50 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



The demand seems urgent for a complete study of competing 

 areas both within and outside the Commonwealth, and their 

 progressive crop conditions, as these areas have a direct influ- 

 ence in many instances on the development of our local agri- 

 culture. We hope to work out this problem in conjunction with 

 the local representatives of the United States Bureau of Markets 

 and Crop Estimates assisted by our reporters situated in large 

 market-garden areas. 



Prices of farm products on the markets of the northeast are 

 kept on file, as well as crop reports relating to condition, acre- 

 age and production in Massachusetts and New England. 



Standard Grades. 



The movement among our onion and tobacco men toward 

 the standardization of grades for their products, and desire for 

 the establishment of a certification and inspection service, 

 marked the past year's progress of our farmers on standard 

 grading. The facilitation of marketing their product, together 

 with all the remaining advantages pertaining to a graded prod- 

 uct, seem to be the moving considerations with our onion 

 growers, whereas the difficulty of developing a warehousing and 

 financing system without the aid of standard grades has im- 

 pressed the tobacco men with the necessity of tobacco stand- 

 ardization. 



An investigation into the present methods of marketing 

 asparagus was conducted for the purpose of assisting the 

 Massachusetts asparagus growers in arriving at possible stand- 

 ards for grading and marketing Massachusetts asparagus. It is 

 interesting to note that among the leading producers of those 

 commodities which lend themselves to standard grading we 

 find the adoption of individual grading systems, witness as- 

 paragus, lettuce, cauliflower, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc. The 

 advantages of grading are thus recognized among our growers, 

 but under present conditions are likewise limited to the in- 

 dividual. Establishing standard grades for commodities ex- 

 tends to the community the advantages now accruing to the 

 individual, and the reputation for standard graded goods ob- 

 tained by the group is found to reflect to the individual's 

 benefit. 



