14 EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 354 



Feed and Egg Transportation 



Possibilities of savings exist through co-ordinating transportation of 

 hatching and market eggs. At the present time, the bulk of each type of 

 eggs is handled by a separate carrier. Yet, farms carrying hatching eggs 

 usually sell some market eggs ; and, at times, may have to throw large 

 quantities on the market. Early in 1944, huge quantities of hatching eggs 

 were dumped on the market, and the facilities of our egg marketing or- 

 ganizations were taxed to the limit. 



In July and August, 1943, 20 Strafford County poultrymen reported 

 that 51 per cent of their eggs were going for hatching purposes and 49 per 

 cent for market. Transportation in terms of volume was as follows : 

 37 per cent by producer's own truck or car 

 14 per cent by railroad express 

 49 per cent by trucks other than the producer's 



Much duplication still exists on feed routes. Most concerns are now 

 routing their customers' purchases and make few special trips except on 

 full loads, but many dififerent feed trucks travel the same roads. In the 

 town of Barrington, 75 farmers reported purchasing nine brands of feed 

 from 13 concerns located in five towns, and 16 per cent were buying from 

 two or more concerns. 



L. A. Dougherty 



Purchasing Fertilizers 



Early orders and acceptance of delivery for fertilizers are especially 

 important in wartime in order to permit manufacturers to utilize labor and 

 facilities to advantage and to insure a supply on farms at the time needed. 

 Unsuitable storage or lack of space, fear of hardening, and inability to see 

 any financial advantage are all factors which discourage delivery on fer- 

 tilizer at an early date. Late orderi^ig seems to be a habit that is hard to 

 break. 



In one instance a farm supply company gave a discount of $1.60 a ton 

 for orders received before February 27, 1944. The tonnage sold before that 

 date increased 75 times over the previous year. Another company in- 

 ceased from almost no purchases before March 1 in the pre-war period to 

 about 12 per cent in 1944. 



At least one company makes gross savings of as much as $2 per ton 

 available to producers for ordering in advance and taking delivery at car 

 door instead of from warehouse floor. Furthermore, purchases for cash 

 are making savings of from 1 to 10 per cent possible. 



Discounts of $1 per ton are often available for purchases in ton lots. 

 Further savings of 50 cents to $1 per ton are sometimes realized where 

 purchasers are made in lots of 10 tons or more. In some cases, the larger 

 lots are delivered from the factory to the farm at no extra charge, which is 

 the equivalent of a discount. The location of the farmers is also a factor 

 here. 



Although many cases are found where a number of companies quote 

 exactly the same price for fertilizer of a given analysis, considerable varia- 

 tion occurred in a few instances in 1944. A maximum difiference of over 

 $9 a ton was noted on 5-10-10 fertilizer in quotations of different compa- 



