South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-12-24
HELP IN
MARKETING WORK
u. S. Department Increases
Service TO Farmers Raising
PeriShabIe Produce.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.-The de-
Yelopmest during the last fiscal year
OF a more extensive and more hiEhly
perfected demonstration market
news service for perishable fruits
and vegetables and the performance
Of work preliminary 10 beginning q
similar service for live stock and
meats are described in the annual
report OF the Office OF markets and
rural organization OF the United
States department OF agriculture.
which has just been published. The
news service for perishable foods
and vegetables. established for four
products in 1915, was extended 20
INCLUDE a number Of new crops. an
additional number OF stations in
producing territory, and an in
creased number of permanent OFFICES
i'm market centers. The service has
reached a much larger number OF
persons than during the preceding
year and has, according 20 reports.
been valuable in assisting growers
organizations 20 plan selling cam
paigns intelligently; is promoting
better understanding among grow
ers. shippers. commission mer-
chants, and consumers. and in facin-
tating efficient marketing operations
in other ways.
Grading and standardization.
The office has continued its studio,
of market grades and standards for
various farm products.
Investigations into the reasons for
the economic loss of foodstufs in
transit are being continued. and pos
sible methods OF improvement are
being studied. Cooperation between
shippers and carriers with view 20
reducing loss has been stimulated
in various instances. Experimental
shipments Of various products orig
mating on the farm. aggregating
nearly $4,000 pounds. were made by
parcel post during the year Re
suits from these and earlier ship
ments. according TO the report, midi
cate that it is physically possible 70
ship almost any commodity by
! parcel post when IT is properly pack
ed and handled. The experiments
have shown also, however. that COM
parative returns from other market
1 ing methods must be considered
/ and that il is essential for success ina
/ parcel-post marketing for shippers
\ TO grade and standardize their prod
uc5s and TO use suitable containers
Organization Investigations.
Rural organization Investigations
/ Of the Office resulted IN the collec-
/ ton of data on the costs and sources
/ Of farm loans, loans 10 farmers by
I merchants in the south. farmers
mutual insurance companies. and
rural telephone companies. lnten-
sive rural surveys Of two counties
we're completed and studies were
made Of a large number Of rural
social. educational. and civic activ-
tiles.
Cotton Marketing WEEK..
In its work of enforciS lie cot
/ ton-futures act the Office designated
as bona fde spot cotton markets the
/ exchanges In two cities in addition
\ 20 the Is previously designated. A
number of additional domestic mar
kets have adopted the official cotton
/ standards as a basis for their trans
actions The standards have been
adopted also by the Rotterdam, Hol-
land. cotton exchange. During the
fiscal year disputes arising from
future transactions and involving
/ 26.717 bales were passed on by the
Office. These disputes were from
/ New York. none arising in New
/ Orleans. the only other officially
DESIGNATED future market in the
country.
During the year the Office com
pleted it's standards for tinged and
stained American cotton and these
we're promulgated by the secretary
Of agriculture. Work on the stand
). ardization Of Arizona-Egyptian cot
ton and sea-island cotton was con
tinued Two hundred and forty
eight full sets and IS fractional sets
Of the official standards for white
cotton were distributed.
Devise Accounting Systems.
Other work carried on by the
Office Of markets and rural organ
ization included investigations in
cooperative purchasing and market
ing and marketing business prac-
tice. In the latter work uniform
systems OF accountins We're devised
for grain elevators. fruit and
produce associations. live stock ship
d ping associations. cooperative stores,
commission houses. and other in
dustries. Investigations in city mar
keting and distribution and in the
marketing Of cotton seed and its
/ products were continued. The new
work taken up by the ofioc in
Guided the drafting OF rough plans
for and estimating the costs Of
municipal public markets and
wholesale terminal market. invest
igations in the marketing 1f dairt
products and in the marketing of
grain. seeds and hay.
Cabbage and any Of tle aeet
family are green feeds which 2 usll
: = : l.