Alfalfa in Kansas. 451 



the interests of shippers, and the spirit as well as the letter of every rule 

 is religiously adhered to. 



One rule that is distinctive to this market relates to the plugging of 

 cars for inspection. Plugging is the process of excavating a lane through 

 the center of the car so that the hay from end to end can be inspected. 

 Paragraph C, rule 3, section 2, reads as follows : 



"A regular inspection means that the inspector shall inspect a car on 

 the plug. He shall examine all the hay, or straw, taken out of the car 

 and shall get up into the car that he may see all the different kinds shown 

 and note their condition, in order that his inspection shall be thorough, 

 complete and impartial, and about which there can be no mistake or ques- 

 tion, and shall register the grade in the regular inspection column of the 

 inspection book." 



The plugging, weighing and warehouse rules are very specific and 

 exacting, and the liability of error in every department of the service is 

 reduced to a minimum which is almost negligible. 



The day's routine at the yards is interesting, particularly to shippers, 

 for it shows with what care all these details are attended to. 



At 6:30 in the morning the weighmasters are on duty at the "Katy" 

 tracks, and at seven weighmasters, watchmen, pluggers and inspectors 

 are at their places in all the yards ready to start in the business of the 

 day. The watchmen locate all new car arrivals on the inspection tracks, 

 mark the car with consignee's pro number and make a record of num- 

 ber, initials, track number, name of consignee, condition of car, and 

 whether full or not. This information he gives to the weighmaster 

 under whom he works, and before eight o'clock reports all cars to the 

 secretary of the association. He sees that each new car is opened and 

 properly plugged for inspection, if the weather permits. 



The inspectors are in all the yards at the stroke of seven, and im- 

 mediately begin going through the plugged cars to grade the hay that 

 they contain. Practically the entire contents of the oar are inspected. 

 The advantage of this method over the car-door inspection is obvious. 

 Rain or dampness may stain the hay next the door, and a car of choice 

 alfalfa might get only a standard grade, or No. 1 prairie a lower 

 grade, if the bales at the door alone were inspected. While this method 

 protects the buyer against a dishonestly loaded car, the greatest advan- 

 tage in the system accrues to the honest shipper, who can be sure that his 

 hay will be graded to its full value. 



Before the association took hold of the methods of trading in hay on 

 the market, car-door inspections and sales were made. This led to fre- 

 quent rejections by purchasers, and consequent resales at greatly reduced 

 prices. It became evident that to build up the market this trouble must 

 be obviated. From this sprung the system of plugging cars, which has 

 resulted in the most satisfactory method of marketing hay known. A 

 car which is sold on "plugging" examination is the property of the pur- 

 chaser without recourse, except in flagrant cases of misrepresentation in 

 loading. Fully 95 per cent of the cars now handled here are unloaded 

 at a uniform price of 85 cents without car service charges. This record 

 can not be approached by that of any other market. This system has 



