24 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Market Law. 



The past year has brought up more forcibly than ever the 

 need of a market law, and some adequate method of assisting 

 the farmers of the State in this great work. Over thirty 

 markets have been opened up in the State, and these are often 

 in need of assistance, as well as are the farmers who attend 

 them. Very successful markets are being conducted in Spring- 

 field, Cambridge, Boston, Quincy and Lowell, and there seemed 

 to be a growing demand for these markets during the summer. 



Mr. Annin visited the markets of Baltimore, Maryland, and 

 Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and found the following 

 conditions: — 



The city of Baltimore has ten markets. These markets are all market 

 buildings which are owned by the city, and the direction of the work is 

 under a market master who is responsible to the city controller. There 

 is an assistant master in charge of each market. 



The city of Lancaster is a city of 60,000. It has six market buildings, 

 one of which, the central market, is owned by the city and the others by 

 private companies. 



Conditions which prevail there are : — 



1. A peculiar race of farmers who have been accustomed for genera- 

 tions to the retail selling of fruits and vegetables. 



2. A consuming public which is willing to get up very early in the 

 morning and do its marketing by the basket method rather than by the 

 telephone. 



3. A system of farming where little field work is required from haying 

 to corn cuttmg. 



4. A local institution that has been in existence for over a century. 



5. An entire absence of green grocers. 



Massachusetts is certainly very backward in establishing 

 what is considered so important an undertaking by over thirty 

 other States which have departments of markets. 



The discontinuance of the work of the Food Administration 

 places an additional emphasis upon the need for a division of 

 markets, inasmuch as the people of the State have become 

 accustomed to some market service, and will undoubtedly 

 demand that this work be carried on. I therefore recommend 

 that such a division be created under this Department. 



