112 THE LURE OF THE LAND 



satisfactory arrangement the first trial any more than they may 

 find satisfactory the first city dealer they may try. Therefore, 

 it may be found advisable to select from this list, at random, 

 the names of three or four farmers to write to, and from the 

 replies pick out two or three of the more promising, give them 

 a trial, and report results to the Housekeepers' Alliance. 



Remember that it is more economical to buy three or four 

 dozen eggs by parcel post than one or two dozen, because after 

 the first pound the postage will cost the farmer only 1 cent per 

 pound. When writing to the farmer for his prices, it is well to 

 tell him what the same articles are costing in the city market 

 at the time. This is advisable because some farmers have an 

 exaggerated idea as to the prices that city people are willing to 

 pay for fresh country produce, whereas, others are entirely 

 moderate and reasonable. It is also well to direct the farmers 

 to mail the basket so that it will arrive in this city in time for 

 delivery on the day desired. If intended for Sunday, it should 

 reach Washington not later than Saturday noon. 



TOO EARLY TO PROPHESY. 



It is of course too early to make any definite 

 prophecy regarding the outcome of this experimental 

 attempt to bring consumer and producer more closely 

 together. To my mind it is by far the most promising 

 effort which has ever been inaugurated. There is a 

 distinct advantage in having a powerful agent like the 

 Postoffice Department of the United States come as a 

 mediator between the two warring factions, namely, 

 consumer and producer. This is a kind of mediation 

 which gives promise of really helpful results. If the 

 Postoffice Department is only patient and persistent, 

 and if the consumer and farmer are earnest in their 

 desire to be brought into closer contact, and each will 

 do his utmost to make this contact agreeable and profit- 

 able, success cannot fail to crown the work. Already 

 a business of considerable magnitude is doing, and it 

 is growing every day. 



