458 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Practical tentative grades have been prepared for tomatoes, sweet 

 potatoes, and cabbage. 



Investigational work relating to the standardization of containers 

 for fruits and vegetables was largely confined during the year to the 

 study of hampers and round baskets. In the absence of corrective 

 legislation, "short" packages in certain sections of the country almost 

 have driven the standard one-half bushel and one bushel hamper from 

 the market. "Short" baskets also are being used instead of the 

 full measure one-bushel round basket. Through the continued 

 efforts of the Department of Agriculture and the departments of 

 weights and measures of certain States, many manufacturers vol- 

 untarily discontinued the manufacture of such "short" containers 

 during the past year. There appears to be an increasing demand 

 throughout the country for further standardization of packages. 



CITlf MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTION. 



During the past year there has been an awakened interest in 

 municipally owned .-etail public markets and, to some extent, in 

 wholesale terminal produce markets, as a means of lowering or at 

 least retarding the advancing prices of perishable farm products. 

 The studies regarding such markets have been under the direction 

 of Mr. G. V. Branch since their inception. 



Surveys of marketing conditions and facilities have been made 

 during the past fiscal year in greater or less detail in Lynchburg, Va. ; 

 Oil City, Pa ; Denver and Colorado Springs, Colo.; Salt Lake City, 

 Utah; and Springfield. Mass., and in each case definite recommenda- 

 tions have been made regarding improvements. As a result, suc- 

 cessful public farmers' markets have been put in operation in Lynch- 

 burg and Springfield and plans are under way for extensive improve- 

 ments in Denver and Salt Lake City. Advice on this subject has been 

 given to city authorities in Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, 

 and Baltimore. 



Moving pictures of the operation of public markets of both the 

 open and inclosed types were taken in the northern and eastern 

 States and are now being prepared for exhibition for demonstra- 

 tional purposes. 



In order to ascertain the extent of the marketing problems involved 

 in the home-garden movement, investigations were made in a large 

 number of cities of various sizes and types. It was found that very 

 few home gardeners intended their products for sale and that the only 

 marked enect which probably would be produced by home-garden 



f)roduction would be the somewhat restricted outlet which would be 

 eft to commercial growers. 



Progress was made in designing, constructing, and testing a com- 

 bined refrigerated display and storage counter for the handling of 

 meats and fish. Studies have been continued regarding types of 

 counters especially adapted for use in inclosed public markets, and 

 for the proper display and handling of fruits, vegetables, dairy 

 products, etc. Most public markets have been found to be very 

 deficient in attractive, efficient, and sanitary stall equipment, and 

 efforts are being made to design improved and economical equipment 

 of this nature. Special assistance was given in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., 

 regarding the design, construction, and management of a large public 

 market. 



