Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-05-02
WILL ELIMINATE
FRAUD AND CUT
SELLING COSTS
Department of Agriculture
Is Making a Study of
Hundreds of Different
Kinds of Containers.


tsneciaI Correspondence to The Journal)
Washington. Ma Ito elimi-
nate fraud in the marketing OF
fruits and vegetables by the substi-
tuition of short measure packages
at full measure prices is one of the
principal objects of specialists OF
the United states department of
agriculture now making study "
the hundreds of different types OF
containers in use. For example,
baskets which contain seven
eighths of bushel are frequently
used as bushel baskets, 1t being dit
fiCult to detect the short measure.
In Farmers Bulletin 1896 from the
bureau of markets, just published
by the department, the specialists
discuss the need for standard
containers for fruits and Vegeta-
bles and describe how the public
is sometimes defrauded because of
the many types and sizes of con-
tanners now in use.
standard Basket Law.
Since the passage of the federal
standard barrel law, in 1915, there
has been Il steady progress in the
work of eliminating unnecessary
and deceptive sizes from the list
OF containers used in marketing
fruits and vegetables, says the bull
letin. The passage Of tho United
States container act, establishing
for grape baskets, berry boxes and
small till baskets, followed in 1916.
The serious lack of uniformity of
containers increases the cost of
marketing, say the specialists. be-
cause of the greater expenses of
manufacturing a large number of
unnecessary styles and sizes and by
breakage in transit, which il some
times directly attributable to the
difficulty of loading odd-sized con-
talncrs. There are in common use
at present about forty sizes of cab
bage crates, twenty styles OF celery
crates, thirty lettuce crates or box
es, fifty styles and sizes of ham,
pers, fifteen styles and sizes of
round-stave baskets and marketing
baskets varying in size from one
to twenty-four quarts, whereas
relatively few standard sizes would
satisfy all demands of the trade.
In many cases the siX-quart mar
ket basket. the fourteen quart
peach basket, tho seven eighths
bushel bean hamper, and the five
peck lettuce hamper are confused
with peck, half-bushel, bushel and
one and one-half bushel baskets.
No Standard Hamper Now.
The two acts referred to, which
establish standard containers, have
done away with a large number of
unnecessary sizes of barrels, berry
boxes and grape baskets, and have
awakened widespread demand
for the application of the same
principal to other containers, says
the bulletin. At present there is 10
standard hamper which is one of
the most widely used types of con-
tanners, especially popular in the
eastern and central states. Almost
So,0OO,O00 of these baskets are
used annually The sizes Of ham
pers which are recommended by
the bureau Of markets of the de-
partment of agriculture as being
sufficient in number to satisfy all
legitimate requirements of the
trade are az follows: eight quart.
or one peck; siXteen-quart, or one
half bushel; thirty-twO quart, or
ono bushel; forty-eight quart, or
one and one-half buSheL 1t is sug-
gested that the latter be made in
two styles to meet the preference
In various parts of the country.
The round-stave basket for
which there is no standard, Is pop
ular in all regions except the
southern and Middle Atlantic
states and on the Pacific coast.
About 100000 such baskets are
manufactured annually. The sizes
which are recognized as standards
by the bureau of markets are the
same as those recommended for
the hamper except for tho elirni-
nation of tho eight quart size. The
splint, or veneer baskets, for which
there are also no standards. are
we'll known to the public as mar
ket baskets. The sizes which are
proposed bureau of markets are
tlve in NUMBER, s, 10, is and
"a quart.