10 BULLETIN 1124, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
The following rules and customs are those most generally accepted 
by the trade. They differ slightly in a few respects from those ob- 
served in certain sections : 
Confirmations. — Every trade or transaction in feedstuffs should be, 
and usually is, confirmed by the buyers and the sellers. If the trade 
has been negotiated by a broker, he should furnish both parties to the 
transaction with a confirmation stating fully terms and conditions of 
sale. Confirmations should be mailed or given on the date of sale 
and should be immediately checked and any discrepancies should be 
noted and brought to the attention of the other party to the contract. 
The confirmation should indicate the number of tons the car con- 
tracted for is to contain ; if sacked, the number of sacks, kind used, 
and weight of each should be stated. The price shown should be 
either delivered destination, f . o. b. shipping point, or delivered to a 
certain rate-basing point or station. The time of shipment and terms 
of payment should be given. 
Weights. — If instead of the number of tons the car is to contain 
the term " a carload " is used on the confirmation, it is generally un- 
derstood to mean 20 tons net. A ton of feed weighs 2,000 pounds 
and a bag of feed, unless otherwise specified, 100 pounds. It should 
be understood that if rules of carriers provide for a higher minimum, 
or State laws are in conflict with generally recognized weights, 
transactions in feedstuffs are subject to such rules and laws. 
Time of shipment. — The interpretations of rules covering time of 
shipment do not differ materially between the various sections of 
the country. There are slight differences of opinion at times as to 
whether the given number of days shall mean calendar days, ex- 
cluding the date of sale, or from the day directions are received by 
the seller. The rules generally observed by the trade as to time of 
shipment are given below : 
Immediate or rush shall mean shipment within 3 calendar days 
from the day directions are received by seller. 
Quick shipment shall mean shipment within 5 calendar days from 
the day directions are received by seller. 
Prompt shipment shall mean shipment within 10 calendar clays 
from the day directions are received by seller. 
Unspecified shipment. — Where shipment is not specified, prompt 
shipment is understood. 
Loaded, spot, instant, or on track, shall mean that the goods are 
actually loaded and ready for billing, and the bill of lading must be 
dated on the day of sale. 
In transit shall mean that the bill of lading must be dated at least 
one day prior to date of sale. 
Deferred shipment. — In the purchase or sale of feed for deferred 
shipment the following specifications shall govern : 
Where a specified number of days is not stated in the contract, but 
the time is referred to as first half or second half of a given month, it 
shall be understood that up to midnight of the 15th shall be con- 
sidered the first half (this including February), the remainder of 
the month to be considered as second half. 
Season shipments. — Season shipments shall mean shipment at any 
time, at the seller's option, between the date of sale and December 
31 of the current year, inclusive. 
