BUREAU OF MAEKETS. 431 



A ]Uimbor of specific market engineering problems received atten- 

 tion during the jenr and progress was made in perfecting a combined 

 glass-covered refrigerated display' and storage counter for meats, 

 cspeclall}- suited for installation in public retail markets. Studies 

 m;ide during the 3'ear added to the information upon which designs 

 and estimates for market layouts, structures, and equipment must 

 be based. 



To help cities in establishing farmers' markets considerable atten- 

 tion has been given to the studj' of existing market ordinances, and 

 an endeavor has been made to prepare a suggestive ordinance which 

 incorporates necessary and practical provisions for the successful 

 establishment, financing, and operation of such markets. 



Investigations were carried on in various t^^pes of retail establisli- 

 ments handling farm products because the cost of operation in food- 

 retailing shops is obviously an important factor in the ultimate cost 

 of food to consumers and because the degree of efficiency <:^,ttained in 

 such operation affects the whole distribution system. Particular at- 

 tention Avas gi\-en to what ma^^ be termed the improved methods of 

 retail distribution, including the so-called " Four-square plan," '" Self- 

 service," " Cash and carry," etc. 



The marked development of self-service stores in recent years 

 constitutes one of the outstanding features in present-day retail 

 marketing of food. The sj'stem is economical of man x>ower and 

 seems to give promise of appreciably lower prices to consumers. 

 Little has been knovrn generally, hov\'ever, about the actual savings 

 and the principles and methods upon which these stores depend, and 

 the Bureau has received numerous inquiries in regard to these points. 

 Investigations, consequently, were carried on in practically all sec- 

 tions of the United States in which the development of these agencies 

 has been marked. 



TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE. 



The transportation vrork of the Bureau is directed by jMr. G. C. 

 White. 



As in previous years, the perfecting of arrangements with common 

 carriers for reports to be used in connection Avith the Bureau's mar- 

 ket news services occupied the major portion of the time and efforts 

 of the workers on this project. Five hundred and ninety-four com- 

 mon carriers made reports to the Bureau, these carriers controlling 

 248.722 miles, which for practical purposes is the entire mileage of 

 the United States. The term common carrier as used in this connec- 

 tion includes railroads, express companies, and boat lines. 



The storage work of the project was interrupted by the detail of the 

 specialist in storage to the War Department in the latter part of Octo- 

 ber, 1918. Up to that date regulatory measures had been devised, in 

 cooperation with the United States Food Administration, for the con- 

 trol of the cold-storage industry, and plans for the transportation of 

 moats to the fighting front had been vrorked out in cooperation with 

 tlie War Department. In order to continue the storage work, an 

 assistant in cold-storage methods and costs was appointed temporarily 

 and spent the remainder of the year, in cooperation with the project 

 "JMarket Business Practice," in Avorkiiig out a system of uniform 

 accounting for cold-storage plants. 



