446 ANNUAL EEPORTS OF DEPAETMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



to cover some few markets in the Central States. Investigations of 

 the handling of the crop from the time of leaving the producer to its 

 sale to the consumer have been conducted, and information acquired 

 regarding the class of products demanded at each of the large 

 markets, the fees charged, and the practices followed among the 

 trade with reference to the inspection, weighing, storing, handling, 

 grading, and sale of the product. The standards for inspection and 

 grading of hay at all points have been studied carefully and the 

 standards and rules in eifect compiled for use in the preparation of 

 uniform standards. 



SEED-MAKKETINQ INVESTIGATIONS. 



Investigations of the practices followed in the marketing of seed 

 throughout the largest field-seed producing section of the United 

 States have been undertaken. Comparisons of prices in the different 

 sections paid to producers at country points have been made and 

 recorded, as well as prices received by country shippers from seeds- 

 nieji at the large distributing points. The seedsmen of the country 

 have been listed, and information has been secured regarding points 

 where surplus stocks are available. Both buyers and sellers have 

 made use, through correspondence, of the information and assistance 

 of the bureau in the distribution of such stocks. 



Information has been obtained relative to seed stocks, movement, 

 and prices, and has been furnished to the Seed Stocks Committee of 

 the Department of Agriculture upon w^hich it could base any action 

 contemplated by the committee in the purchase and sale of seeds 

 under the food-production act. 



Special attention has been given to the condition of seed as 

 marketed by farmers, the resulting customs of assessing dockage, 

 and abuses which have been practiced in assessing such dockage. 

 In some instances the dockage assessed has brought the country 

 buyers higher prices than that paid the producer for the seed sold. 

 Studies have been undertaken of the relation of existing grades in 

 clover and timothy seed to prices paid, and to laboratory tests for 

 purity and germination; the results of lack of uniformity in grades 

 used in different markets and by different seedsmen throughout the 

 country; and the advantage of the keeping of records of the source 

 and disposition of stocks by seedsmen and the advisability of devising 

 standard records for distribution among the trade. Study also has 

 been undertaken as to the probable effect of a change in the prevail- 

 ing method of sale of seed from the bushel-measure standard of the 

 Eastern States to the hundredweight (or centnal) system of the 

 North and Northwest. 



The results of the investigations and studies relating to grain, hay, 

 and seeds are being utilized as a basis for a market reporting service, 

 the inauguration of which will be described under Service. 



FOREIGN ]MARKETS INVESTIGATION. 



The foreign markets investigations, under the direction of Mr. 

 Clarence W. Moomaw, are planned primarily for normal conditions. 

 However, considerable advance has been made in preparing for the 

 extension of these investigations at the conclusion of the war, and 

 some active work of present value is under way. 



