MARKETS AND RURAL ORGANIZATION. 391 



An investigation was conducted of the field handling, grading, 

 packing, and marketing of Texas Bermuda onions with an especial 

 view toward determining what would constitute practicable grades 

 for this crop. As a result of the field study the following grades 

 were recommended for this crop and approved at a meeting of grow- 

 ers and dealers at Laredo, Tex. : Fancy, choice, jumbo, boilers, and 

 culls. 



A field-run test in many different fields in each section gave the 

 grand average for all tests of 50.32 per cent fancy, 22.93 per cent 

 choice, 3.34 per cent jumbo, 7 per cent boilers, and 16.42 per cent 

 culls. 



TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE. 



The services of the transportation specialists, under the leadership 

 of Mr. G. C. White, are in constant demand by many, if not all, of 

 the groups of workers who are prosecuting the other lines of work 

 of the office. The information and personal assistance furnished by 

 the transportation section have been of benefit in the establishment 

 and development of the demonstration market news service and have 

 been indispensable to certain lines of investigation regarding the 

 marketing of live stock and meats and other subjects. 



The transportation section has demonstrated that its chief value 

 lies in its function of being the traffic department for the entire Office 

 of Markets and Rural Organization, conducting all negotiations with 

 carriers, other than those of a strictly accounting or regulatory 

 nature. 



STUDY OF LOSS OF FOODSTUFFS IN TRANSIT, 



The economic loss of foodstuffs in transit is increasing constantly. 

 Much of it is due to defective methods of harvesting, packing, and 

 loading, and to the use of insecure and improperly constructed con- 

 tainers. Some of it is caused by inefficient refrigeration in transit 

 and other faults of the present sj^stem of transportation. Much of the 

 waste can and should be eliminated. It can never be eliminated en- 

 tirely, nor can it be reduced to any considerable extent, without a thor- 

 ough understanding on the part of both shippers and carriers of the 

 difficulties confronting each other. Cooperation between the two in 

 this respect is always essential, but the limitations of the carriers at 

 their terminals in some of the large marketing centers as regards 

 both space and time make the situation one calling at times for an 

 unusual degree of cooperation on the part of shippers with the 

 carriers. 



In furtherance of the work undertaken last year to reduce this loss 

 in part through the improvement of their methods, by shippers and 

 distributors, the cooperation of the freight-claim agents of the coun- 

 try was solicited and every opportunity was used to study the prob- 

 lem at terminal markets. In connection with this phase of the work 

 meetings of railroad officials called to consider the subject were 

 attended at Jacksonville, Norfolk, Chicago, and New York. 



The officials gave their cordial support not only to this line of 

 work, but to every phase of the work of the Office of Markets and 

 Rural Organization which involves the railroads. The results arc 

 highly encouraging, and great assistance has been secured from the 

 railroads, especially in connection with the market news work. 



