INSPECTION AND GRADING OF HAY. 13 



the hay from other cars touches the sides of the pile then only the 

 ends of the carload are exposed for inspection. 



The lighting in the warehouse is a very important factor in the 

 successful use of this method. In some warehouses the hay on one 

 side has a much better light than the hay on the other side. Some- 

 times it is comparatively easy to inspect hay on a bright day, but 

 when cloudy it is nearly impossible to make a fair inspection. 



There are two general methods of making out warehouse inspec- 

 tion certificates. One is to state the grades of hay found in the pile, 

 with no attempt to state definitely the number of bales of each kind ; 

 the other is to estimate the percentage of each kind of hay showing 

 on the outside of the pile. Neither method of filling out certificates 

 is entirely satisfactory, especially when the shipper and receiver do 

 not have much confidence in each other. 



BALE INSPECTION. 



Bale inspection is not now used in any of the important markets, 

 except in case of reinspection. A real bale inspection consists of 

 the careful examination of each bale. Bale inspection is rarely 

 called for until the car is partly unloaded and hay, other than the 

 grade purchased, is discovered. When this happens unloading is 

 stopped and the inspector is called in. Upon his arrival he inspects 

 only the hay remaining in the car, because bale inspection usually 

 occurs at the warehouse of the buyer and the inspector has no way 

 of ascertaining what hay came out of the car. 



With a badly mixed car the careful inspector usually catches each 

 bale with his hay hook as it comes out of the car ^and by keeping it 

 on end he can easily turn it so that all four sides can be seen. A 

 careful record of the weight and number of bales of each grade is 

 made and a certificate is filled out showing just what the inspector 

 finds. 



REINSPECTION. 



In some markets reinspection consists of bale inspection, but in 

 many other markets reinspection differs materially from bale in- 

 spection. In such cases the hay remaining in the car is not inspected 

 bale by bale, but the quality of the hay is estimated in bulk as it 

 appears in the car. With this method of reinspection the certificate 

 does not state just how many " off-grade " bales were found, but 

 leaves this rather important matter to the buyer. This is very un- 

 fair to the shipper, but as he sells hay on the terms of the terminal 

 market, he is obliged to abide by the rules, grades, and practices of 

 that market. The charge for reinspection ranges from 75 cents to 

 $3 per car. 



CERTIFICATES OF GRADE AND THEIR USES. 



USE OF " IN " CERTIFICATES. 



The principal use of " in " inspection certificates, when terminal 

 inspection was instituted, was to furnish official evidence regarding 



