Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-23
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING

After. conducting last year sue
cessful small scale experimental market
news service which dealt
A Market with. four crops-straw-
berries. tomatoes, canta-
WI vASc' loupes and peaches-the
office of markets of the Department OF
Agriculture has just gotten under way
field work on the first comprehensive
market news service the country has
known. In all, before fall shall put an
end to the truck and fruit movements,
the products of sixteen crops Will be
carefully observed from the time they
are hauled to railroads for shipment
In the various producing centers until
they are placed on sale to consumers
in cities perhaps thousands of miles
away. And all the data collected from
this careful observation will be imme-
diately communicated to all persons
who care to receive them.
To have charge of this work the Of
fee of markets has sent specialists
as, where the already advanced season
is maturing fruits and vegetables; and
has sent other of it's experts to the
great consuming centers to gather IN
formation as to arrivals in market
origin and prices. Starting with on
ions in Texas near the Mexican border.
and with strawberries and tomatoes in
the three states, the field observers
will pick up each additional fruit and
truck crop as it comes in season in
these and other states, gathering the
desired information about it's condition
and the number of carloads shipped.
and wiring this information to Wash
ington.
the service this information from the
various sources is now being compiled
and wired out in a remarkably snort
time to producers and dealers all over
the United States who care to pay the
telegra phic charges.
Though II has been worked Out, In
little more than a single season, the
new service that the government rs
giving to the truck growers. fruit pro
ducers and distributors is wonderfully
accurate and complete The possession
of these essential characteristics is
made possible by the hearty and even
enthusiastic cooperation that is being
given by growers and their co-opera =
tive associations. who furnish their
current statistics; railroads, which
keen the government informed as to
shipments and reroutinS Throughout
their systems, and dealers. who give in
formation as to the arrival of cars and
market prices.
season the governments market news
service was of evident value to all par
ties to the complicated procedure OF
placing the products of the soil in the
hands of the consumer. Hundreds OF
letters have poured into the office OF
markets from producers, transporta-
ton systems and dealers. all testifying
to the greatly improved conditions In
regard to the crops covered.
Knowing the market demands accu-
rately, the producers have been able
to make greater shipments and in
many cases to secure better prices
Railroads have been able to eliminate
many unnecessary diversions and re-
routings and have had a steadier bust
ness. Dealers have been able to a con-
siderable extent to avoid Cutting of
the market, and have found more easily
outlets for their surplus supplies. The
consumer, too, profited. for the news
service meant for him steadier sup
ply of produce and less violent price
fluctuations