124 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [P. D. 4. 



the State Board of Agriculture. In three States — Oregon, 

 Minnesota and Kentucky — the bureau is in the direct charge 

 of the agricultural college ; in two States — Michigan and 

 North Carolina — the Board of Agriculture and college officially 

 co-operate in carrying on the work. Four States — New York, 

 Idaho, California and Texas — have independent bureaus wuth 

 wide powers. 



In addition to these officially created departments, 13 States 

 employ men to do instructional or administrative work in co- 

 operation and marketing among farmers. Nine of these men 

 are employed by colleges of agriculture and four by commis- 

 sioners or boards of agriculture. 



What the Market Bureaus do. 



The duties of these men were not altogether clearly defined 

 at first, since the field is so broad and the problems so many. 

 Now there is coming about a pretty clear definition of func- 

 tions. Six classes of marketing problems may be recognized. 



1. Investigations of marketing methods or costs of market- 

 ing. Studies of the distributing system for farm products. 



2. Instruction in methods of organization, management and 

 bookkeeping of co-operative societies. 



3. A market news, information or exchange service. 



4. Administration and enforcement of laws relating to the 

 distribution and sale of farm products, including licensing 

 middlemen, auctioneers, fixing fees and charges and inspection. 



5. Determining and establishing grades and standards of 

 products and containers. 



6. Issuing publications bearing on the distribution of farm 

 products. 



Investigation. 



In any State these lines of activity are sufficient to require 

 the energies of several men. It is only a question of what can 

 we afford to eliminate. Practically all of the work of market 

 investigation is conducted by the agricultural colleges and ex- 

 periment stations, which can employ trained men to give their 

 entire attention to specific problems. In line with this prin- 

 ciple the Massachusetts Agricultural College has just issued a 



