Pioneer press. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1882-19??, 1915-04-17
FARM TO TABLE"
IS TO Be KEPT Up

y
produce directly by the farmer to the
city consumer, has come to stay and
will be gradually extended through
out the country. This new service
OF the parcel post has been given one
years test in the leading cities of the
country, and has enabled thousands
OF city homes to buy directly from
the farmer at lower prices than those
prevailing in the city markets.
The postoffiee department has made
public reports received from 20 pos
masters in cities where the "farm-tG
table" was installed as an experiment
These reports reveal startling
growth in this branch Of the parcel
post
Postmaster Sherlock Swami, in his
report, says there are 800 daily deliv-
cries OF farm products to Baltimore
city. homes, the shipments coming
from the farmers residing within easy
reach Of Baltimor. Washington leads
the country in the number Of daily
shipments Of farm produce, Postmas-
ter Preager reportinfi j63. Chicago
follows with 55S; Indianapolis reports
500; st. Louis reports 447; Detroit,
New Orleans and Baltimore have 800
each; Cleveland, 173 and Richmond,
12O.
II
service says
These commodities shipments In.
to Baltimore) may be correctly pro-
portioned as follows: Eggs, 80 per
cent; butter, 20 per cent; poultry, 10
percent; fruits and produce, II pei
cent; miscellaneous, per cent, the
latter being maue up Of such lens
as buckWheat, Ogur, ham, lard, saus.
age and seafood All parcels recelv
ed during the regular hours are hama.
led with promptness by delivery wa
CONS. Parcels received after that
time are delivered by mounted col.
lectors within the city proper AM
Or complaints are received
Postmaster Hay Thornton, Of Rich.
mond, in his reports, states he is try
ing to develop the shipment of oy-
sters by parcel post. He has taken
up with manufacturers the making OF
containers which will safely carry the
bivalve through the mails and is con-
fldent another year will find the on.
ster an everyday passenger in Uncle
Sans parcel post system. The post
master at Chicago says that thou
sands Of families in his city received
their Christmas turkey by parcel post
at a price much lower than the fowl
could have been bought in the city
markets.
st. Louis reports that $500 parcels
OF butter, 1000 cartoons of eggs, T.
900 packages Of fresh meats, 500 par
cells of cured meats and 600 packages
Of poultry pass through that post
office weekly.
liz PooIOlllSe department. II SUM
marizing the reports of the postmas-
ters, says the opposition of city and
country retailers to this feature Of
the parcel post has disappeared, and
that green grocers and butchers in
country towns are using the system
for selling their products to the city
consumer. In large number Of in
stances the farmer has shown a dis
position to split the middleman's prof
it with the city consumer, which has
gone long way toward developing
the 'farm-to-table" service The post
masters reports indicate that eggs,
butter and poultry are the principal
products shipped directly to the city
consumer, and as yet little or no
trade has been developed in green
vegetables.
Frank Wild was arrested Tuesday
afternoon, charged with having in his