BUREAU OF MARKETS. 457 



At the 32 market stations established in connection with the market 

 news service on frnits and ve^etaliles daily reports have been secured 

 regarding carlot shipments of 16 of the more lii'i;hly perishable fruits 

 and vegetables unloaded in these cities. These data, properly 

 tabulated, should be of much value in determining the consuming 

 capacities of the various cities and in studying their sources of supply. 



A detailed market survey of Maricopa County, Ariz., made in 

 cooperation with the project " State Cooperation in Marketing Work, " 

 was completed during the fiscal year 1918. This investip^ation, 

 extending over a period of nearly eight months and including all 

 phases of the marketing problem, probably represents the first 

 complete market survey made of a community. Tiie work was 

 carried on in cooperation with the University of Arizona, and the 

 practical results of the study have been ea;.Terly sought by the pro- 

 ducers of the county. 



MARKET GRADES AND STANDARDS. 



In this work, which is under the direction of Mr. W.M.Scott and 

 Mr. C. T. More, investigations are made of present methods of hand- 

 ling, grading, packing, and shipping fruits and vegetables, in order to 

 recommend improvements therein. During the past year valuable 

 information has been assembled, grade specifications have been recom- 

 mended for Irish potatoes and Bermuda onions, and tentative grades 

 have been worked out for several other commodities. An increasing 

 interest in the work done by this Bureau in formulating standard 

 grades for fruits and vegetables has been observed throughout the 

 country. 



Detailed studies were made regarding the methods of harvesting, 

 grading, packing, and shipping apples, peaches, and Florida citrus 

 fruits and also of the arrangement, equipment, and management 

 of packing houses. In the course of these investigations considera- 

 tion was given to the possibility of establishing uniform grades for 

 these fruits and specifications for such grades. Complete informa- 

 tion is now available for bulletins on the preparation for market of 

 Eeaches and barreled apples, and tentative grade specifications have 

 een prepared for both boxed and barreled apples and citrus fruits. 

 However, further investigations and practical demonstrations on a 

 large scale will be necessary before these grades can be definitely 

 recommended. 



Former investigations regarding practices and conditions at pro- 

 ducing and receiving points and the methods of preparing and shipping 

 potatoes, Texas Bermuda onions, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbage, 

 peanuts, beans, lettuce, celery, and other truck crops have been con- 

 tinued. 



As a result of this work Markets Document 7, containing official 

 potato grades, was issued by the Bureau of Markets, in cooperation 

 with the United States Food Administration. On Januaiy .31, 1918, 

 these grades were promulgated by the Food Administration, and 

 their use by its licensees was made com])ulsoiy. 



Grades for domestic Bermuda onions also were recommended by 

 this bureau and officially promulgated by the Texas State Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. 



97335°— AGR 1918 30 



