P.D. 128. 19 



Worcester County Extension Service, the Hampden County Improvement 

 League. In the dissemination of market news, the Associated Press, the daily 

 press in Springfield and Worcester, and the Westinghouse Radio Broad- 

 casting Station at East Springfield, and the American Radio and Research Cor- 

 poration at Medford Hillside, have given thorough cooperation. 



The Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and the Boston Chamber of Com- 

 merce have taken an active part in promoting the sales of Massachusetts apples. 



The Massachusetts Fruit Growers' Association and the Nashoba Fruit Grow- 

 ers' Association have been greatly interested in the better marketing of Massa- 

 chusetts apples. We have endeavored to comply with their requests and to 

 work with their marketing committees. 



The County Extension Services have given their assistance in placing before 

 the farmers such information as would improve and help the marketing of their 

 crops. 



Produce Market Research Study. 



In connection with the studies of the costs of marketing agricultural prod' 

 ucts which the Massachusetts Division of Markets has conducted during the 

 year in cooperation with the U. S. Bureau of Agricultural Economics, a survey 

 was made of the methods and costs entering into the marketing of Massachusetts 

 Baldwin apples. This survey was made with a view to determining the prob- 

 lems encountered by the producer and by the marketing agencies, and to ascer- 

 tain, as far as possible, the best solution to these problems. 



Representative jobbing and retail produce prices Avere collected and tabulated 

 and gross margins were computed of farm products handled by various types 

 of retail stores in metropolitan Boston, in order to find a typical, fair margin 

 in relation to risks and expenses involved in handling these products. 



A careful study was made of the accounting records of potato wholesalers, 

 jobbers, brokers, and commission dealers to obtain the typical unit costs pre- 

 vailing in these businesses. 



Considerable has been written on the pushcart trade, but most of it has been 

 based on cursory investigations or the desire to give publicity to a trade which 

 is picturesque and presumably economically justified. The bulk of the material 

 embodied in the report of the Division of Markets has been secured from per- 

 sonal observation of the pushcart vendors buying and salvaging produce in 

 the city markets and selling it on the streets, in order to determine particularly 

 the effect of this trade on a glutted produce market and the nature of the 

 retail price margins as compared to those of other types of retailers. 



As a part of the general survey of the New England milk market situation, 

 a study was made of the transportation service rendered to the fresh milk in- 

 dustry by New England railroads with especial attention to the time of arrival 

 of trains and costs incurred because of delays. 



Based on the study of Avastage in Boston freight terminals, as it affects 

 cost of food distribution, opinions Avere given for improving conditions. 



The market demand for asparagus and apples Avas discussed Avith Avholesalers. 

 retailers and consumers throughout Massachusetts and the results were pub- 

 lished. 



Charts and maps have been made to illustrate many phases of the market 

 research Avork. 



Massachusetts Crops. 



The crop season of 1923 A\'as one of deficient rainfall, yet Avhat rain fell 

 was so distributed in point of time and in relation to crop groAvth that it did 

 a ma:^imum of good. The Avinter and spring months had brought abundant 

 moisture in the heavy snoAvs and spring rains so that grass crops, meadoAVS, 

 and pastures began the season in good condition. After the heavy spring rains 

 came a dry summer Avhich had its chief ad\'erse effects in reducing the hay 

 crop beloAV normal; in seriously limiting the crop of seed onions in the 

 Connecticut valley; in limiting the size of the cranberry crop thru undersized 

 berries; in reducing more or less the production of apples and in hindering 

 normal groAvth of corn for grain. 



