194 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 280 



The oh lin store apparently has had no easy path in distributing perishables, 

 a line which was not handled until eoinparativcly recently. Their stores were 

 not fitted to house fruits and vegetables, nor had they buyers or clerks who were 

 acquainted with these products. This has apparently meant loss in handling 

 perishables, and it is reasonable that this should cause much concern among 

 chain store officials. 



The development of the terminal market is another factor in current market 

 changes. Some attention has been given to the South Boston Market Terminal. 

 Statistics have been secured regarding the volume of various products handled 

 there since the opening in 1927. Other material is availa})le for the further study 

 of the influence of this market. 



Analysis of Market Prices for Massachusetts Vegetables. (H. B. Rowe.) 

 The price and supply series used as the basis for this study have been extended 

 to cover a ten-year period. More complete and precise analysis of the data, 

 along the lines previously reported, has made possible the measurement of cer- 

 tain important trends and seasonal tendencies, as well as approximate statements 

 of the relationships between local vegetable prices and such important price 

 determinants as local supply, shipped-in supply, price level and business activity. 



Recreational and Forestry Uses of Land. (David Rozman). The field 

 work in connection with this project has now been completed and the material 

 is being prepared for publication. 



This study analyzes the present condition of abandoned farm land areas in 

 Massachusetts and makes recommendations for the policies to be pursued in 

 bringing about a balanced program of land utilization in the Commonwealth. 



Housing Conditions and Problems in Part-Time Farming. (David 

 Rozman.) During last summer an investigation was made of housing conditions 

 and problems in part-time farming in Massachusetts and other New England 

 states. The results of this investigation, together with recommendations, were 

 presented in a report for the President's Conference on Home Building and 

 Home Ownership. 



Factors Affecting the Price of Eggs. (A. H. Lindsey). The small amount 

 of time allowed for this project was expended on increasing the accuracy of out- 

 look reports. Correlation between prices of eggs and meat prices indicates very 

 little relationship. Storage margins have very little effect on the amount of eggs 

 stored the following year. 



The Relation of Quality Factors to Price of Eggs. (A. H. Lindsey). 

 Work on this project is now completed and it is in manuscript form. The tabular 

 analysis has been made during the last year with the following results: 



Weight, as in the correlation analysis, varied directly as the price; quality 

 varied with price through most price ranges, but premium prices did not insure 

 best quality; the average quality of eastern eggs was invariably better than the 

 average quality of western eggs. Price of storage eggs showed very little rela- 

 tionship to quality, but weight was directly related to price. The fact that eggs 

 were branded or labeled did not guarantee uniform quality. 



Correlations were run between the external factors, as number of dirty eggs, 

 uniformity of color, uniformity of size, and i)rice. The range in weight of eggs 

 within the dozen had no apparent influence on price. The number of eggs off color 

 reduced the price per dozen from }4 to 1^2 cent per off-color egg. The reduction 

 in price per dozen for each dirty egg was about J^ cent. 



