P.D. 123 13 



cal food products on the market and we are all interested in an increased 

 consumption. I might say that the sale of fresh eggs has increased greatly 

 during the past five years, but I feel very strongly that more local eggs should 

 find their way to our local markets. 



Our egg auctions in Brockton and Springfield are doing a splendid job. We 

 can depend upon the grade marks on their containers, and the farmers who are 

 supplying the auctions with fresh eggs are receiving the top price. There 

 again, all New England States might get together behind a federation of 

 state-supervised egg auctions that could work together. An adequate supply 

 of high quality eggs should be available to every large city in New England 

 and the grade designations should be uniform. We should be in a position to 

 move our local eggs quickly when and where they are needed. We should be 

 able to guarantee to chain stores and other large purchasers a plentiful 

 supply of eggs that will meet the uniform requirements of fresh eggs in our 

 respective states. 



Market News 



Regular service has been maintained throughout the year from Boston, 

 Worcester and Springfield. Daily reports issued from these offices have received 

 wide distribution through mail, radio and the press. 



The Special Apple Market Report, covering all Massachusetts markets and 

 principal markets outside Massachusetts, where fruit from this state is sold, 

 has been issued regularly during the apple seaon. A feature of this sei'vice 

 has been a further extension of the cold storage reports to cover the unusually 

 long cold storage season resulting from the heavy crop of 1937. 



Retail market price information was gathered weekly in Springfield, Wor- 

 cester and Boston. For the latter city the retail price reports are issued 

 rg-ularly, headed by a brief paragraph calling attention to poducts in season, 

 plentiful and low priced. 



Inspections, Surveys, and Displays 

 Apple Inspection 



Inspectors of this division have covered all the principal markets and 

 shipping points during the season in the enforcement of the apple grading law. 

 In addition to their regular duties, inspectors have performed educational 

 work in assisting and advising growers regarding packing and handling of 

 the fruit. 



The co-operative agreement between this department and the United States 

 Department of Agriculture has continued in effect during the past year. 

 Our inspectors, under fedeial license in accordance with the agreement, have 

 carried on certification work for shipments of Massachusetts apples into export 

 and other market channels. 



Surplus Apple Inspection 

 During the fall this division was called upon to assist in the emergency 

 created by the surplus apple crop, the largest in many years. Because of this 

 surplus a purchasing organization was set up by the Federal Surplus Com- 

 modities Corporation to buy certain grades of Massachusetts apples for dis- 

 tribution through welfai'e centers. Inasmuch as all these shipments required 

 a regular fedei'al-state certificate before acceptance by the Corporation, it 

 was necessary for our inspectors to take over this extra work. Up to the close 

 of the fiscal year about 65,000 bushels of Massachusetts apples had been 

 handled in this manner. 



Apple Displays 

 Apple advertising displays were held in Boston at the North and South 

 Stations, and at the Christmas Foods Exposition in Mechanics Building, and in 

 Springfield and Fall River. These included attractive displays, featured by 

 the use of a large revolving apple as a centerpiece. A major attraction of 

 these exhibits was the free distribution of apples and apple products, includ- 

 ing cider and apple sauce. As a further effort to attract the maximum amount 



