He may sell for commission dealer, to
whom the consignment may have been
made BY q country buyer; and the pur-
chaser at such an auction may be a job
Der who in turn sells to a retail mer-
chant. Five middlemen are thus con-
cerned in such transaction.
Onions raised in Kentucky are some
times bought by local merchant and
shipped to Louisville; here they may be
put into sacks aud consigned to New
York wholesaler or commission man
W ho in turn sells to New York retailer.
Eggs and poultry frequently pass
through the hands of at least four mid
dlemen.
The marketing Of clover seed Is an ex-
ample of q transfer from one farmer to
The first middleman may be an Indiana
jobber, who consigns to commission
dealer in Toledo, Ohio; here the seed
may be purchased by merchant aod
shipped to wholesale dealer In q dis.
tant city. The last middeman in this
course OF distribution Is country store
keeper or city dealer 10 agricultural
supplies.
MARKET PLACES AND WAREHOUSES.
Public market places are established
in number of cities and towns, aud in
these places consumers may buy such
articles as fruit, vegetables, dairy prod
uc,s, poultry, and eggs direct from
farmers az we'll as from dealers.
Another Institution which aids the
producer to dispose Of his crop il the
public warehouse. Illustrations OF this
are afforded In the marketing of tobacco
In Virginia and North Carolina, wool
from tho northern Rocky Mountain
States, aud to some extent rice In Louisi.
ana and Texas. The growers or their
representatives, with their produce,
meet the buyers at these warehouses.
DIVERSION IN TRANSIT.
While farm products are in transit by
rail, there are certain points at which
the consignor may designate final dss.
tinatiou. The purpose of this practice
10 to enable the consignor to fiud the
best market for his goods. This IL the
plan followed In shipping fruits and
vegetables by rail from California to the
East and from Southern States to the
North.
ASSOCIATIVE MARKETING.
The Secretary Of Agriculture has
much to say concerning associative mar
keting by farmers, and the economic ad.
vsntages are stated in detail. "a sur
vey of the systems Of marketing farm
products clearly discovers what tho
farmers can best do 10 their advantage.
They must associate themselves together
for the purpose Of assembling their indi-
viiual contributions of products, of
shipping In carload lots, Of obtaining
market news at places to which 1t is
practical to send their products, to sell
in considerable number OF markets, II
not In many markets, and to secure the
various other economic gains of associa-
tive selling"
To carry ont this suggestion, 1t is 70.
commended that II Congress establishes
| division OF markets, . corps Of ira
yelling field agents be maintained
/ TO assist farmers 70 form associations for
marketing their products.
xsrIMATEs OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE
SUPPLY.
It 10 also recommended that estimates
Of the prospective supply of fruits and
vegetables, and perhaps other products
not now represented In the quantitative
estimates OF the Departments crop re.
porting service, be made short time be.
fore harvest, 30 that the farmer may
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