Part II.] IMARKET NEWS SERVICE. 17 



Springfield on potatoes is ranging from $1.85 to $2, while in 

 some other sections we find it is $1.75." 



Now the very knowledge that there is this difference in 

 price will tend to equalize it when communicated to potato 

 growers; for shipments to the low-priced markets will tend to 

 slacken, and shipments to the high-priced markets will increase, 

 until the prices are again in equilibrium. 



Now there are several indirect benefits which I have not 

 exactly alluded to that can come from this market reporting 

 service. In regard to tending to equalize supplies, you know 

 that before this sort of service was established, and before we 

 had the telegraph and telephone communication, we would 

 simply harvest the goods and bring them into the market with- 

 out an understanding of what the different farmers throughout 

 that section were bringing into the market. 



There is an ^attempt on the part of this service to secure in- 

 formation from those growers on the market each day, so that 

 they will state whether they expect to have their normal sup- 

 ply or an increased supply on the coming day. The govern- 

 ment agent who is there can better secure that information and 

 can give those farmers, before they leave the market, an idea 

 as to whether a greater amount of potatoes is expected than the 

 demand will warrant. He can guide and gauge in a large man- 

 ner, and has done so in the experience of this past summer. 



Another indirect benefit, as I see it, which is bound to come 

 from this market reporting service, is in this respect. You saj-, 

 "We cannot apply the thing as the Eastern Shore of Virginia 

 Produce Exchange is doing it; we have not the goods in a com- 

 mon standard or common grade. There is an absence of that, 

 and it makes our different farms have different standards; for 

 every different farmer there is a different grade and difl'erent 

 standard." Some will say that we are beginning at the wrong 

 end by advocating a Market News Service before we have first 

 advocated and put into operation a common grade and standard 

 law. 



Well, the result of this is that we have seen the confusion and 

 we have seen the weakness in the service and the system, which 

 means that national legislation is being attempted along the 



