Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-10-18
Facts From. the High Light of
Georgia Marketing Problem,

PARTICULARLY important among the
facts brought into high light by The
Journals and the Country Bankers
survey of Georgia's farm market problem Is
the widely manifest need of facilities for
handling and agencies for selling, in CONNER
ciaI quantities, those diversified products on
which the States prosperity now must lean.
Without assurance of ready sales at fair
profits the planter will lose heart for further
ventures in the food crops which are his own
and the Commemorative fortress in the cot
ton boil weevil invasions. 1t thus becomes
q vital question for both business and agrl-
culture, how to provide the marketing
machinery Of which there is so marked
want.
Every experience and suggestion that gives
light to this. common problem of the farmer,
the merchant, the banker, indeed OF whole
body of the people, is worth noting; and II
ia with this in mind that The Journals stan
correspondent is interviewing, throughout
the State, men who are graphing with the
difficulties frst-hand. I'm Marion county,
he was told by Mr.. II. B. Mauk, business
leader in that region, 1--WE raise, besides cot
ton, an abundance of sweet potatoes, Wnlch
the farmers are now ready to begin dlgglng.
But they have no facilities Of their OWL for
handling this crop and we have none in
ger of these potatoes being dumped on glut-
ted markets at sacrifice to the grower"
Here the obvious need is an adequate stor-
in. and curing house, together with organ
lied means whereby the growers can keep in
touch with conditions at the chief centers of
sale-services which it would require no
large amount of capital to provide. This
alone however, would not suffice. Potatoes
which are unassorted, uncertain as to quail
-ity and weight, and hence unable to estab-
CHI ufatio
not command a steady or in any wise faV-
orable market. They must be graded and
standardized, must be properly packed and
properly shipped, must be brought to level
of known value and there maintained, if they
are to be sold regularly and at profits. To
impress upon growers that it is every whit
as important to grade food crops as it is to
grade cotton, and in some respects more SO,
is a prime essential in every community s
.better marketing" campaign.
The maintenance of standards, as well as
the successful conduct OF storage plants and
OF selling agencies, calls for thorOughgolng
cooperation. Unless farmers will work to-
gether in these matters for their common in
terest and unless, moreover, they have the
cooperative support Of bankers land mer-
chants, extensive and efficient marketing OF
diversified products will not be possible. Says
Mr.. W. g. Wooten, another business leader
in the Buena Vista territory, eff we can unite
our farmers il a cooperative association,
contracting to reduce their acreage of cotton
and at the same time to raise certain
quantity Of foodstVffs of g. marketable quail
ity, have not doubt that we shall be able
to standardize our products so that there will
be a ready demand for them" And highly
gratifying it is that in a number of counties
this constructive idea is being pressed vigor-
ously toward realization.
Whose contributes to the solution IF these
or any other province of Georgias farm mar
ket problem will help to ti6s the Common
wealth over a critical present and make
doubly sure the prosperity of years ahead.