22a EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



Agricultural Economics. 



The status of agriculture at any particular time and place is always the resultant 

 of economic forces working in conjunction with those other forces which control 

 the condition or productivity of the soil and the possibility of growing certain 

 crops. Massachusetts has been slow to recognize this fundamental principle. It 

 has failed in supporting economic research in agriculture in the way which the 

 importance of the subject necessitates. The future of New England agriculture 

 probably depends in large measure on economic conditions; and hke^vise the 

 future of New England and Massachusetts as industrial units depends on the 

 national development and maintenance of those economic conditions which will 

 make possible continued production of food in suitable quantities. Much of the 

 high cost of living, of which we hear so much complaint, is due not to deficiency in 

 local production, but rather to avoidable waste in handling farm products. 

 Work has been done during the past year under the following projects: 

 Agricultural Economics Project 1. "Local balance of trade in farm products." 



Assistant Professor Jefferson. 



Study under this project has been continued. In addition to the material secured 

 in Fitchburg, the gathering of similar information has been carried on in New Bedford 

 so far as it is available for that city. 



The local farm products of the vicinity of New Bedford are sold in that market with- 

 out system of any sort. These products are chiefly vegetables, although a small quantity 

 of fruit is also grown. Each grower sells his own produce in the way which appeals to 

 him. Some few sell to the wholesalers, but the most common method is for the grower 

 to stop at the first grocery store he reaches as he drives into the city, sell what he can, 

 and go on to the next. Naturally, this brings each grower into competition with every 

 other, reducmg the price each one receives. 



No local products are shipped out of New Bedford, and the local production falls far 

 short of supplying the needs of the city, except in the case of turnips. 



A large part of the milk supply is likewise local, but considerable quantities are re- 

 ceived at certain periods from outside sources. Some of it comes from Maine and New 

 Hampshire, but all is received through the Boston distributors. 



There is very little local slaughtering done in New Bedford, although there are two 

 local slaughterhouses, one in the city and the other across the river in Fairhaven. 



Agricultural Economics Project 2. "Methods and cost of distribution of tobacco, 

 onions and potatoes." 



Professor Cance and Assistant Professor Jefferson. 



An investigation of the supply and distribution of Connecticut Valley onions, already 

 under way, was completed and the manuscript prepared for publication. 



In addition to the preparation of this manuscript, material is at hand for a second, 

 relating to the price of onions. 



Agricultural Economics Project 7. "Boston food supply study." 



Professor McFall. 



This project was formally approved in July, 1922, on a co-operative basis between 

 the Experiment Station and" Extension Service. A large amount of time and energy has 

 been expended in outlining the study and carrying on certain preliminary work. As 

 organized, the leader of this project spends a part of each week in Boston, overseeing 

 the work of a number of graduate students who are takmg as their thesis problem certain 

 of the subdivisions of the larger study. At the present time fourteen students are so 

 engaged: three being from Boston University and eleven from the Massachusetts Insti- 

 tute of Technology. Certain other investigators are likewise co-operating, but in an 

 informal way. The State Department of Agriculture is assisting in certain broader 

 phases of the work. The committee on agriculture of the Boston Chamber of Com- 

 merce has co-operated in making a comparative study of the market reports of all public 

 and private agencies reporting Boston markets. A certain amount of the financing of 

 this work is done directly through a co-operative agreement with the Bureau of Agri- 

 cultural Economics of the United States Department of Agriculture. Naturally, in its 

 present formative stage, concrete results cannot yet be reported. 



