781 
Notes  from  Department  of  Foods  and 
Markets 
204  Franklin  St.,  New  York  City 
I  am  in  receipt  of  your  letter  of  April  28th  contain¬ 
ing  check  for  $18.59  in  settlement  of  my  claim  against 
the  American  Express  Co.  for  loss  on  poultry.  I  thank 
you  most  heartily  for  the  interest  you  have  shown  and 
offer  best  wishes  for  the  continued  usefulness  of  your 
Department.  M.  A.  c. 
New  Jersey. 
This  was  a  claim  for  a  shipment  of  dressed  poultry 
made  to  the  Department  of  Foods  aud  Markets  in  Oc¬ 
tober  last.  It  was  one  of  the  first  shipments  of  dressed 
poultry  received  by  the  Department.  The  weather  was 
warm  and  the  express  company  delayed  shipment,  so 
that  the  poultry  was  damaged  from  heat  when  received, 
and  had  to  be  condemned.  The  express  company  re¬ 
sisted  payment  for  some  time,  hut  finally  consented  to 
a  settlement  in  full.  It  requires  a  good  deal  of  work 
and  perseverance  to  collect  a  claim  of  this  kind  from 
an  express  company,  hut  the  interest  of  shippers  de¬ 
mands  perseverance  in  the  effort. 
Heretofore  the  practice  of  the  city  board  of  health 
has  been  to  inspect  food  at  tin*  request  of  the  dealers, 
and  to  issue  an  order  for  the  condemnation  of  it.  In 
the  old  days  inspectors  who  had  friendly  relations  with 
dealers  issued  certificates  iu  blank,  and  the  dealer  had 
a  hunch  of  them  in  his  pocket  to  fill  in,  and  send  the 
shipper  at  will,  but  the  goods  did  not  always,  not  to 
say  frequently,  go  to  the  dump.  T’nder  the  present 
practice  the  inspector  is  not  allowed  to  issue  certificates 
at  all.  He  reports  goods  unfit  for  human  consumption 
in  the  possession  of  the  dealer,  and  a  case  is  made 
against  such  dealers  in  the  court.  During  the  last 
week  several  dealers  were  fined  on  such  charges.  This 
puts  the  inspection  of  goods  tip  to  the  receivers,  and 
the  shipper  will  have  only  the  dealers'  assurances  for 
the  condition  of  the  goods  on  arrival.  The  dealers  are 
complaining  against  this  ruling  on  the  ground  that  they 
have  nothing  to  show  the  shipper  for  condemned  goods, 
and  the  shipper  is  unwilling  to  take  the  word  of  the 
dealer  without  verification  that  it  was  necessary  to 
condemn  the  goods,  and  of  course,  make  no  return  for 
them.  This  practice  will  probably  require  an  impar¬ 
tial  inspection  by  the  Department  of  Foods  and  Mar¬ 
kets  if  the  practice  leads  to  many  losses. 
The  late  Legislature  passed  resolutions  providing  for 
an  investigation  of  the  milk  problem  in  the  State  of 
New  York  and  in  the  City  of  New  York.  Twenty- 
five  thousand  dollars  was  appropriated  for  the  use  of 
the  committee.  This  investigation  was  offered  iu  place 
of  tie*  creamery  and  milk  sales  depot  requested  by  the 
milk  producers  and  the  Department  of  Foods  and  Mar¬ 
lons.  It  was  expected  that  the  committee  would  get  to 
work  promptly  after  the  adjournment  of  the  Legisla¬ 
ture.  This  would  be  important,  because  the  present 
contracts  between  the  producers  and  the  dealers  expire 
October  1st,  and  the  making  of  new  contracts  will  be 
in  order  in  August  and  September.  Tf  producers  are 
to  have  any  benefit  of  the  investigation  for  the  six 
months  following  October  1st.  the  sooner  the  investiga¬ 
tion  is  under  way,  the  better.  The  members  of  the 
committee,  however,  have  not  as  yet  been  appointed, 
and  of  course,  no  start  can  be  made  until  the  committee 
is  appointed  and  organized. 
The  leaders  iu  charge  of  this  work  can  ill  afford  to 
encourage  delay.  There  has  already  been  some  sus¬ 
picion  and  considerable  assertion  that  ihe  committee 
was  designed  more  for  political  effect  than  for  real 
service,  and  that  the  committee  would  be  encouraged 
to  drag  along  its  work  during  the  Summer  and  into 
Autumn  for  what  effect  it  may  have  on  the  Fall  cam¬ 
paign.  We  are  not  willing  to  subscribe  to  this  theory. 
Individuals  in  the  council  may  have  this  wish,  but  such 
is  not  the  wish  nor  the  purpose  of  some  of  the  men, 
and  some  of  the  legislators  who  have  interested  them¬ 
selves  in  the  work.  It  is  well,  however,  for  these  real 
friends  of  the  cause  to  take  a  fair  accounting  of  what 
is  expected  of  them  and  to  know  just  what  interpreta¬ 
tion  will  be  placed  on -any  disposition  to  delay  the  work 
and  drag  it  out  over  a  long  period  of  time. 
The  facts  underlying  this  subject  are  already  pretty 
well  known.  It  requires  only  to  make  an  official  record 
if  them  and  to  give  official  expression  of  them.  Three 
or  four  weeks  at  the  most  would  be  ample  time  for 
the  work,  and  the  facts  and  the  report  can  easily  be 
completed  before  time  for  taking  up  contracts  for  the 
six  months  following  October  1st  next.  But  even  if 
influence  on  the  Fall  campaign  should  he  the  purpose,  a 
report  made  in  time  to  clarify  the  situation  b:*fore  the 
time  of  making  new  contracts  would  have  a  direct  and 
more  potential  effect  in  securing  votes  than  any  pend¬ 
ing  investigation.  If  if  were  the  policy  to  make  a 
lion-committal  report,  trifling  and  delay  might  be  the 
policy,  hut  if  anything  helpful  or  any  constructive  pol¬ 
icy  is  to  come  out  of  it.  the  sooner  that  policy  is  form¬ 
ulated.  the  better  it  will  be  for  all  concerned. 
Auction  Notes 
There  has  been  little  change  in  the  apple  market  dur¬ 
ing  the  week.  Large  bulk  of  the  stock  arriving  is  in 
poor  condition  and  sells  low.  Where  the  fruit  is  well 
preserved  in  good  condition,  prices  range  between  $3 
and  $4  a  barrel. 
The  Southern  vegetables  continue  to  arrive  in  in¬ 
creasing  bulk  and  prices  are  lower.  The  quality  of 
these  fresh  vegetables  is  good.  This  large  bulk  of  fresh 
vegetables  is  having  its  effect  on  the  old  potato  mar¬ 
ket.  and  while  the  price  has  not  materially  changed,  the 
tendency  is  downward. 
ZT/><?  RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
The  present  California  cherry  sa!"s  should  be  an  ob¬ 
ject  lesson  for  New  York  State  growers.  These  cher¬ 
ries  are  hand  picked,  cherry  by  cherry,  in  flat  boxes, 
and  appear  very  attractive.  Fourteen  thousand  and 
eighty-six  10-lh.  boxes  were  sold  last  week  at  an  aver¬ 
age  price  of  $1.70  per  box.  These  eherries  are  bought 
up  by  distributors  of  every  class  in  the  city.  The  push¬ 
carts  are  full  of  them  in  every  corner.  No  one  in  the 
city  can  escape  the  opportunity  to  buy  them.  The  whole 
force  of  fruit  distributors  in  New  York  City  is  working 
for  California  cherry  growers.  They  are  all  sold  at 
auction ;  they  get  into  the  market  promptly  and  pub¬ 
licity  helps  the  sales. 
New  York  State  cherry  growers  will  have  an  op¬ 
portunity  to  follow  the  California  growers  this  year 
in  the  New  York  market.  The  California  crop  is  short 
and  prices  will  be  good.  The  Department  can  put  New 
York  cherries  on  the  market  and  get  the  same  class  of 
distributors  working  for  the  New  York  producer  that 
is  now  working  for  the  California  producer.  All  that 
is  required  will  be  that  the  New  York  grower  put  his 
cherries  up  in  attractive  form  and  ship  them  iu  good 
supply  to  the  Department  to  he  sold  nn  the  auction 
market. 
The  Department  acknowledges  settlement  of  a  $15 
claim  against  the  A  merman  Express  Company  in  favor 
of  a  Cayuga  County  grower  from  damage  to  an  apple 
shipment  in  transit. 
Summary  of  returns  made  shippers  of  eggs  and  mis- 
celianeoiis  products  for  the  week  ending  May  11th, 
19.16 : 
EGGS.— 1*4  eases  duck  eggs  2Sc;  1  case  ami  2014 
dozen  duck  eggs  27c;  2  eases  and  two  *4  eases  duck 
eggs  2<>e;  110  eases  eggs  25c ;  80  eases  eggs  24140;  150 
eases  eggs  24c;  42  eases  eggs  2314c ;  1  ease  eggs  23Vi©» 
20  cases  eggs  23c;  10  cases  eggs  22c;  1  ease  eggs  21c; 
several  broken  lots  sold  from  23.  24  and  25  cents.  The 
variation  in  price  is  due  to  color  and  size  and  grade  of 
eggs.  The  best  stock  bring  the  top  prices  and  these 
sales  often  force  the  quotation  a  cent  above  other  re¬ 
ports  of  sales. 
POTATOES. — 3  bags  (120  lbs.)  $2.05;  4  bags  (120 
ibs.)  $1.35. 
APPLES.— 34  bbls.  Baldwin  $2.55;  7  $1.05;  12 
$1.40:  94  Ben  Davis  $1.55;  19  $1.80:  3  $1.75:  $0 
$1.45;  80  $1.40;  12  Baldwins  $1.45.  Last  three  lots 
soft  and  scalded. 
MISCELLANEOUS, — One  box  maple  sugar.  170 
lhs.,  13V4o ;  two  eases  maple  syrup.  40  gallons.  $1;  one 
pig,  70  lbs.,  13c;  one  calf,  199  lbs.,  15e;  one  calf.  82 
lbs.,  1 4  '4 :  mm  calf,  79  lbs.,  KH/.e;  one__ealf.  85  lhs., 
13c;  two  calves,  158  lbs.,  14c;  one  calf,  77  lbs..  1114c: 
one  calf.  71  lhs.,  lie;  one  calf,  73  lbs,,  1 4  V>  c ;  one  calf, 
82  lbs.,  1814c,  liver,  head,  etc.,  55c;  one  calf,  73  lhs., 
13c,  liver,  head,  etc.,  55c ;  50  boxes  can  squash,  $1  per 
box;  2D4  boxes  can  apples,  $2.1214  per  box;  one  pseV 
age  squabs,  1-3  doz„  $4  doz. ;  four  bags  beans,  547 
lbs.,  <>i4o  a  lb.;  11  bags  beans,  616  lbs.,  6*40  lb.;  sev¬ 
en  crates  tomatoes  $1.75  crate;  two  crates  tomatoes 
$1.8714  crate;  two  baskets  green  onions  $1  per  basket; 
two  baskets  parsley  30c  per  basket;  31  lbs.  butter  53c; 
10  lhs.  butter  34c;  4  lhs.  butter  35c;  10  lbs.  butter  32c; 
5  lbs.  butter  25c;  29  lbs.  butter  32c;  26  lhs.  butter  34c; 
31  lhs.  butter  32c;  30  lbs.  butter  33c;  68  lhs.  butter 
32c;  30  lhs.  butter  32c;  23  lhs.  butter  35c;  7  lbs. 
butter  32c;  57  lbs.  butter  28 *4 c. 
The  Peach  Situation  in  New  York 
TRANSPORTATION. — The  disastrous  experience  of 
all  New  York  State  growers  and  shippers  of  peaches  the 
past  two  years,  particularly  in  1915,  has  emphasized  the 
absolute  necessity  for  a  readjustment  of  freight  rates  on 
the  part  of  the  transportation  companies  if  the  great 
peach  industry  of  New  York  is  to  survive.  The  same 
conditions  apply  to  the  industry  in  Ohio,  Michigan,  Con- 
necticut.  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey.  The  present 
classification  makes  peaches  iu  car  lots  first  class  and 
less  than  ea riots  first  class  and  one-half.  This  is  not 
only  unjust ;  it  is  absurd.  The  Canadian  railroads 
allow  peaches  a  rate  of  fourth  class  nn  carlots,  with 
second  class  on  1 0.000  pounds  and  first  class  ou  less 
than  10,000  pounds.  Such  a  classification  is  perfectly 
reasonable,  and  it  meant  success  and  a  profit  to  our 
Canadian  friends  last  year,  while  we  on  this  side  of  the 
border  neyer  had  a  chance,  and  were  actually  forced 
to  let  over  1,000  ears  of  as  fine  peaches  as  were  ever 
grown,  rot  On  the  trees  in  1915  because  the  railways 
were  the  only  people  who  were  making  anything  out 
of  the  crop. 
LOSS  ON  SHIPMENTS —The  1,500  cars  shipped 
from  New  York  in  1915  averaged  a  loss  on  every  car, 
and  it  would  have  been  far  better  for  the  growers  if 
they  had  uot  harvested  a  single  carload.  The  average 
sale  price  ou  the  4,300  cars  last  year  did- uot  exceed 
50  cents  per  bushel;  probably  40  cents  is  nearer  the 
exact  truth,  aud  it  cost  the  growers  of  at  least  three- 
fourths  of  the  New  York  State  peaches  fully  50  cents 
per  bushel  to  deliver  them  to  the  market  in  New  York. 
Boston,  and  Philadelphia  and  more  to  more  distant 
markets.  This  expense  is  not  theoretical,  being  made 
up  as  follows; 
Cost  of  bushel  basket . $0.12 
Cost  of  picking  . (It 
Cost  of  sorting . 04 
Cost  of  hauling . 08 
Cost  of  cushion . 02 
Cost  of  loading  in  car . 01 
Cost  of  iceing . 02 
Cost  of  selling . 00% 
Cost  of  freight . 21 
$0.49% 
Two-thirds  (probably  three-fourths)  of  the  peaches 
produced  in  New  York  State  are  grown  between  the 
Genesee  and  Niagara  Rivers  along  the  southern  shore 
of  Lake  Ontario  and  the  rate  is  42  cents  per  hundred 
pounds  to  New  York  and  Boston  and  other  similarly 
distant  points.  The  bushel  basket  filled  with  peaches 
weighs  and  goes  as  50  pounds. 
RELIEF  IMPERATIVE.— It  is  easy  enough  to  see 
that  the  freight  charge  on  the  above  basis  is  too  high; 
also  that  the  grower  must  either  have  relief  or  g"  out 
of  business.  We  realize  that  the  present  tendency  is 
to  raise  rather  than  lower  freight  rates,  but  there 
should  be  nn  adjustment,  by  which  commod:ties  that 
can  afford  to  pay  high  rates  should  carry  the  burden 
and  not  a  commodity  like  peaches  which  have  been  fall¬ 
ing  in  value  for  several  years  until  the  point  has  been 
reached  where  the  growers  are  face  to  face  with  the 
problem  of  whether  they  can  afford  t>>  grow  poaches 
any  longer.  There  is  absolutely  nothing  to  the  claim 
that  peaches  are  a  high  priced  commodity,  or  that 
because  of  their  “perishable  nature"  they  should  pay 
the  high  rare  charged  by  the  railroads.  It  was  a  com¬ 
mon  thing  10  or  15  years  ago  for  the  shipper  to  re¬ 
ceive  $500  and  $600  for  a  car  of  peaches,  but  it  has 
reached  the  point  now  where  lie  is  lucky  to  get  back 
$150  or  $200  per  car.  So  far  as  their  "perishable  na¬ 
ture"  is  concerned,  if  the  transportation  company  furn¬ 
ishes  any  kind  of  reasonable  service:  i.o„  proper  cars, 
proper  refrigeration  and  makes  proper  time  they  will 
carry  to  market  as  safely  and  surely  as  potatoes  or 
sand. 
, f’OMPA KATlVE  RATES. — Our  investigation  cover¬ 
ing  the  past  few  years  and  thousands  of  cars  shows 
that  claims  for  damages  are  filed  ou  not  to  exceed  five 
per  ceur.  of  cars  of  peaches  shipped.  Our  investigation 
shows  this  proportion  to  he  the  same  in  Michigan  and 
Other  States.  The  rate  on  apples  aud  pears  is  fifth 
class  in  carlots  aud  there  is  no  good  reason  why  peach¬ 
es  should  not  take  the  same  rate.  The  car  of  apples, 
tin  car  of  pears  and  the  car  of  peaches  all  go  forward 
to  market  in  the  same  train,  receive  identically  the 
same  service  and  yet  the  peaches  must  pay  first  class 
rate.  We.  however,  are  not  asking  for  any  such  re¬ 
duction.  On  the  occasion  of  the  writer's  recent  ap¬ 
pearance  before  the  Official  Classification  Committee  of 
the  Eastern  Railroads  at  New  York,  where  we  wore 
granted  a  hearing  and  appeared  for  tile  Western  New 
York  Horticultural  Society,  the  Eastern  Fruit  and  Pro¬ 
duce  Exchange  and  the  Michigan  State  Horticultural 
Society,  we  merely  asked  that  a  rate  of  third  class  on 
carlots  and  first  class  on  less  than  carlots  be  grouted; 
this  is  not  all  wo  are  entitled  to  to  be  sure  and  does 
not  approach  the  favorable  rates  on  less  than  car  lots 
enjoyed  by  the  Canadian  growers,  hut  it  would  he  a 
great,  help  and  would  give  new  courage  to  the  dis¬ 
heartened  growers.  We  were  very  courteously  re¬ 
ceived  and  listened  to  by  the  committee  and  we  have 
great:  hopes  that  they  will  recognize  the  validity  of  our 
claim  for  consideration  and  grant  our  application 
THIS  YEAR’S  CROPS.  If  New  York  State  should 
have  a  full  crop  of  peaches  this  year,  there  would  lie 
about  6.000  cars,  the  biggest  crop  ever  produced  in  the 
Empire  State,  and  we  unhesitatingly  predict  that,  with 
a  full  crop  of  such  dimensions,  and  if  tin  relief  be 
granted  by  the  railroads  as  ro  rates,  one-half  of  the 
crop  will  go  to  waste  and  the  growers  will  he  forced  to 
cut  down  their  orchards.  We  are  advised  that  200,000 
trees  have  already  been  cut  down  in  Niagara  County 
alone  since  last  season.  The  fruit  is  there  ami  the  rail¬ 
roads  have  the  cars  t« •  haul  if  to  market,  but  unless 
there  is  speedy  cooperation  on  the  part  u£  tile  carriers, 
the  goose  that  has  been  laying  the  golden  egg  will  he 
killed.  The  peach  producing  territory  in  New  York  is 
limited  to  a  strip  about  ten  miles  wide  extending  along 
tin*  southern  shore  of  Lake  Ontario  from  Sodns  on  the 
east  to  the  Niagara  River  on  the  west;  a  limited  area 
iu  the  central  portion  of  the  State  and  a  section  of  the 
Hudson  River  Valley.  There  is  an  immense  territory 
in  Now-  York,  Pennsylvania  and  New  England  where 
no  peaches  are.  or  can  he  grown  and  which  if  properly 
supplied,  would  take  and  pay  good  prices  for  hundreds 
of  cars.  There  are  hundreds  of  small  towns  in  these 
sections  t lint  will  Take  from  100  to  500  bushels  per 
week,  but  the  grower  ran  not  afford  to  .ship  by  ex¬ 
press,  and  when  he  does,  in  less  than  carlots.  he  gets  no 
refrigeration  and  the  freight  rate  on  less  than  carlots  is 
also  prohibitive. 
TRAFFIC  INCONSISTENCIES.— There  is  no  rea¬ 
son  why  these  sections  off  the  main  railway  lines  should 
not  and  could  not  lie  supplied  at  a  much  iower  rate,  or 
why  a  car  could  not  lie  shipped  by  through  freight  to 
a  main  line  point  and  handled  by  way  freight  over  the 
branch  line,  the  same  as  other  freight  is  handled,  leav¬ 
ing  50  baskets  at  one  station,  100  at  another,  and  so 
on.  Spell  a  reduction  in  rates  as  suggested  would  help 
greatly  in  supplying  this  extensive  territory,  relieve  the 
gluts  in  the  large  markets  and  to  a  great  degree  solve 
the  question  of  distribution.  The  railroad  companies 
cooperating  with  the  growers  and  shippers  aud  going 
fairly  into  the  merits  of  the  matter  can  help  wonder¬ 
fully  in  saving  the  great  peach  industry  and  we  trust 
that  they  will  he  willing  to  work  with  11s  to  that  end. 
There  are  many  inconsistencies  in  freight  rates  and 
service.  For  illustration  the  Southern  railroads  give 
the  Georgia  shippers  a  third  morning  delivery  at  New 
York,  which  is  all  that  the  New  York  growers  get. 
although  the  distance  is  hut  one-half.  The  rate  on 
peaches  from  Georgia  to  Chicago  is  55  cents  per  evrt., 
only  five  cents  more  than  the  rate  from  Western  New 
York  to  Chicago.  The  inconsistencies  of  freight  rates 
has  been  a  standing  joke  for  years;  that  is  to  say.  it 
would  lie  a  joke  if  it  were  not  to  a  great  many  of  our 
people  a  calamity.  We  believe  primarily  in  New  York 
and  New  York  products  and  naturally  do  not  relish  be¬ 
ing  discriminated  against  in  favor  of  other  distant 
States  ami  sections.  The  fact  that  the  discrimination 
may  be  unintentional  does  not  help  much — certainly 
not  in  so  far  as  paying  taxes  and  expenses  go.  It  is 
a  strange  paradox  that  the  ear  of  Colorado  or  Okla¬ 
homa  fruit  passing  across  the  Empire  State,  requires 
one  less  day  to  make  the  trip  from  Buffalo  to  New  York 
than  the  ear  of  Western  New'  York  fruit  requires  to 
make  the  same  market  even  though  our  ear  starts  from 
50  to  100  miles  east  of  Buffalo,  in  fact  has  a  hamlioap 
of  that  distance.  Recently  a  tariff  which  permits  Wis¬ 
consin  growers  to  ship  a  car  of  cabbage  to  Savannah. 
Georgia,  for  a  lower  freight  charge  than  that  charged 
New  York  growers  was  put  into  effect.  We  prefer  to 
believe  that  this  sort  of  thing  is  due  to  ignorance  and 
carelessness  rather  than  any  deliberate  intention  to 
plunder  New  York  State  growers,  but  the  result  to  us 
is  the  same. 
RAILWAY  CO-OPERATION.— We  are  very  glad 
to  say  that  in  many  ways  the  service  to  New  York 
State  growers  has  been  very  greatly  improved  in  the 
last  three  years;  particularly  since  the  Pulilie  Service 
hearing  at  Rochester  in  February  1913,  at  which  hear¬ 
ing  just  two  New  York  State  growers  bad  the  courage 
and  common  sense  to  stand  up  for  their  rights  aud 
insist  on  better  service.  The  railway  Companies  we 
feel  sure  w  ill  he  quite  ready  to  cooperate  with  the  grow¬ 
ers  of  New  York  for  better  service  and  fairer  charges 
just  as  soon  as  the  growers  wake  up.  and  show  some 
evidence  that  they  know  that  they  are  alive,  and  work¬ 
ing  together  harmoniously  and  intelligently,  ask  for 
the  consideration  to  which  they  are  entitled.  Several 
of  the  railroad  are  spending  considerable  time  and  ef¬ 
fort  and  money  to  assist  the  farmers  and  fruit-growers 
of  the  State  in  solving  their  problems  and  we  regret  to 
say  that  there  has  not  been  the  proper  united  cooper¬ 
ation  on  the  part  of  the  growers,  but  we  believe  there 
is  a  better  day  in  prospect,  s.  j.  t.  RUSH. 
