EEPOBTS OF STORAGE HOLDINGS. 



I 



STORAGE REPORTS OF THE BUREAU OF MARKETS. 



The re]3orts of the Bureau of Markets of the United States De- 

 partment of Agriculture showing the storage holdings of food- 

 stuffs have so far been limited almost entirely to showing the hold- 

 ings of certain commodities in cold storage. The only exceptions 

 are data showing the quantities of cured beef, dry salt pork, sweet 

 pickled pork either cured or in the process of curing, and lard. It 

 was realized in the beginning that in order to make the information 

 of the most value it should include all of the cold-storage holdings 

 of each article throughout the United States. This would give the 

 dealer actual knowledge of the quantity that was stored and a more 

 complete history of its movement. 



BEGINNING AND GROWTH OF THE WORK. 



The work was begun in October, 1914, by making preparations 

 for reports covering the holdings of apples in cold storage. The 

 reports for the first two seasons covered the period from December 

 1 to June 1, inclusive, thus showing the movement from storage only. 

 Since that time they have begun with a report on October 15. Semi- 

 monthly reports are issued until December 1, as the apples are being 

 placed in cold storage at that time and the movement is much more 

 rapid than later. 



On August 1, 1916, the Bureau of Markets began reporting the 

 cold-storage holdings of creamery butter and case eggs. American 

 cheese was added to the list of commodities on September 1 of that 

 year, and on December 1, 1916, the work was extended to include 

 reports on seven varieties of meat products: Frozen beef, frozen 

 pork, frozen lamb and mutton, dry salt pork, sweet pickled pork, 

 cured beef, and lard. 



On May 1, 1917, the first reports showing the stocks of frozen eggs 

 and frozen poultry were issued. The poultry was divided into four 

 classes: Broilers, roasters, fowls, and turkeys. AH other poultry, 

 including the poultry that the warehousemen were unable to classify, 

 was reported under the head of miscellaneous frozen poultry. Pack- 

 ing-stock butter was added to the list on September 1, 1917. On Octo- 

 ber 15, 1917, the first report showing holdings of frozen fish, cured 

 herring, and mild-cured salmon was issued. The report covers 22 

 varieties of frozen fish, and other varieties are grouped under the 

 heading of miscellaneous frozen fish. The following are the different 

 classifications : 



Bluefish. 



Butterfish. 



Ciscoes. 



Cod, hake, pollack, haddock. 



Croakers. 



Halibut. 



HeiTing (including alewives, 



backs, etc.) 

 Herring, cured. 

 Lake trout. 



blue- 



