The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-11-08

Sixteen meetings have been planned
in Colorado, following the Arkansas
river from Canon City to Holly. ]. F.
FARRELL, publicity agent. who has been
in Colorado a week, arranged for the
meetings. which will be held at points
convenient for the farmers town
Commercial clubs, country school
houses and, in some instances, In COM
two weeks of December and the first
two weeks of January will be devoted
to Kansas, the first series Of meetings
west of Newton. the second east of
that city.
Mr.. Burnett viii be assisted in Colo
RADIO by Mr. FARRELL and W. Q. Skinner,
division freight agent at Pueblo. repre-
senting the Santa Fe, and by a num-
Der of Colorado agricultural experts
familiar with soil conditions of that
simply conferences with the farm
ers.
Cities Short of Produce.
The Santa Fe men will show that
for several years the cities OF the
United States have been short thous-
fruit, notwithstanding the fact that
the producing power OF soils in this
country is equal to that OF any nation
on earth; that the rush from farm to
city is responsible for the constantly
increasing number of consumers. and
a corresponding decrease in the num-
Der Of producers, making an economic
problem worthy OF the most careful
consideration Then will follow de-
tailed information about the supply
of and demand for the products men
toned, the location OF available mar
kets, and the character OF the service
proposed The farmers will be adj
vised of the company's proposition.
which is, if they will include garden
truck and fruit in the scheme Of crop
divsrsification, the Santa Fe will in
stall special refrigerator service for
the purpose of picking up their prod
ucts in small quantities and transport
ing them to profitab bic markets The
farmers will be asked to state what
they think of the plan. and to what
extent they would be willing to try
the experiment OF raising garden truck
for sale.
All the details of the new service can
not be worked out till next years crop
acreage is known, but the general plan
will be similar to that adopted for
handling small shipments of products
of the poultry yard and the dairy-a
business which has grown to enormous
proportions in the last few years
Cars Every Few Days
Refrigerator cars will on stated days
be sent over the lines that traverse ag-
ricuItural territory to pick up small
shipments of fruit and vegetables, in
addition to the present regular refriger-
ator train service. At terminal points
these small shipments probably will be
transferred. and each kind of ship
ment go in carload lots to available
markets. The Santa Fe also will as
sist the farmers to find good markets
for the produce thus gathered up. in
order that distribution may be made
to the best advantage Of the shipper.
This will be done by the maintenance
of bulletin service by which the farm
ers. through the station agents, will
be advised Of market conditions
Millions Thrown to Waste.
Millions of dollars worth of veg
etables and fruit have gone to waste
in the United States for want of a
market The farmers who raise a car
difficulty. but the producer with less
than a carload often suffers loss Tor
the home market likely is glutted, and
the hauling charge to distant markets.
with the expense Of selling in small
quantities. consumes the difference be-
tween the cost of production and the
selling price That Is why great guam
titles of fruit and vegetables rot On
and In the ground every year: 1t is tie
not raising any fruit and vegetables
for the markets Nearly every COM
munity has prosperous farmers who do
not even raise vegetables for their own
tables
The science Of commerce is collect
ing things where they grow. or are
manufa ctured, and taking them to
places where people need them By
the plan of cooperation suggested,
for the farmers to sell an the garden
<fuR and fruit that can b. urcu1ured