390 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



and loading strawberries, peaches, tomatoes, boxed and barreled 

 apples, Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, and Texas Bermuda onions. 

 Sufficient valuable information has been obtained to enable the Office 

 of Markets and Eural Organization to advise growers concerning the 

 best methods of preparing these products for market, and to make 

 possible the preparation of bulletins on the commercial grading and 

 packing of several crops. Farmers' Bulletin 707, The Commercial 

 Grading, Packing, and Shipping of Cantaloupes, has been issued 

 during the year, and another bulletin relating to the commercial 

 handling, grading, and marketing of potatoes is in press. 



In connection with the investigation of the handling of apples, 

 special study has been given to the picking, handling, and packing 

 of eastern barreled apples and to the practicability of community 

 packing houses, their arrangement, equipment, and sizing machines. 

 This study must be carried much further in order to obtain complete 

 information. 



STUDY OF PACKAGES OR CONTAINERS. 



The collection and study of packages and containers now in use in 

 the marketing of fruits and vegetables has been continued. The 

 study includes the specifications and capacity and information re- 

 garding the making, material, and desirability of each. Boxes, bar- 

 rels, crates, baskets, hampers, and lug boxes are among the kinds 

 of containers collected and studied. 



LEGISLATION REGARDING STANDARDIZATION. 



The Office of Markets and Eural Organization has devoted much 

 time to gathering data, making tests of packages, and furnishing 

 suggestions, information, and assistance regarding standardization. 

 Rhode Island has recently established a standard bushel box for the 

 marketing of truck crops. A bushel sweet-potato crate has been 

 adopted by Arkansas shippers. Congress has established the 2, 4, 

 and 12 quart sizes as standards for the shipment of grapes and other 

 fruits and vegetables in Climax baskets and also the dry measure 

 one-half pint, pint, and quart and multiples of the dry quart as 

 standards for baskets or other containers for small fruits, berries, 

 and vegetables. Maryland recently enacted an apple grading and 

 packing law, and Virginia and Pennsylvania are considering similar 

 laws. In all of these cases this office has rendered assistance or fur- 

 nished advice on request. 



PREPARATION OF TEMPORARY GRADES. 



The office was called upon to assist in the establishment of tempo- 

 rary grades for the shipment and marketing of sweet potatoes from 

 several of the sweet-potato districts of Arkansas. Several investiga- 

 tions were made in sweet-potato houses in different parts of the State 

 and conferences were held with some of the leading growers, result- 

 ing in the adoption by the Russellville growers of tentative grades 

 suggested by this office. They have also adopted a slat crate, having 

 a capacity of one struck bushel, or 2,150.42 cubic inches, at our 

 suggestion. 



