Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-23

consumer pay extravaganza prices for
fruits and vegetables that arc rottinr
In some other city ,fcw hundred
| miles away. The whole object of IN,
| news service Is to spread broadca.,
inc necessary information about the
supply IN every important city.
Service Saves Millions.
me cantaiouDe growers in the I'm
periai valley OF California alone esti-
mate that the news service saved then,
$25O.0UO i'm one season The Bermud,
onion growers Of Texas say tho ser.
vice was worth Il million dollars IN
them In Il single year
Inc situation In perishable products
Is Illustrated by case like that OF the
strawberry crop of Louisiana. I,ouisi.
ana Strawberries are shipped I'm Gar
load )otS all over the country cvc,
into Canada. Strawberries are one of
the most perishable products, and an
overloaded market anywhere means .
heavy loss. The State has to shin som.
l.4Oo carloads In a short season. Oh.
fiousiy the only way for the straw
berry crop to be marketed economical
~ is FOR the shippers to have accurate
Information daily by telegraph as TO
the number of strawberries on hand in
every one of the forty or fifty ,narlc,,
IN the United States and Canada The
uaiiS market reports on pershable
products were taken last year by some
Zo.ooo growers. The movements Of
roads TO the service
The market news service on meat.
promises To develop into something
even bigger. The office or markets cs,i
mates that II Will cover the movement.
or l'ooo,ooo ears year. The purpose
of the service is fundamentally tho
same-to report to shippers the condi
tion of the various livestock markets
ana distribute the supply where IL ~
needed
The Office Of markets has been a,
work collecting and distributing inro,-
nation on the total amount OF food
held in cold storage throughout TN,
thllen states. The cooperation Of
1850 meat packing cold storage houses
has already been enlisted. These house.
represeh. ~ per cent OF the total ca
paci'E or their Glass in the country
storage Capacity Figured.
Figures are being compiled that will
'eii me total cold storage capacity OF
all The plants OF this nature In THO
country. and Of canning factories and
general foodsiun warehouses az VOL
list OF factories which manufacture
all the substitute fat products such ,s
o!eomarEarine and compound lard j..
being prepared. Tho value OF such
Information In case or a centralized
control OF the nations food is ycrv
clear. II should not be forgotten tina,
one OF the biggest mcatpackcrs in tho
world predicted that II the war laafs
year. We may well have to pu, in
force a system Of meat cards such
as arc used in Germany
recent legislation has provided for
the use or national standards for tho
grading and elias styling OF all grain
shipped In Interstate commerce. In
enforcing this legislation. the o1ic.
OF markets has thirty-two branch Of
noes FOR grain supervision. which keen
II In close touch with all conditions
ana fluctuations In tho grain trad.
BESIDES these Offices. there arc already
established some twenty-six field sta
tons and twenty city Offices for keen
ing in touch with the situation in
fruits and vegetables. In fact the
groundwork for organization which
can keep posted from day to dav ON
the national food situation ia already
available. The corps OF experts which
the once has organized IL familiar with
all the problems OF marketing and
II there should ever have TO he national
control of the marketing and distribu-
ton OF food crops, these men will in all
probability furnish the basis OF the ac-
tual working staff.
Between the highly organized sys-
ten for estimating the Yield OF farm
products which Is operated by the Blu
rean OF Crop Estimates and tho ma
chincrN Of marketing and distribution
available in the Office OF Markets the
nation is better prepared for nationat
control OF tho food supply than most
people realize. Such control may not
become necessary, but this IL Il time To
take stock of preparedness for any
emergency.