The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-08-15
PRICES QUESTION
IN TRADING BY
PARCEL POST
BUREAU OFFICIAL POINTS OUT
DIFFICULTY ENCOUNTT RED
MARKETING BY MAIL.

Washington. Aug. LIT is pointed
out by Charles J. Brand, chief of the
department Of agriculture bureau of
markets. that marketing by parcel post
| Is not growing as rapidly as will be the
case when there can be a well-under-
st God and business-Hke agreement be-
| tween buyer and seller as to how
fair and reasonable prices are to be
arrived at.
There is a tendency on the part of
too many farmers" Mr.. Bland notes.
! by way of amplihcating his meaning.
ito ask prices for produce far above
those current In their own rural To-
calities, and higher even than those
exacted by the fancy retail stores of
the cities There can be no success
ful marketing by parcel post as long
as such a condition prevails.
Fundamentally, there are only two
reasons to persuade tho consumer in
the city to undertake the additional
trouble and uncertainty of securing
produce by mail. These are economy
In cost and greater freshness of prod
uot, The parcel post marketing plan
can never be q success unless IT gives
results along one or both OF these
lines. Producers must be careful not
TO overreach In the matter of price.
Unless they are willing to share the
saving with the consumer in the city,
who agrees TO receive food products
which he has not had an opportunity
to examine and whose quality and time
Of delivery Will always be subject to a
degree of uncertainty, there Ia little
prospect Of the wide extension Of the
parcel post system which 1t deserves.
so far as the farm is concerned.
Lists Collected.
Recently the postofiice at Washing
ton. =. G., has been very active IN try
ing to promote parcel post marketing,
collecting lists OF names OF farmers
and printing and distributing these
lists to patrons of the Washington Of
fee who might become purchasers. "A
few cases with respect to eggs alone
viii illustrate this tendency Just re-
ferred to. One New Jersey farmer
offers eggs at forty cents dozen the
year around: n Pennsylvania farmer
in June offers fresh white eggs at 81
for two dozen: a Virginia farmer Of
fers eggs at Washington quotations
plus ten cents. 1t Is difficult to see
how n user Of eggs could AFFORD to
pay such prices when fresh country
eggs are being sold by farmers to
country grocers at this moment for
prices ranging above and below twenty
cents n dozen, IN trade.
THE difference between the country
price and the city price must be shared
fairly between the producer and the
buyer. The latter will not take
chances on things that cannot be ex-
amined and which in some case may
not fGlfll tho particular need; further
more. he will not bear the uncertainty
as to time Of arrival unless there IA
gain to him in so doing. On the
other hand. much Of the consumers
particularly IA based on illogical pre-
tudice so that they. as we'll aH the
producers. must standardize their de-
mapds and make concessions"
Standards Advocated.
Mr. Brand then calls attention to
the fact that the bureau 81 markets is
now engaged in study of standard
publish such grade descriptions as will
facilitate ready intercourse.
The practicability OF shipping
perishabie produce Is not open TO
serious question" observes Mr.. Brand.
For many years the investigators In
the department of agriculture have
used the mails in a large way in the
shipment of experimental material. In
this way everything from the most
delicate fruits to vegeta bles suitab bic
for all winter storage have been ship
ped from st few miles TO several thous-
and miles, In q great majority of
cases. packages and packing have been
devised after a few trials, which have
resulted in delivery in good condition.
More recently. definite and carefully
planned experiments covering eggs.
butter berries, cherries. lettuce and
assorted vegetables have been under
taken The results of these expert I
ments have been set forth at length
in reports issued by the department. 1
which are available to all who are
Interested"
Opinions Diverse.
There is a diversity Of opinion as to
the benefits that will come to pro-
ducers through the parcel post. Some
are much pleased with the prospect
of direct marketing. while others see
nothing hopeful in the system. The |
latter. as IA rule Mr.. Brand says. have
not tried II, or have tried 1t in very |
inadequate fashion.
1T is important to remember" he
adds, that there is nothing automatic !
about the parcel post 1t is merely a
vehicle for the transportation and |
delivery of produce, and successful de- |
velopment Of it will depend very large |
1y upon the shipper. though-a1s In
part on the purchaser or consumer. /
The parcel post will succeed in pro-
portion as 1t accompanies more ef-
ficiently and economically the work
now performed by the middlemen.
There are numerous conditions
under which the parcel post will not
prove economical for marketing, but /
there are many others for which 1t |
would seem the only reasonable and |
economical method. 1t is not expected I
that parcel post marketing will sup |
plant the usual methods, but It's proper I
use should make it valuable supple I
ment to these under all conditions, and |
n check upon other methods when
thev are not being applied with fair
ness"