458 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



WEEKLY MARKET REVIEWS. 



In April, 1917, the Weekly Market Review series was begun. 

 Each review analyzes the daily telegraphic market reports of the 

 week, showing the trend of the market and the changes which are 

 taking place. A distinct demand has been shown for a similar re- 

 port covering retail prices which can be used by the newspapers as 

 a basis for a " consumer's service." The review series proves to be of 

 especial use to newspapers and trade papers and it is through them 

 largely that the contents reach the people. 



DAILY MARKET REPORTS ON LOCALLY GROWN TRUCK PRODUCTS. 



In cooperation with the Providence (E. I.) Market Gardeners' 

 Association, experimental work was started May 1, 1917, under Mr. 

 G. V. Branch, on the large wholesale farmers' market owned by that 

 association. The purposes, briefly stated, were to record and tabu- 

 late as early in the morning as possible after the growers arrived on 

 the market the total quantity of each different product offered for 

 sale ; to post the results at various places on the market in order that 

 they might serve as a guide to both producers and buyers; to secure 

 accurate and complete price data, and with all of this information 

 in hand to prepare for the local press a popularly written but 

 absolutely reliable daily market report on locally grown fruits and 

 vegetables. 



The results of this work have been far beyond expectation. The 

 posting at an early hour of the total quantities of the important 

 products has helped buyers and sellers greatly in agreeing on fair 

 prices based on an accurate knowledge of the day's supplies. The 

 daily press report has given special advice to housewives regarding 

 products that were being received in large quantities and were low 

 priced, in addition to publishing a list of all the fruits and vegetables 

 offered, the quantities of each, and the prices at which they were sold 

 at wholesale to various retailers. This information has greatly stimu- 

 lated the demand on the part of consumers, tended to lower retail 

 prices, and thus allowed a freer movement. Although retailers gen- 

 erally have sold at lower prices, their net profits often have been 

 increased, because of quick turnovers and the elimination of waste. 

 The heavy demand has helped to stabilize the prices which the 

 growers receive and in certain cases has prevented disastrous gluts. 



Because of the very evident improvement in local marketing con- 

 ditions at Providence, it was decided to extend this service as an 

 emergency movement to a number of other cities having centralized 

 wholesale farmers' markets. Cooperative relationships were entered 

 into with local truck growers' organizations or with the municipal 

 government at Boston and Springfield, Mass., Albany, N. Y., Cleve- 

 land, Ohio, Grand Rapids, Mich., St. Paul, Minn., and Denver, Colo. 

 The reporting service in these cities has been installed so recently 

 that it is not practicable to judge the results accurately as yet. How- 

 ever, all reports received to date have been most satisfactory, and it 

 is felt that much can be expected from this new line of endeavor 

 when it is properly developed. 



