P.D. 123 11 



this group has been valuable in two ways at least. First, all growers are subject 

 to the same check-up and a record of inspection of each shipment is available to 

 the growers and the officers of the association. Second, the detailed information 

 of defects shown by the records leads to a careful examination of the causes and 

 when these defects can be corrected, better quality is assured. 



The grade on asparagus was established several years ago and the quality factors 

 used as a basis were the length of green, the size of stalks, uniformity, general ap- 

 pearance and freedom from certain blemishes. Price levels have since then dropped 

 to about half their former level and the question as to whether the quality factors 

 of 1932 have the same value as 1928 needed careful consideration. An analysis of 

 about 150 sales in the spring of the year showed that while the actual premium 

 for amount of green color was less, due to lower sale prices, the percentage premium 

 for long green asparagus compared very favorably with former years. The real 

 difference came in the lack of returns for asparagus carefully graded as to uniformity 

 of size of stalks in the bunches; large and small stalks together brought about the 

 same as bunches wliich were more carefuUj^ graded as to size. 



Inspection of turkeys was carried on as in former j^ears and in cooperation with 

 the turkey growers, a survey is being made to find out present methods of sale by 

 producers. Although prices were low, most of the turkey producers moved the 

 crop into the market fairly easily. 



Roadside Stand Inspection 

 For the second year, the division works with farm roadside markets using the 

 state sign under a lease agreement. Sixty-two such stands leased the sign during 

 1932, an increase of twelve stands over 1931. While the majority of such markets 

 are located in Middlesex and Essex counties, the sign was displayed by some 

 stands in Hampden, Worcester, Plymouth, and Bristol counties. Plans are being 

 developed by interested individuals in the formation of an association which will 

 further this work. 



City Food Marketing Studies 



City food marketing studies were continued in the cities of North Adams and 

 Fitchburg, and detailed reports of these studies were written and prepared for 

 distribution. Briefly, the city food marketing studies were made to obtain a 

 picture of the conditions — practices and problems — surrounding the supply and 

 distribution of foodstuffs in the city, particularly local agricultural products. In 

 order to understand the situation, a knowledge of the city's history is essential — 

 its physical laj'out, nationaUties, occupations and incomes of the people, transpor- 

 tation facilities, proximity to other markets and consuming centers, character of 

 the local agriculture, types of stores and markets in the city, amount of peddling 

 and farm roadside market business as well as various other kinds of information. 

 Statistical data is usually obtained from official city and state records and occa- 

 sionally from market accounts, but the bulk of the information is obtained from 

 general observations and personal interviews with city officials, farmers, county 

 agents, peddlers, wholesalers, retailers and consumers intimately acquainted with 

 local conditions. Minor changes which the investigator beUeves might facilitate 

 or improve food marketing and distribution or encourage greater use of the local 

 products in a city are incorporated in the report of the study. 



Study of conditions in one city suggest that it might prove advantageous to local 

 producers, retailers and consumers if the concern handling the bulk of local vege- 

 tables made earlier deUveries to the retail stores. In the same city, improvement 

 during the last five or ten years in grading of local products was admitted bj^ most 

 market men interviewed but they also stressed the necessity for more grading if 

 local producers were to successfully meet competition of shipped-in products. 

 Time and again, these city market men expressed the opinion that the entire apple 

 business would benefit if producers would refrain from "dumping" poor apples in 

 the local markets. Samples of local apples picked up from counters have convinced 

 several that these opinions were well founded. In another city the increased 

 popularity of western dressed poultry and the present almost negligible demand 

 for native dressed poultry was explained by storekeepers to be due chiefly to the 

 inferior killing and dressing of the native products. This condition would seem 



