Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-05


kinds of seed on such a basis that for
eign competition can be met Is a grow
ing industry in other parts of the coun-
try. especially in California. where dry
ton. 1t is believed by many Of the ex-
ports Of the Agricultural Department
that from now on machinery will be
the means of progressively reducing
this country's dependence on foreign
seed sources.
For years foreign trade agents of the
United States have preached the neces-
sity Of better packing
Better Packino of goods If American
manufacturers would
VI S1o14At. Increase their foreign
packing for trade at home is coming to
ton Of figures by the interstate COM
merce commission showing that the
railroads pay out over $50, 000.0 900 an
transit, largely because of faulty con-
tainers These losses have grown to
their present overwhelming proportions
from $7.055,622 in 1900, an increase of
revenues have increased only 10s per
cent.
Because Of this showing at least
three agencies of the government are
now keenly interested in lettering con-
merce commission. which has juristlie-
ton over the carriers; the Department
of Commerce, which Is interested IN
bringing about economies for the ship
pers, and the forest service, which.
through its forest products laboratory.
is seeking to determine the best ma
terials for containers and the best way
to put them together.
The interstate commerce commission
and the Commerce Department are in
terested chiefly In the gathering Of in
formation as to improvements already
made and in its dissemination. The
forest service. however, is carrying on
actual experiments and now has under
construction g. machine for testing the
strength of containers. Into the APP
paratus will be fed boxes, crates and
barrels of various designs and mate
of their respective behaviors under
varying stresses and strains. From
the data which will be collected in this
way 1t Is hoped that thoroughly SCI
entifc specifications can be formu-
lated that will standardize the best pos
sible types of containers and SO save
both carriers and shippers millions of
dollars annually.
While steps toward reaching this con-
ditien of affairs are being made by the
merce and the interstate commerce
commission are following with inter-
est the campaign for better packing
being carried on by the National As
organization has conducted investisa-
tions OF its own as to the various
causes for the failure of wooden boxes
in transit. and has reached the con-
clusion that the principal cause Is
faulty mailing. In an effort to pro-
duce the containers cheaply, the asse-
citation says. inexperienced help is often
secured to do the mailing and In many
cases under piece work arrangements.
The result Is that nails that are too small
or too few in number are used. there
by reducing the carrying capacity OF
the containers from 30 to so per cent.
In furtherance of their campaign the
box manufacturers have issued an II
Illustrated pamphlet showing graph
icaliy the wrong way" and the right
way to nail packing cases. Among
the rules emphasized are that nails
should not be farther apart than two
inches. that. however. narrow strip
is, it should contain at least two nails
at each mailing edge, and that. except
for hardwood boxes, cement-coated
nails should be used.
In the rooms Of the once of markets
Of the Department Of Agriculture. six
telegraph instruments
Market News are playing an import
ant part in the develop
oeTV1cc. ment of an experimental
market news service.
The telegraphic work has been de-
yeloped on a comprehensive scale only
this year: In early spring in regard to
ca rload movements Of strawberries, and
later in regard successfully to carload
shipments of tomatoes. eantaloupss ana
peaches, The machinery OF 'n ne new new
crops has been practically the same,
the purpose In each case being to Sc
cure reports by telegraph from all I'M
portant car-lot producing sections
Der Of cars shipped daily during the
important shipping periods. but also
state the destinations and later the d.
versions. If any. in order that officials
at the Washington once may ma nave nave ne-
market conditions, with the cars con-
verging at given time on any one
market.
To check up this information daily
reports Of arrivals are also received
from the various important markets.
In addition to arrangements with ship
ping associations and market dealers,
the news service depends on arrange
ments for the wiring of information as
tation companies, including railroads.
express companies and special-car-serv-
ice lines. For the present. agents of
the Department of Agriculture are de-
pended on for information practically
only in the chief diversion centers. such
as Kansas City and st. Louis.
When the daily market information
has been received employees summarize
1t and wire 1t out collect to all appli-
cants, as we'll as to branch Offices,
from which Individual applicants may
receive it at less rates than If it were
sent from Washington. The Office of
markets also mails from Washington
detailed daily reports. including tables
showing movements of the particular
crop at glance.
The object of the experiment is to de-
termine the practicabilit Of developing
a permanent market news service,
whose function would be to do away
with the hapha1ard special crop move
ments that have been common for
years, and the consequent alternate
gluts and famines of the markets.
When the peach season Is over the
showing of the service for the season,
the value of the work and Its possible
future development will be considered
carefully by all government officials
concerned with q view to determining
future activities.