RURAL ECONOMICS, 493 



portation by shipping in carload lots, and reduce the cost of sales by establish- 

 ing a reputation for a product so that it may be sold f. o. b. shipping point. It 

 would insure a quicker delivery and decrease the cost to the consumer by sav- 

 ing one freight charge and sometimes commission or brokei'age. 



It is also urged that once in operation the cooperative system may be carried 

 into other activities which will enable growers to purchase consumable sup- 

 plies, secure short-time loans, provide their own insurance, conduct a system 

 of crop reporting which will give them an accurate idea of the condition of the 

 crops and of the market at any time, and, when conducted on a broad basis, 

 prevent depreciation of the market by unwise distribution and untimely ship- 

 ments. 



Prices of farm products — comparison with recent years, James Wilson 

 {V. 8. Dcpt. Agr. Rpts. 1912, pp. 20-22). — This part of the report compares the 

 prices of farm products for 1912 with recent preceding years. 



Comparing 1912 with 1911 the following decreases are noted : Barley about 36 

 per cent in price per bushel ; the corn crop about 10 per cent ; the oat crop 

 about 25 per cent ; hay about 19 per cent per ton ; the potato crop about 43 per 

 cent; the hop crop about 42 per cent; the flaxseed crop about 27 per cent; and 

 the beet sugar and sugar cane crop about 22 per cent. A gain of about 25, 13, 

 and 7.5 per cent, respectively, is noted in the price of the cotton, rice, and 

 tobacco crops. 



In comparing the price for the crop of 1912 with the mean of the preceding 

 5 years the following decreases are noted: Corn, 1.4; wheat, 9.1; oats, 20.4; 

 barley, 13.7 ; cottonseed, 11.3 ; cotton lint, 1.8 ; flaxseed, 15.1 ; potatoes, 29.1 ; 

 and wool, 9.8 per cent. Increases are notetl as follows: Rice, 14; hay, 2.1; 

 tobacco, 2 ; hops, 26.3 ; and eggs, 8.5 per cent. 



Data showing comparisons of prices for other periods are also given. 



Foreign trade in agricultural products, James Wilson (U. 8. Dept. Agr. 

 Rpts. 1912, pp. 22-21f). — Notes and data are here given showing the trend as to 

 value and quantity of agricultural exports in 1912 as compared with former 

 years. Compared with the average exports of 1900-1909, represented by 100, 

 the exports of 1S90-1S99 were 79.7; the exports for 1910 were 85.7; in 1911, 

 107.8 ; and in 1912 the relative number was 147.9. 



Data are given showing the decrease or increase of particular products in the 

 export trade. 



Crop Reporter (C7. 8. Dept. Agr., Bur. Statis. Crop Reporter, 15 {1913), No. 6, 

 pp. -'il-JtS).- — Notes and data are here presented showing condition of various 

 crops by States June 1, 1913, with comparisons ; comparative wholesale and 

 retail prices of agricultural products ; average prices paid to producers for 

 important products on dates indicated; live stock receipts at market centers for 

 1911-1913 by months; and causes and extent of crop damage to various crops 

 for the 4 years 1909-1912, inclusive; farm value of important crops, sugar cane 

 production of Louisiana, 1911-12 ; temperature and precipitation statistics ; 

 productivity of various countries; monthly receipts and stocks of butter and 

 eggs; apple production, estimates, and prices; cotton con.sumed and on hand 

 April, 1913; seed used per acre and approximate average for the United States; 

 and range of prices of agricultural products at important markets. 



Agricultural statistics (Trans. Highland and Agr. 8oc. 8cot., 5. ser., 25 

 {1913), pp. 837-360). — Data showing acreage, yield, value, etc., of the various 

 agricultural crops, the live stock and live stock products of Scotland, and the 

 quantity, value, etc., of articles affecting agriculture imported into the United 

 Kingdom for a period of years are here presented. 



