40 BULLETIN 97&. U. . S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE. 



sections. For example, mining sections seem Avilling to accept a much 

 lower grade of hay for No. 1 timothy than small markets with a 

 retail trade. The price is also given consideration, and buyers fre- 

 quently specify No. 1 hay and then refuse to pay more than the 

 price of No. 2. Shippers in the various markets in competition for 

 business have made use of these conditions to such an extent that 

 quotations and sales by grade have come to have but little meaning. 



These conditions have also led to the substitution of certain terms 

 for the numerical grades, such as " Choice timothy hay," " Good 

 feeding hay," etc. The need for the term " Choice timothy hay " has 

 developed because of the tendency on the part of the shippers to 

 lower the quality of No. 1 hay to agree with the ideas of the least 

 exacting purchasers, and in some instances the grade represented by 

 " Choice timothy hay " has also been lowered, as is evidenced by a 

 number of samples examined by representatives of the Bureau of 

 Markets, which were found to be lower than the recognized standards 

 for No. 1 timothy. 



Many shippers who desire to build up a permanent trade with 

 their customers are supplementing the numerical grade designation 

 with descriptive phrases in order to make clear the character of the 

 hay offered or sold. This, it is claimed, eliminates many of the 

 difficulties encountered when hay is sold by grade only. 



The greatest care should be used in describing the character of the 

 hay when confirming the sale, in order that as little difficulty as 

 possible may be experienced when the hay is received by the buyer. 



The fact that descriptive terms are needed indicates that present 

 grade terms are inadequate or are at least not sufficiently clear. The 

 Bureau of Markets is at present engaged in the study of market 

 grades for the purpose of determining wherein they are deficient, 

 and, if possible, of constructing grades or standards that will be 

 adequate for the use of the whole trade in the purchase and sale of 

 hay. 



TIME OF SHIPMENT. 



The trade terms used to denote the time within Avhich a shipment 

 may be made have been defined by trade associations, and their use 

 is fairly uniform throughout the county. These terms are : Imme- 

 diate shipment, which has been interpreted as three calendar days; 

 quick shipment, five calendar days ; and prompt shipment, ten calen- 

 dar clays (Sundays and holidays excluded). For shipments 

 which are to be made within a period longer than 10 days the time 

 is usually stated. Sales are frequently for " scattered shipment." 

 This means that the hay is to be shipped a car or two at a time at 

 a rate as uniform as possible over a given period. The advantage 

 of this method is that it assures the buyer of a constant supply at a 



