66 



fare from city to country. One farmers' co-operative association asks 

 whether or not facilities could be made so that one of their boats could 

 leave the New Jersey shore and find ample marketing faciUties in Phila- 

 delphia. Many others have questions as to their output and marketing 

 methods. 



These are but examples of the kind of practical service a mimicipal 

 market bureau can render. Here is a work which a city farm bureau, 

 and a city farm bureau only, with thoroughgoing information, could 

 properly and adequately handle. Without such co-operation, the county 

 agents, producers' co-operative societies, farmers themselves will be 

 relatively helpless after all when it comes to finding newer and better 

 marketing channels. 



Mr. R. B. Dunlap, County Agriculturist, with oflfices at Altoona, Pa., 

 speaking of the value of such a bureau in rendering assistance to farmers 

 says : 



''Of course we are taking for granted that it would be 'competently 

 manned;' to the County Agent it would mean that his time and efforts 

 could be devoted more largely to the production end, because if a market 

 bureau were to be of any value, it would have for one of its main pur- 

 poses the standardizing of all products shipped from the farm for con- 

 sumption in the cities. 



"We are greatly in need of such a work. There are so many stand- 

 ards, so many varieties of ideas in regard to first, second and third classes 

 of products that producers feel as though they have the right to ask first- 

 class prices. On the other hand, the retailers and consumers, in this 

 city at least, are not demanding graded articles. First, second and cull 

 apples may be found in the same lot. Eggs and butter are not graded, 

 although good butter is receiving the premium. 



"This state of affairs perhaps comes, in this section, from the way in 

 which most of the country produce comes to market, mainly through 

 hucksters. From these general statements I think we can see some of 

 the big things a marketing bureau might do." 



The consumer likewise has no means of knowing what the farmers 

 are doing and what the farmers would like to do. No retail bulletins are 

 issued in this country as in European countries stating to farmers what 

 retail prices are. Farmers near Philadelphia have not the sHghtest notion 

 as to what Philadelphia consumers are paying for their produce, nor do 

 Philadelphia consumers have the sHghtest notion as to what farmers are 

 receiving for their goods. This intelligence is essential to wise co-opera- 

 tion between farmer and consumer. 



Such a market bureau could stimulate the formation of market 

 bureaus in outlying counties, could render distinct assistance in regard to 

 the sorting and packing of goods so as to fit them to the particular needs 

 of the city's own market. In this way selling at home could be furthered. 



