Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-08-24

TUESDAY, AUGUST ~. 1915.
last decade has increased greatly, and i'm
proved methods and facilities for handing
the increases have been introduced. Keep
ing pace with increased production has
come the demand of consumers for more
elaborate and efficient service. Seldom "
the fact considered that service can be-
come a very expensive luxury. With the
widening on the distance between the city
and the sources of it, fruit and vegetable
~upplie- there ha~ arisen the necessity for
special agencies 10 meet the changed con
ditlons.
The present di~tributive machinery. with
all it, strong points and it, Weaknesses.
ha~ been created Of necessity. and il has
weathercd the storm OF much adverse
criticism. Every part III the country i'll
now enjoying the periehable products of
the most remote districts. ANY rcadiu>t-
mcnt Of present market practices must he
based upon the fact that some agency must
continue to perform the functions Of the
present day middlcman.
The problems involved III handling goods
through a large market differ greatly from
those vi production. Usually one man or
one firm can not handle both production
and distribution and succeed M both. The
vast volume ot business transacted Al large
margct center~ make necessary some spec
in agencies which can devote NH their
energies to distribution. Especially does
the machinery for efficient marketing be-
come necessary when peri-huble goods are
W ~ handled. Commodities VI this sort
must hc moved rapidly, must bc distributed
evenly. and from their very nature permit
III not weakness III di-tributivc machinery,
al thcv are to be sold al q profit.
Some Causes CT Losses and Wastes.
With the pcri-hablc nature Of a large
part Ut the fruits and vegetables marketed
there must be some loss. This often totals
higher than the farmer realizes. For in
stance. according ~ the departments
SPECIALISTS. the loss on such commodities
a- strawberries. peaches and grapes some
times amounts ~ 10 pr ~ per cent before
they can reach the hands Of the rctaI!
trade. Losses due tn pooling may M thc
result of the shippers sending oVerripc or
diseased fruit. or failing ~ give proper at-
%tention to packing. to loading Or TO brac-
ing the packages in the ear. Sometimes
the railroad in n fault. Delay - transit.
ventilation Or refrigeration or I'M
rough handling NJ ears may con-
to rapid deterioration Of the ship
ment on arrival.
The lack Of proper refrigeration iacili-
ties at distributing ccutrr- IN y cause wv
loss. When produce moves slowly.
there i- often much -poilagc before com
Ilctc ~;lcr can hc made. Rough handling
unloading ar carting i another in
cause MI loss. H. \ matter Wi fact.
the opportunities Tor los due 10 the spoil
lu- VT commodities are -O manifold that W
l. impossible ~ enter into q complete dis
cu~-lon If them.
ID II always well tu bear IN mind the
really serious side of losses and wastes.
The spelling ot \ dozen cantaloupc-. Y hu--
ket Of grapes or = crate of Strawberries
represents an absolute loss to the ommun
itv. No benefit accruc~ 10 producer. dis
tributor ar consumer from such u condi-
tion. The loss occurring mt this point must
IT, borne 81 both producer and consumer.
and IN \ great many ou-e- the distributor
must bear hi~ part - Inc burden. The de
plrtmcnt'~ specialists think III many eases
losses and WASTES ARG entirely too heavy 2
taA ou toud distribution ami that the clmi-
nation uf unnecessary wastes would do a~
much toward cfIccting permanent. sub
~lantial economics in marketing and dis
'rihu.iug a. amy reimbursement uf present
marketing methods could nv. The fact that
a large percentage Of these LOSSES can p,
avoided wv proper grading, packing ana
shipping. together with prompt. efficient
handling while the good are III prucc~- VA
distribution. makes ID Imperative that thu
subject be given >pccial consideration by
those Interested III thc efficient marketing
Of farm crops.
n better understanding IN the farmer WI
the complex marketing machinery would
enable him to intcIliscntly choose between
the many channels through which hi~ fruits
and vegetable might be marketed. The
new bulletin aims to make clear tu TIE lay
man the rather intricate machinery al the
market and deals with methods NJ rccriv-
Ing, inspection. reflections. terminal di-tri-
IA