The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-02
MARKETS DIVISION
HAS DONE GOOD WORK
Has Kept Producers Advised of Marketing Conditions and
Enabled Them Secure Best Prces-Ca Cattle Survey of
Southwest Virginia MadeAids Farmer in Shipping His
Produce

I, point takes lower freight rate or
[ wheat from all points on the Chesa-
peake II Ohio railway. ard South, II
caused an increase Ia the price paid
the farmer per bushel by this differ
ence In freight rate.
we also found that many mills
were buying wheat on the NO. 2
Soft Red" basis when II had no gar
lie or onions in It and which. there
fore. should have been classed aa
NO. Red Winter" which takes a
cent higher price.
The widest possible publicity was
/ given these facts and the farmers
were advised to see that their wheat
( WIS sold In accordance with the In
! formation given. Fun directions for
shipping to the government were given
/ them so that If they could not get
! proper treatment from their local
mills they might receive the proper
prices, weights and grades by ship
/ ping to the government
/ ''All of these activities. taken to-
| gether. affect the price OF our wheat
/ considerably. making a difference of
( from 2 cents to s cents over the en-
tire state. with an average difference
| OF cents the bushel. This does not
| mean very much 10 the individual
part of the wheat crop OF the state
II runs into several hundred thousand
dollars
Peanut Investigation.
,"At the earnest request of a num-
Der of growers. this division under
| took to make o thorough survey Of
the peanut industry In the state Our
field agent started on this work about
the middle OF October, 1916. and con-
/ tinued his field Investigations until
about the 5th OF January 1917. Dur
ing this period he interviewed per-
sonally about 500 farmers In the varl-
Gus peanut producing counties OF the
state, gathering information in re-
gard to cultural methods, crop condi-
ttons, average yield, comparative acre
age, cost or production labor condi-
lions and general marketing infop-
nation.
The held agent also visited prac-
tIcally all the factories IN the state
and interviewed the managers. secur-
| ing information IN regard to the CON
ditton OF the nuts when received by
the factory. the amount and kind OF
( foreign matter contained the differ
ent ;rades IN use by the factories the
outlet for the product. and what IN
their Judgment could he done 20 bet
ter The Industry
we also secured the cooperation
Of the federal bureau Of markets and
they sent men into all the producing
states in the South gathering similar
Information for our use The federal
bureau also sent an Investigator to
the Northern markets to study the
market conditions ana demands
THE Information obtained as above
Indicated by the field agent in q re-
4. -
piled in bulletin form and Is now be-
ing printed for distribution
at the kavftation Of this division
a conference OF peanut growers was
held and a Peanut Growers associa-
ton was formed along lines similar
to the state Horticultural society. It
rs the purpose of this organization TO
meet at least once a year to discuss
such matters as are Of interest TO the
industry as cultural methods,
fertilizer, bags, legal grades and
standards for farmers stock market
Ting. etc.
we have also compiled n crop re-
port covering the peanut situation
throughout the producing section OF
the United States. and while this re-
pert indicates an increase IN acreage
in many Of the Southern states. we
have been able to show to our grow
ers that this increase is almost entire
" of the Spanish varieties and is alb |
sorbed by the oil mills This report
Afro showed a very material decrease /
in the production Of the large TYNE Of
nuts variousiy known as Virgtnias,'
FLATS North Carolina Runners.
Branch and 'Jumbos. both in Vir- |
Eeinta and North Carolina, which en-
Iabied our growers to form A fairly ac-
aGff 70 fAf 4
OF their crop on account OF the short |
age of the crop and the increased de- |
mend, Many growers have express
ed their appreciation OF this work and
assert that II has already resulted In
material advantage to them.
Cattle Market Survey of Southwest
Virginia.
Realizing the Importance OF the
cattle industry in the state and the
necessity for some definite market In
formation. the director Of this divi !
sion sought and obtained the coop
erative and financial assistance Of the
bureau of markets nj Washington in
projecting a thorough and systematic
survey OF the livestock Industry in
Southwest Virginia Mr.. T. r. Cor
don who is well known to the Viz
ctnia farmers. on account OF his in |
this investigation He has been al
work since the middle Of June and
has already developed facts that win /
be of tremendous value to the stock !
ra!sers of that section. The bureau |
Of markets NJ Washington has been
unusually interested in these develop !
ments and plans to do extensive mari
k"tine work for the Eraziers of that
section and In all probability will get
out bulletin dealing with this stu
aticn.
This division contempiates rstab-
hstinR a service bureau by which the |
grazicrS of Southwest Virginia will be !
able TO see their cattle direct to the
feeders I'm the feeding sections OF
Ohio, Kentucky and Northern Viz
GINA, Such an arrangement would i
10 away with the present practice of .
shipping these cattle 10 the markets
ard having them reshipped to the
feeding sections, and would result in
n material saving both TO the grazier
and the feeder