16 P.D. 123 



departments of animal industry. The Crop Reporting Service has also 

 helped to plan, conduct, and analyze a survey of apple orchards which 

 gives a more accurate basis than has been available for estimating the 

 apple crop. 



Plans are now being discussed for enlarging the reports to include 

 poultry and eggs and market garden products. These commodities are 

 among the most important ones in New England, and at present we have 

 no adequate reports with which to analyze market conditions and to esti- 

 mate probable price changes. 



Roadside Markets 



In response to many requests from the public and from roadside stand 

 owners, the Division of Markets, in co-operation with the Middlesex 

 County Extension Service, made, last fall, a survey of roadside markets 

 along the principal roads of the state. The survey showed that the num- 

 ber of stands was increasing rapidly, but that the farmers were suffer- 

 ing from the unfair competition of dealers and peddlers who handled in- 

 ferior produce which was bought in the city and sold as fresh farm 

 produce. This unfair competition of unreliable dealers has lost a good 

 deal of trade to the legitimate stand owners. 



There are two or three methods which could be used to regulate the 

 roadside stand business. The one which seems to offer the greatest pos- 

 sibility is the ©ne which has been undertaken by the Massachusetts Road- 

 side Stand Association. This association is an organization of farmers 

 who have agreed to carry on their roadside business in a fair and honest 

 way. They have adopted a sign to identify to the public the stands 

 which agree to these rules. 



At the request of the association this Division has agreed to inspect 

 the stands of the association members occasionally and to help enforce the 

 rules. 



Studies in Marketing 



Receipts and Sources of Boston's Food Supply. A bulletin is now being 

 prepared to show the receipts of vegetables, fruits, butter, cheese, eggs, 

 poultry, livestock, dressed meats, milk, flour, grain, sugar, and tea in 

 Boston during the year 1926. The tables in this bulletin will be com- 

 parable with those published in previous years. This material is valu- 

 able as a basis for research studies. It is used by agricultural colleges, 

 farmers, teachers in domestic science, and marketing officials in other 

 states. 



Quality Factoids of Vegetables. A study was begun during 1926 to de- 

 termine the important quality factors affecting the prices of vegetables 

 in the market. Such a study will give the basis for grades and standards. 

 A trained man was put on the market to make a record of the sale price 

 of various lots of vegetables and to grade out these lots and make a 

 record of the defects, the size, color, pack, and other factors which might 

 be important from the market standpoint. This study is now being an- 

 alyzed. It should indicate the amount the market will pay for quality. 

 Then considerable research work will be necessary to find out how to 

 grow the best quality and also to discover what quality is likely to give 

 the greatest net return. 



Study of Prices. Prices of potatoes, apples, and hay have been tabu- 

 lated for each week since the year 1889. These prices are being analyzed 

 to find the important factors which have caused high or low prices. Such 

 factors as the general level of wholesale prices, the trend of prices and 

 production, and the supply of the commodity available in various parts 

 of the country have been important in causing price changes. A multiple 

 correlation study will determine what factors are important indicators 

 of price changes and will give a basis for making a forecast of probable 

 market changes. 



