12 P.D. 123 



to indicate that improvement in the local killing and dressing practices might lead 

 to a better local market demand. The rather sudden increase in the traveling truck 

 business has affected the regular distributing system. This seems to be particu- 

 larly true in small cities and towns where the entrance of one load of a product may 

 flood the market. In one city studied, this new and more or less irregular supply 

 has occasionall}'^ upset the local market. For this and other reasons, it is the 

 general opinion of retailers that if the traveling truck is to become a regular part 

 of the distributing system, there should be some method of bonding or licensing 

 the same in order to protect buyers. Present unemployment conditions have 

 stimulated house-to-house peddhng, particularly in certain sections. Naturally 

 it affects trade in the neighborhood stores but many appreciate the reasons for the 

 recent increase. 



Greater Use oe Native Products 



At the instigation of the Secretary of the Massachusetts Farm Bureau, an in 

 vestigation was made to determine the likelihood of need for special assistance and 

 effort in the marketing of the 1932 local fruits and vegetables. Farmers, county 

 agents, marketmen, market reporters, seed salesmen and others were questioned 

 concerning the plantings, expected production and market supply and demand, 

 extent of home canning and a report of the findings was submitted to the Board 

 of Directors of the Boston Market Gardeners' Association. Ways and means for 

 encouraging greater use and consumption of the 1932 crops were outlined, includ- 

 ing newspaper "boxes", write-ups, radio talks and other similar means. 



The survey of egg and potato marketing in Springfield made at the request of 

 the Agricultural Committee of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce and started 

 in the 1931 fiscal year was completed. The reports of interviews were tabulated 

 and summarized in report form and the results presented to the committee. Infor- 

 mation gathered during the survey indicated plainly that the Springfield market 

 could use more local products. The survey revealed some important reasons why 

 local products were not used more extensively. Many of these objections to 

 greater use of the local product could be corrected. On the basis of quality, store- 

 keepers generally favored local eggs, while one frequently repeated reason for 

 preference of western eggs was that they were graded more carefully. On the 

 basis of quality, the majority favored the native potatoes for such reasons as supe- 

 rior cooking quality and mealiness — but the grading of the native potatoes was 

 criticised, particularly as concerned the variability of lots and the "habit" of local 

 farmers to "tuck in" small potatoes. Aside from objections relating to grading, 

 the principal objection to buying potatoes from local farmers was unreliabiUty of 

 the \isits of the local producers to the stores and under modern housing and busi- 

 ness conditions most stores buy onh' a week's supply at a time, and so must depend 

 on frequent deliveries. The requirements of hotel and restaurant trade were in- 

 vestigated. The operation of auctions and other methods of marketing eggs were 

 discussed and, although to date there has been no radical change in the marketing 

 of local eggs, local poultrymen are studjdng further the situation and changes are 

 contemplated. To learn first hand the status of native potatoes on the basis of 

 federal grades, sample lots were purchased in Springfield markets and results of 

 the local federal representative's inspection included as a supplementary report. 

 It was found that one particular type of injury made up more than one-half the 

 total percentage of defects. The inspector's findings also showed that retail price 

 is not necessarily indicative of quality. Reports of the surveys and supplementary 

 investigations were presented to groups of farmers. In the following potato 

 season, one large Springfield concern used 80% native and 20% shipped-in potatoes, 

 whereas in the previous season the use of native and shipped-in potatoes had been 

 in the reverse ratio. 



Apple Grading Law 



The second year of operation of the new apple grading law, wliich underwent a 

 major revision in 1931, finds this law apparently meeting the needs of the industry. 

 Only one minor change in the regulations was deemed necessarj'- this season, this 

 being a revision in the color requirements for Gravensteins in order that this variety 

 might be shipped to export markets under the same advantages as are enjoj^ed by 

 certain competing states. 



