Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-03

; fers for sale certain grade. that and
nothing else is what he IS going TO de-
liver. 1t takes no special amount OF
common SENSE 10 see that each handler
ali down The line back to the farmer IS
going to be- preferred by people who
want the best grade The best price
Tor each is inevitable
Take nsighbOring farmer. He
laughs at the care and time spent by
the first on sorting out his apple crop.
To him apples are apples. He throws
his entire crop into barrels indiscriml-
nateIy If his shipment is accepted at
all, he will get never more than low
average price. but usually the lowest
price. His venture NAV end by selling
the whole lot to the nearest cider mill
at price less than the cost Of pro-
duction. Oftentimes he cannot sell at
all and the apples rot
Direct Gain to Farmer.
The first farmer. after he has held
his h.gher-grade apples az a profit, can
then we'll afford TO sell the remainder
tn a cider mill and anything Al all
which he gets will be so much pure
gain. Also because he has maintained
his standards. each year will bring him
a wider market He Will be preferred.
The same process is being followed
BY many producers of all the other so
graded items of farm products. and sur
veys made by the Government show
that the practice pays in higher price
and a wider market
One OF the farmers greatest conf
plants has been his inability 70 obtain
proper crop financing. In the usual
course of business the banker who makes
loan on an apple or any other aer!-
cultural crop never sees the crop All
he sees is q warehouse receipt %ON
if that receipt shows that the produce
on which the load is made Is of q given
grade the banker know iUSt where Re
stands He is much more willing t.
grant loan TO the farmer who grades
according to the standards ana lives IN
to them than he is 10 take a chanc"
on a miscellaneous lot which may haze
deteriorated TO worthlessness before
buyer is found.
As health considerations enter into
the sale of milk i'll cities. standards are
in fairly general use. 1t appears from
the records that the larger the city The
purer the milk and. usually. the better
the price. Ninety-nine per cent OF New
York City's milk is pasteurized and the
bacterial count is believed to be the
lowest in the country. Nevertheless,
study recently showed that only 81 oui
Of 80 cities in which the investigation
was made have grading systems.
The direct gain to the producer Is
shown by special study of the IA prin-
cipal cities in Alabama, following the
setting up of standards Sales Of milk
increased 90 per cent. Other dairy prod
ucts and eggs have revealed similar re-
suits where standards are vigorously
followed
The individual farmer can better his
prices and his market by following
standards. but the best results are OBJ
tanned where community of farmers
works comparatively and requires all
members to stick to the standards set.
The product of such group will be-
come known long distances and 1t will
command premium price.
Excepting where there are matters OF
health concerned standards already set
are not compulsory nor do Government
officials generally deem this desirable.
Too great an army of inspectors would
be required. But competent students OF
the problem are confident that in fol-
lowing these standards and getting top
prices for their best products. the farm
ers can solve their own problem.