12 BULLETIN 477, U. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



number of errors and omissions must be expected. Physical condi- 

 tions made it impossible to secure records of some cars, railroad 

 records in some cases being in such shape that it was impossible to 

 get the required information. However, on the whole, railroad offi- 

 cials cooperated so heartily and effectively that it can be said that 

 the reports present the best picture of the proportionate movement 

 from different sections, the extent and length of that movement, and 

 the volume on any one day, that has yet been presented. 



The reports begin with the opening of the carload season in Lou- 

 isiana. Although Florida had been shipping berries in "pony" re- 

 frigerators 1 for some time prior to this, and shipped some carloads a 

 short time after the Louisiana movement was started, at the time 

 the work was inaugurated early in April it was impossible to secure 

 complete reports of Florida shipments. 



The largest shipment made in any one day from any one section 

 was 182 cars from the Norfolk section, May 18. The same section 

 shipped 163 cars May 22, 159 cars on May 24, and 142 cars May 19. 

 The Carolinas made the next largest shipment, 140 cars on May 11, 

 while Norfolk had 139 cars May 27, 137 cars May 25, and Tennessee 

 136 cars May 12 and 134 cars on May 13. These three sections, 

 which are among the heaviest shipping sections in the United States, 

 were at their height at practically the same time. 



The Delaware-Maryland district, which is also a heavy shipper, 

 was very fortunate in 1915 in that it escaped practically all of this 

 very severe competition, heavy shipments from this district not be- 

 ginning until May 25 and continuing until June 19. Early local 

 berries, regarding which no figures are available, are probably heavy 

 competitors of Delaware and Maryland stock in the northern mar- 

 kets, as are also Jerseys. The chart of shipments would seem to 

 show that, of the northerly districts, the Delaware-Maryland section 

 was peculiarly favored with desirable market conditions. These con- 

 ditions were reflected in the satisfactory prices paid on the markets 

 for Delaware and Maryland stock during the season. 



The period of heaviest shipments for the whole country was from 

 May 10, when 311 cars were shipped, to May 26, when 296 cars moved. 

 During this period there were only four days when less than 275 

 cars were moved, while this number was never reached at any other 

 time during the whole season. On May 23, the heaviest shipping 

 day of the season, 401 cars were moved, and on May 25, 400 were 

 shipped. The third largest day was May 11, with 384 cars. While 

 every shipping season will not coincide exactly with that of 1915 

 (that season being a trifle late in the southern districts), a heavy 

 berry movement between approximately the same dates can be ex- 

 pected each year. 



»' 'Pony" refrigerators are small refrigerators usually holding 64 or 80 quarts, and usually shipped by 

 express. 



