380 ANNUAL EEPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



whereby crates with tight bottoms, as required by the present postal 

 regulations, might be eliminated. To secure the necessary data or- 

 dinary commercial crates of different sizes were used. They were 

 provided with heavy absorbent pads of unsaturated roofing felt. The 

 results indicate that there is no reason why ordinary commercial 

 crates otherwise permissible under the postal regulations should 

 not be used without even these absorbent pads when weighing over 

 20 pounds, as they are handled outside of mail sacks entirely. Small 

 parcels of berries weighing less than 20 pounds may require the 

 absorbent pad, but even in this case it is hardly necessary if the 

 berries are picked and forwarded in a proper shipping condition. 



FIELD STUDIES. 



Two definite field studies have been conducted for the purpose of 

 ascertaining the possibilities of direct marketing from producer to 

 consumer. Conditions were not found to be favorable for the pres- 

 ent inauguration of such marketing, but the need of an educational 

 campaign was evident. Other incidental field work has been con- 

 ducted in connection with the accumulation of information in regard 

 to economic conditions on the farm as related to direct marketing. 

 Close cooperation has been maintained with the Post Office Depart- 

 ment in all of this work, which is under the direction of Mr. L. B. 

 Flohr, assisted by Messrs. J. W. Law, C. A. Burmeister, and C. C. 

 Hawbaker. 



COTTON HANDLING AND MARKETING. 



The various lines of work reported under this project last yeai' 

 which have developed into separate projects are reported upon 

 separately this year. Work remaining under this head is developed 

 along two lines. 



SURVEY OF PRIMARY MARKETS. 



A comprehensive survey of the Texas and Oklahoma primary 

 cotton markets was conducted during the year to determine the 

 proportions of the different grades, colors, and staple lengths pro- 

 duced in the western part of the belt; to determine the relation 

 between quality and price in the same market in order to draw a 

 comparison between different markets and between primary markets 

 and the ports; to estimate the effect of the present abnormal con- 

 dition on this section and to discover the actual conditions under 

 which the western farmer disposed of his product. This investiga- 

 tion was conducted through the services of about 30 temporary cotton 

 samplers, in as many different markets, each of w^hom sampled dur- 

 ing each week from 25 to 50 bales of cotton, and obtained a record of 

 the name of the seller, date of sale, and price of each bale sampled. 

 In this way approximately 17,000 samples were obtained; these are 

 now being classed in Washington and data are being compiled and 

 prepared for report. 



COOPEKATn'E HANDLING AND MARKETING OF COTTON. 



At Scott, Ark., the Scott Cotton Growers' Association, formed 

 with the assistance of this office, as described in the annual report for 

 1914, secured the services of men experienced in the cotton business 



