24 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



sumption, cars were released more promptly, and many rejections and 

 reversions prevented. The service was used extensively by the Food 

 Administration and by the Army and Navy in connection with their 

 purchases of food supplies. Inspections are now made not only at the 

 request of shippers but also of receivers and other interested parties. 

 Owing to the ever-increasing distance between important pro- 

 ducing sections and large consuming centers, the question of the 

 conservation of food, both in transportation and storage, has become 

 a vital one. During the past year the results obtained in previous 

 investigational work along these lines were made the basis of exten- 

 sive demonstrations. Producers were given practical advice regard- 

 ing the proper methods of picking, grading, packing, handling, stor- 

 ing, and shipping the more perishable products, such as fruits and 

 vegetables. The proper construction not only of storage houses but 

 also of refrigerator and heater cars was carefully studied, and the 

 recommendations of the Bureau of Markets on car construction were 

 accepted by the Railroad Administration and other agencies. 



UNITED STATES GRAIN STANDARDS ACT. 



The activities necessary to enforce the United States grain stand- 

 ards act were greatly increased during the year. The minimum 

 guaranteed price fixed by the President was based upon the official 

 standards established and promulgated by the Department, effective 

 for winter wheat on July 1 and for spring wheat on August 1, 1918. 

 Until 1917 fixed prices and restricted trading were features unknown 

 in the history of grain marketing, and the wheat crop of that year 

 was the first to be marketed under Federal standards and in com- 

 pliance with the requirements of the act. Under these extraordinary 

 conditions it was found necessary to revise the Federal wheat stand- 

 ards. This was done after hearings had been held throughout the 

 country, to which producers, country shippers, grain dealers, and 

 all other grain interests were invited. The revised standards har- 

 monize as closely as possible with the desires of producers and con- 

 sumers, and at the same time preserve fundamental grading prin- 

 ciples. A minor revision of the official standards for shelled corn also 

 was made, effective July 15, 1918. 



Prior to July 1, 1917, appeals from grades assigned to grain by 

 licensed inspectors could be entertained by the Department only in 

 reference to shelled corn. After that date appeals from the 



