BUREAU OF MARKETS. 543 



Wire communication with the other 45 field stations in producing 

 districts was made by means of commercial telegrams, either di- 

 rectly from Washington or by relay from the nearest permanent 

 branch office. 



Owing to decreased funds, the *year 1919 witnessed a considerable 

 decrease in the number of mimeographed daily market reports. The 

 offices in terminal markets distributed approximately 13,500,000 

 regular and special reports, while the field stations issued approxi- 

 mately 3,000,000, making a grand total from all stations of approxi- 

 mately 16,500,000, as compared with 23,000,000 during the preceding 

 year. The mailing lists contained approximately 90,000 names, a 

 decrease of almost one-third from the previous year. 



In certain of the cities where branch offices were located local 

 market reports were issued, giving daily receipts of practically all 

 commodities and tlie prices at which such goods were retailed. Local 

 newspapers cooperated rather extensively by publishing on their 

 financial and market pages portions of these reports. 



The Weekly Crop and ISIarket Eeview of Fruits and Vegetables 

 was enlarged during the year to include crop news, estimates of pro- 

 duction, etc.. sucli items being secured by means of a corps of 200 

 voluntary reporters in important producing sections. This work 

 was approved by the Bureau of Crop Estimates, which had no funds 

 available for its conduct. 



A short week-end review was prepared for the benefit of papers 

 that are unable to use the more extensive weekly review and was 

 sent to about 60 papers having approximately half a million sub- 

 scribers. A monthly news story was sent to about 50 periodicals and 

 press associations. 



The Weekly Summary of Car-Lot Shipments was continued during 

 the year, and semimonthly reports on honey and beeswax have been 

 sent to about 3,000 honey producers and others interested in this 

 industry. Various special articles on the principal fruits and vege- 

 tables were issued through The Market Reporter; information con- 

 cerning the marketing of fruits and vegetables was sent dail}' and 

 weekly by telegraph to farm bureaus and periodicals; and articles 

 were distributed on Friday afternoons to various press agencies for 

 the use of newspapers that do not publish the more technical market 

 reviews. ' • 



Through a cooperative arrangement with the officials of the State 

 of Pennsylvania, a loop of the leased-Avire sj'stem has been installed 

 at Harrisburg. This makes possible an intensive distribution of 

 market news in that State. 



MARKET NEWS SERVICE ON PEANUTS. 



The growth of the peanut industry in this country and the attend- 

 ant marketing problems caused Congress to establish a market news 

 service on peanuts during the last fiscal year. An appropriation of 

 $12,000 was made available for this work: and since for certain 

 phases of this service the machinery established in connection with 

 the market news service on fruits and vegetables could be utilized, it 

 was possible to conduct it with the sum appropriated. Mr. C. W. 

 Kitclien lias assisted the division leader in this work. 



