Milford chronicle., 1940-03-01
w. I. DERICKSON GIVES
TALK TO KTWAlIANS
tooasiausa frola IN. Pags,

lem facing agriculture in Delaware
as welllas most other eastern state
is That of maintaining a prefer
ence for our home grown products
in our nearby markets" This prob
lem begins with the selection OF tn
seed for planting and does not end
until the product is finally placed oil
the consumers table. Before discuss
ing this particular problem, however
l want to tell ycu something Of tbs
early history of agriculture and mar.
keting.
Farming began OF course with the
early settlers, and at that time was
confined to small plots OF ground
located within the settlements or cen
ters. This was necessary because II
was dangerous 10 venture outside the
settlements on account of the In
cians. Soon, however, a few ven.
turesome farmers began tilling land
outside the settlements. At first IL
was necessary for them to return to
the settlements at night, and to be
ready at all times to cOngregate
quickly, in order TO protect their life
and property. AS the danger from
Indians became less. farmers ven
tured farther from the settlements,
and eventually lived on their farms
at short distances from the settle
meDts. When this occurred the far
mers. of course, could till more land,
and they soon began producing a
surplus in addition to their own re-
quirements. In the beginning this
surplus was sold to their farmer
ncighbOrs, or to friends who lived
within the settlement, however, they
soon began selling TO others, and
very soon their customers began to
demand Il regular supply OF their
products at regular intervals. Many
times II did not suit the individual
farmer to stop his farm work and
go 10 the settlement to sell his pro-
ducts. so two or more farmers be-
gan pooling their products, and one
Of them would go to the settlement
on a certain day or days each week.
This, however, was not always con-
venient, and the people in the set
Elements continued to demand a reg
ulaT supply. sO an agency known as
the iluckster developed. This man
bought his supplies from many far
mers. thereby obtaining a larger as
SOrtment, and lie delivered to his
customers in town regularly. The
farmer was willing to sell to the
"Huckster for slightly less money,
because he did not have to deliver,
and the customer was willing to pay
slightly more money, in order to
obtain a larger assortment of sup
plies and ge; them regularly. Thus
the first middle-man was born.
The next middle-man to enter the
Picture in the distribution of farm
products was the Butcher" At first
nearby farmers slaughtered their
animals as needed and either sold n
part or loaned it to their neighbOrs
10 be repaid in kind. The people liv- |
ing in the settlements, however, de- !
manded a regular supply of meats
the same as vegetables, so the But
cher became a buyer OF live stock !
and grain and seller OF fresh and
cured meats and hides In the early !
days the butcher slaughtered the
as required from day to day, |
however. at certain times, he was
unable to sell all the meat that he
had slaughtered, and he had a sur
plus. Particularly in the summer |
time, il was a question as to how to |
preserve this surplus for two or
three days. The butcher awake TO
this problem began putting up ice in
tine winter time. and using it in the
time to keep his meats With
a cool place TO keep his meats, what
IS more natural than that he soon
began to handle other perishable
products such as butter, eggs and I
fresh green goods. The butcher per-
formed a real service and there is no l
1ne who can maintain that he fOrci-
jly injected himself into the picture.
The next middle-man to take his
place in the handling of farm pro-
iucts was the Miller" The miller
lev elOped water power and ground
he farmers grain. For this service
le collected a toll, and by grinding T.
his toll, he acquired grain or its
PRODUCTS to sell. The miller also
an important service and
I cannot be said that he forced him
,elf into this position.
AS the country developed the need
OF more services was required, and
many other agencies entered into the
II 1arn products, but L
wen in the great mass of service
provided today. do not know of
my function either by Huckster. Re
aiIer. Wholesaler, Broker, Railroad +
II Trucker, that is not the result of
/ gradual development of the in i
iustry. l.
Now to get hack to the problem
hat l first mentioned THAT of main
aiming a preference for our home
crown products in our nearby mar
>ets." Previous to 1870 this problem
lid not exist, because our nearby
markets had no source of supply of
Fesh fruits and vegetables, other
han those produced nearby About
1870, however, the refrigerator car ,
yas invented and was first used in
he transportation of fresh meats
rom Chicago TO New York. The re-
rigerator car was invented before
he invention of machinery to manu-
.scture ice, and it was not until the
of artificial ice became
general, that the refrigerator car
'eally came into its own. With ice
lyailable at reasonable cost, at any
lme during thu year. farmers hun
lreds and thousands of miles away
began shipping their fresh fruits and
vegetables into our markets. In many
.ases these products were produced
IN cheaper land and with cheaper
labor. and she supplies found a
'eady demand. because the custom
srs were anxious to lengthen the sea-