ANNUAL REPORT, 1931 193 



industry. The trend in this direction is already indicated in the demands espe- 

 cially expressed to us for research in the fields of floriculture, golf course manage- 

 ment, landscape gardening, and in the culture of ornamental plants. In flori- 

 culture, golf course management, and landscape gardening the Massachusetts 

 Station has already made sufficient progress in its investigations to show not 

 only that scientific methods have a place in these fields, but that the results found 

 are worthy of practical introduction and therefore are appreciated. Since New 

 England in general, and Massachusetts in particular, is favored because of natural 

 beauty and is rapidly becoming recognized by tourists and summer vacationists 

 as one of the plaj'grounds of America, it may not be inconsistent to extend 

 increased consideration to a program of research wherein this asset can be capi- 

 talized for purposes of promoting the recreational and the aesthetic. At any 

 rate we shall be confronted with an increasing demand for service in this field 

 as time goes on. 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 

 Alexander E. Cance in Charge 



The Economic Worth to Growers of Different Varieties of Apples. 



(Lorian P. Jefferson). This project, begun at the request of the Pomology 

 Department, should be completed in 1932. At least one member of the Pomology 

 Department is of the opinion that such a study would be of greatest value if 

 continued for ten years. It has, however, been increasingly difficult to get from 

 the growers consecutive annual figures for their orchards. One or two of the 

 orchardists who gave reports for the first years of the study, met with untoward 

 events, and their orchards could not be included the following year. One or two 

 others gave figures one j^ear, but because of lack of interest, did not wish to give 

 them thereafter. The number of orchards from which reports are now available 

 is much smaller than at first. 



Consumer Demand for Eggs. (Lorian P. Jefferson). The field work on 

 this project has been completed and nmch of the tabulation. Some few sections 

 of the report are in the first draft. 



Changing Methods of Wholesale Distribution of Perishables. (Lorian 

 P. Jefferson). It is the general opinion of dealers that the great factors in bring- 

 ing current changes in the wholesale marketing of perishables are the traveling 

 jobber and the chain store. The work done on this project has been thus far 

 confined largely to a study of the place of the traveling jobber in the marketing 

 of fruits and vegetables. 



The traveling jobber has been known in some markets for 10 or 15 years, 

 but in the main he is a newcomer. The business requires little capital, just enough 

 to get possession of a truck and perhaps paj- for the first load of produce. Two 

 classes of these jobbers are found: (1) The one does a legitimate business, per- 

 forming a real service to the retailer with whom he deals. He buys as good prod- 

 ucts as the retailer desires and distributes them regularly over a regular route. 

 He is a reliable customer of the wholesaler. Occasionally he buys also from the 

 producer. (2) The other buys on a glutted market or when he can see a chance 

 to make a profit. In general neither the wholesaler nor the retailer likes him. 

 The wholesaler will not extend credit to this class, and many of the retailers- 

 report that they do not buy from them. 



