The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-05
MARKETING The
FARMS PRODUCTS
SYSTEM IN VOGUE ExEMPLEFxED IN
SPECIAL REPORT TO THE
CONGRESS-
REFORMS IN ORDER
SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE
SUBMITS SUGGESTIONS DE-
SIGNED TO CUT OUT PRO-
FITS OF MXDDLEMEN.
REFORMS IN ORDER

Systems Of marketing farm prod
ucts and the demand for them at
trade centers are the subjects of a
special report to congress by the sec
rotary of agriculture, recently pub
hshed. The report was made by spe-
cial direction OF congress, in order
that information might be at hand
concerning the esta hiishment OF d.
vision of markets in the department
of agriculture. The secretary speci-
fies various Items of service that could
be performed by such an office, with
Recommendations that they be adopt
ed. II 1t Is created. The report covers
3s1 pages and Is crowded with In
formation with regard 20 the subjects
treated.
BY Producers TO Consumers.
The report treats OF the movement
OF farm products from the farm to
consumer through a great variety Of
channel& The simplest distribution
Is the direct one OF delivery by farm
err TO consumer and next after this
Ia the delivery by individual farmers
or associations of farmers TO individ-
uaI consumers or associations OF con-
sumers. In these direct forms OF dis
tribution the niddleman is elimi-
mated. although of course, fntermedi-
ate services are performed either by
producers or by consumers, or by
both parties
Intervention OF Middlemen.
Among the varieties OF mid dlemen
concerned In the marketing OF farm
products are the travelling hucksters.
who go from farm to farm gathering
eggs. butter, poultry, calves and other
commodities, which they sell to ship
pers. Jobbers, or retail dealers. TINS
country merchant is often the first
receiver of such products as eggs,
farmmade butter, poultry. wool.
hides, cotton, and sometimes grain
and hay. IN regions where grain is
the staple product the tendency aas
been to displace the country Tner-
chant by the grain buyer and the To-
cal elevator man.
Farmers commonly sell through
commission merchants and to some
extent directly to wholesale dealers,
and also to retail dealers. The farm
er who employs g. trustworthy com
mission 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 Ct
a commission merchant who false
ly reports that the products were re-
ceived in damaged condition or that
they were OF grade lower than they
were In fact, ar be renartN receiving
prices lower than tnase actually re-
cefved by him for the products
Worse than this. 1t lis by no means
rare that the commission merchant
has sold the products and failed to
return the net proceeds.
Samples of transactions In which
only one middleman intervenes be-
tween producer and consumer include
the commission man at a large mar
ket, who received consignments Of
live stock from farmers and sells to
packers: the factor to whom the
planter constgns his rice or cotton and
from whom purchases are made by
millers; the warehousemen who man
age the sale OF Virginia planters
tobacco.
The Intervention OF two men be-
tween producer and consumer is a
common occurrence. Fruits and
vegetables are often marketed through
the aid OF two middlemen. the city
commission dealer and a retail mer-
chant.
More Than Two Intermediates
A series of three middlemen may
include first the local buyer OF the
shipper; second. the commission
6eeier or the wholesale merchant, and
third. the retail merchant. In the
scie CT fruit by anction, which ts ccn-
tNor In large cities east of the Mig
s'ssippi liver. the anctioneer Is an
eddltlcna' n!fdieraan. He may sell
esr . eofn ~ ss,1n dealer, to whom the
consignment may have bean made by
ccO~t-v hayer; and this purchaser
NJ aneh IN auction may be a Jobbe-,
who I'm turn sells to a retail mer-
chant. Five middlemen are thus con-
cerned In such q transaction.
Onions raised In Kentucky are
sometimes bought by a local mer-
chant and shipped to EeaisTffie;; here
they may be put into sacks ana con-
signed TO q New York wholesaler or q
commission man who In turn sells
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