32G ANNUAL KKl'UKT OV THE uff. Due. 



This abuse has grown to such proportions that the iStale of New 

 York has passed an act regulating packages, with which I am not 

 familiar enough to criticize it, but it is certainly true, that legisla- 

 tion along the same line is badly needed in Pennsylvania, and I have 

 no doubt that your association could exert a great influence in this 

 direction. Possibly the best course would be to compel makers to 

 brand the capacity on each package, and allow the people to use 

 any size they prefer, and an act of Congress which would apply to all 

 the States would be best, as it will avoid complications which will 

 arise from different acts in the various States. All the large cities 

 receive consignments from many different States, and a package 

 which fulfilled the legal requirements at point of shipment, might 

 cause a violation of law at place of sale, and this can only be avoided 

 by national legislation. If your association will give attention to 

 to this matter, it will have great weight in effecting the much needed 

 action. 



And now a word in regard to the matter of shipping your products 

 to the best advantage. The most perishable will have to be shipped 

 by express, and should be put on such trains as will insure their ar- 

 rival on the market as early as possible, as the best trade is always 

 during the early morning hours. Kefrigerator cars work very well 

 during the early months, and southern produce is successfully han- 

 dled in that way, for the reason that it is taken out of the cars into 

 a comparatively low temperature; but during our hot weather, 

 goods which have been in cold cars, decay very rapidly when ex- 

 posed to the air, so that for this latitude, the express service seems 

 to be the best that can be obtained. 



BEST MEANS OF SELLING FARM PRODUCTS. 



And now we come to consider the best means of selling farm pro- 

 ducts to obtain the best possible results. 



The grower cannot afford the time nor expense of making a trip 

 with each shipment. He is needed at home to attend to the gather- 

 ing and packing of his crop; must see that everything is properly 

 graded and put up in good shape for shipment. And then he cannot 

 keep posted on prices unless he is in constant touch with the market. 

 Fluctuations are sometimes very rapid (especially in the most per- 

 ishable articles), and it requires experience, knowledge and con- 

 stant attention to be able to handle them intelligently. It is just 

 here that the necessit}" for the commission man comes in. I know 

 that we hear and read a great deal about bringing the producer and 

 consumer together, but I have never seen nor heard of any practical 

 scheme to eliminate the middle man in the problem of disposing of 

 perishable produce. On the scale on wliich business is done to-day, 

 one man can't do everything. You must employ one to plow, an- 



