Che  RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
919 
Notes  from  Department  of  Foods  and 
Markets 
204  Franklin  St,  New  York  City 
Auction  for  Poultry 
The  following  article  appeared  in  the  .Tune  10th  is¬ 
sue  of  the  " Produce  Nrirx." 
With  Federal  and  State  investigations  of  live  poul¬ 
try  conditions  in  New  York,  with  talk  of  indictments  of 
various  people  in  the  business,  is  it  not  time  that  this 
industry  was  handled  so  as  to  be  free  from  scandal? 
Operators  have  testified  under  oath  that  the  laws  have 
been,  and  are  now  being  violated.  Iteekless  and  un¬ 
scrupulous  competition  is  to  blame  for  the  violation 
of  law.  Nearly  all  the  operators  are  forced  to  resort 
to  practices  which  under  ordinary  circumstances  they 
would  scorn.  Price  making  has  become  a  scandal  and 
is  the  source  of  much  trouble.  It  is  the  all  important 
feature,  and  there  should  he  a  way  to  arrive*  at.  prices 
on  a  fair  and  unquestioned  basis. 
To  our  mind  a  daily  auction  may  he  the  remedy 
for  the  ills  of  the  live  poultry  trade.  Tt  is  a  logical, 
as  well  as  au  easy  solution.  Under  the  Department 
of  Foods  and  Markets  such  au  auction  could  he  estab¬ 
lished  and  sustained.  Not  a  receiver  is  now  satisfied 
with  conditions.  All  hands  would  be  glad  to  operate 
on  a  straight  commission  of  five  per  cent.  They  could 
make  money  if  the  competition  were  not  so  tierce  and 
credits  were  stable. 
Tf  it  sufficient  number  of  receivers  would  come  to¬ 
gether  and  pledge  the  Department  sufficient  poultry  to 
have  a  daily  auction,  we  believe  the  troubles  would 
cense.  Then  there  would  he  daily  prices,  and  under  tie* 
supervision  of  (lie  State  they  could  not  he  questioned. 
The  State  Department  does  not  wish  to  go  into  the 
producing  sections  and  compete  with  merchants.  As 
we  have  already  pointed  out,  Mr.  Emerson's  auction 
failed  to  succeed  partly  because  it  competed  with  re¬ 
ceivers.  We  have  always  taken  the  stand,  and  adhere 
to  it.  that  the  State  has  no  basin  ss  to  appropriate 
money,  drawn  from  its  taxpayers,  to  establish  a  mer¬ 
cantile  enterprise  in  competition  w:th  the  taxnayers. 
Kut  we  believe  the  State  with  propriety  may  take  cog¬ 
nizance  of  commercial  difficulties  recognized  by  all  en¬ 
gaged  in  the  business,  may  offer  a  solution,  and  invite 
the  cooperation  of  the  men  interested  to  the  solurion. 
Should  poultry  receivers  agree  to  sell  their  poultry 
through  a  ptibh'e  aurtuni  under  the  supervision  of 
Commissioner  Dillon  and  Deputy  Commissioner  Emer¬ 
son.  they  need  not  surrender  control  of  their  own  busi¬ 
ness  any  more  than  fruit  merchants  do,  when  they  sell 
through  the  fruit  auction  companies  here.  These  com¬ 
panies  are  simply  selling  agencies,  w«hirh  fruit  receiv¬ 
ers  employ.  But  we  believe  official  supervision  of  the 
selling  agency  of  the  live  poultry  business  would  cor¬ 
rect  the  abuses  and  cure  the  ills  which  now  harass  that 
bus'ness  and  make  it  tt  burden  to  those  engaged  in  it. 
Commissioner  Dillon  has  told  ns  that  with  proper 
support  he  would  he  willing  to  undertake  the  am  t  on. 
hut  before  it  is  done  he  wants  some  assurance  of  sup¬ 
port.  The  auction  would  pay  the  receivers  the  day 
of  sale,  and  assume  all  risks.  Does  not.  such  a  con¬ 
dition  appeal  to  receivers?  If  it  does  who  of  them  will 
pled*"  offerings  to  insure  the  undertaking?  The  Com¬ 
missioner  is  ready,  and  a  little  effort  by  receivers  would 
put  the  auction  in  operation  without  delay. 
There  is  l'ttle  to  be  added  to  the  above.  There  is 
no  d-'spute  about  the  deplorable  condition  of  the  live 
poultry  busim-ss  in  New  York  City.  The  men  in  the 
trade  have  testified  to  it  under  oath  and  they  all  agree 
that  conditions  could  not  well  be  worse  than  they  are. 
The  poultry  are  fed  sand,  gravel,  cement,  ami  other 
heavy  substances  mixed  with  pasty  foods  to  fill  the 
crops  and  increase  weight.  Prices  are  made  arbitrarily 
by  combinations;  and  some  unscrupulous  dealers  main¬ 
tain  retail  shops  for  the  sole  purpose  of  underselling 
regular  retailers  if  the  retailers  refuse  to  buy  of  the 
dealers  and  accept  over-cropped  poultry  and  pay  the 
price  fixed  by  the  dealer.  Tf  the  retailer  protests  he  is 
unable  to  get  supplies  at  all.  and  his  credit  is  de¬ 
stroyed  with  the  dealers,  if  he  refuses  to  pay  for  sand 
cropped  poultry  and  birds  that  have  died  in  the  coops. 
A  great  change  has  come  over  the  trade  in  a  year 
when  one  of  the  prominent  trade  papers  advocates 
auction  sales,  under  the  supervision  of  the  Department. 
<  f  Foods  and  Markets.  The  arguments  are  unanswer¬ 
able.  and  the  advice  is  good.  The  Department  will  see 
that  the  business  is  honestly  and  decently  conducted 
if  the  dealers  and  shippers  indicated  a  desire  to  have 
such  a  system  for  the  live  poultry  business. 
Cortland  County,  N.  Y.,  Farm  Bureau 
An  interesting  dairy  meeting  was  held  in  a  dairy 
barn  near  East  Homer  in  Cortland  County.  N.  Y..  last 
week,  under  the  auspices  of  the  county  farm  bureau. 
The  farmers  of  Cortland  County  are  very  much  alive  to 
the  necessity  of  better  marketing  facilities  for  the  sale 
of  their  products.  One  prominent  farmer  stated  that 
he  believed  the  work  of  the  Department  of  Foods  and 
Markets  was  responsible  for  the  increase  of  10  cents 
a  hundred  paid  by  the  dealers  for  milk  during  April 
and  May  after  the  price  had  previously  been  fixed  for 
the  six-month  period.  lie  cited  other  influences  of 
the  Department,  and  said  that  since  the  Department 
was  able  to  effect  such  notable  results  with  a  small  ap- 
priation  he  was  convinced  that  with  suitable  means  it 
would  he  able  to  accomplish  great  results  for  producers 
who  singly  are  unable  to  find  n  profitable  market  for 
their  goods.  This  same  speaker  reminded  the  audience 
that  the  Pomona  Grange  of  Cortland  County,  at  its 
recent  meeting,  voted  unanimously  to  request  the  Farm 
Bureau  to  give  at  least  50  per  cent  of  its  time  to  the 
problem  of  marketing  products. 
If  was  also  voted  to  ask  Mr.  Forristall.  the  Farm 
Bureau  agent  of  Cortland  County,  to  try  to  arrange 
with  the  New  York  State  Department  of  Foods  and 
Markets  to  hold  a  large  cattle  sale  of  Cortland  County 
purebred,  as  well  as  grade  cattle,  in  October.  It  is 
the  intention  to  advertise  this  sale  widely  throughout 
the  United  States  and  Canada,  and  to  have  the  rattle 
inspected  on  the  heme  farms  before  the  sale.  They  will 
be  numbered  and  catalogued,  and  will  be  sold  at  the 
most  central  point,  and  where  the  best  arrangements 
can  be  made. 
The  general  proposition  was  thoroughly  discussed 
for  the  proper  steps  that  should  be  taken  to  prepare 
for  a  general  movement  to  obtain  satisfactory  prices 
for  milk  and  other  products  which  the  Cortland  Coun¬ 
ty  farmers  have  to  sell.  This  meeting  was  thoroughly 
enthusiastic.  Many  farmers  took  an  active  interest  and 
a  part  in  the  debate.  They  were  a  unit  on  the  propo¬ 
sition.  that  the  New  York  State  Department  of  Foods 
and  Markets  had  opened  a  way  for  more  prosperous 
farm  conditions  for  Cortland  County  and  that  it  should 
he  supported  by  the  next  Legislature,  so  that  it  would 
he  aide  to  do  for  the  farmers  of  the  State,  the  ser¬ 
vice  which  they  so  much  need  in  the  marketing  of  their 
products. 
Inspection  of  City  Restaurants 
While  inspectors  of  the  New  York  City  Board  of 
Health  have  been  busy  up-State  inspecting  dairies  to 
s-*"  that  the  hired  man  washed  b's  hands  and  kept 
water  out  of  the  milk,  and  removed  th**  reittse  of  the 
stable  a  hundred  yards  from  the  barn,  the  kitchens 
where  food  was  prepared  for  the  restaurants  in  the 
city  itself  were  not  under  supervision,  and  it  now  ap¬ 
pears  that,  in  some  of  these  kitchens  the  help  has  to 
travel  12  stories  on  an  elevator  to  wash  their  hands. 
Dirty  iop  is  dumped  into  tie*  milk  cans  to  cool  it.  and 
incidentally  to  add  the  ice  water  to  the  milk.  Tn  a 
restaurant  where  rrv*als  cost  75  cents,  throe  spoiled  lob¬ 
sters  were  found  in  preparation  for  a  salad.  Steaks 
had  become  tainted  and  were  being  prepared  for  ham¬ 
burgers.  an  1  all  of  the  kitchens  visited  were  swarming 
with  flies.  Of  the  25  restaurants  inspected  last  week, 
net  a  single  one  could  be  classed  as  “good,”  only  two 
classed  as  “fair,”  and  22  were  denominated  “bad.” 
Ibis  work  is  in  charge  if  Deputy  Commissioner 
Brown,  who  came  to  New  York  front  a  Southern  State, 
v'th  some  traditions  of  efficiency  behind  him.  He  be¬ 
lieves  that  it  is  not  enough  to  s«e  that  milk  is  pro¬ 
duced  in  sanitary  conditions  and  unadulterated  when  it 
leaves  the  farm.  He  wants  it  to  be  clean  and  whole¬ 
some  and  free  from  dirty  ice  water  when  it  reaches  the 
table  in  our  public  eating-houses.  It  is  a  good  work 
and  the  men  who  are  producing  milk  will  wish  him 
The  Milk  Situation 
Chenango  County  milk  producers  held  a  lively  and 
significant  meeting  last  week.  They  passed  resolutions 
calling  eu  the  officers  of  the  Da'rymen's  League  to 
i ".ike-  arrangements  to  decani  a  reasonable  price  for 
milk,  and  pledged  themselves  to  stand  hack  of  the 
organization  both  financially  and  otherwise.  It  is  re¬ 
ported  as  one  <  f  the  best  farmers’  meetings  yet  held 
in  the  county  or  even  in  the  State. 
Tim  purpose  to  stand  by  the  organization  financially 
ov  otherwise  is  er  eon  raging.  It  is  also  significant  of 
the  sentiment  of  the  producers  all  over  the  State.  It 
is  especially  encouraging  to  the  Department  of  Foods 
and  Markets.  If  the  producers  in  any  rc-ireaentativ** 
proportions  adhere  to  the  smtinunt  expressed  at  the 
Chenango  Comity  meeting,  their  m'.lk  can  he  sold  for 
what  it  is  worth  on  the  basis  of  supply  and  demand, 
and  no  means  will  ever  make  it  bring  more  on  a  per¬ 
manent  basis.  The  milk  business  ms-ds  an  open  mar¬ 
ket  for  milk  in  New  York  C'ty  where  any  dealer,  large 
or  small,  can  buy  enough  f  r  his  needs  in  competi¬ 
tion  with  other  buyers  and  be  protected  in  the  lawful 
sale  of  it  to  the  consumers.  Tt  also  needs  a  creamery 
where  the  surplus,  if  any,  may  be  saved  and  made 
into  butter,  cheese  and  buttermilk,  for  all  of  which  there 
is  a  good  demand  in  New  York  C'ty,  The  Department 
of  Foods  and  Markets  has  been  developing  this  plan 
for  some  time  in  connection  with  the  Dairymen’s 
League,  and  if  the  producers  will  refuse  to  make  six 
month  contracts  with  dealers  and  sell  their  milk  from 
dity  to  day  or  even  from  month  to  month  through  the 
league  and  the  Department,  the  milk  problem  will  be 
solved  under  this  plan.  It  is  not  asserted  that  fill  this 
can  he  done  without  a  struggle,  work  and  some  sac¬ 
rifice.  But  the  producers  now  indicate  that  they  are 
ready  for  the  task  and  the  sacrifice;  and  the  situation 
for  that  reas<  n  seems  hopeful. 
Auction  Notes 
Apples  that  core  through  the  storage  season  in  good 
condition  fire  selling  for  $4.50  to  $5  per  barrel.  Not 
all  of  the  apples  sold  bring  these  prices.  Some  that 
show  decay  and  scald  sell  as  low  as  $1.50  per  barrel. 
Potatoes  continue  high  for  both  old  and  new  stock. 
The  old  stock  brings  $4  to  $4.50  in  180-lb.  sacks  and 
i:<w  ap  to  8(5  per  barrel. 
Strawberries  from  Hudson  River  sections  began  to 
come  in  last  o*  last  week.  Prices  ranged  from  7  to  12 
cents.  The  first  shipment  to  the  Department  brought 
the  top  figure.  Strawberries  from  Delaware  and  New 
Jersey  continue  to  arrive.  The  weather  has  been 
against  them  and  prices  ranged  mostly  from  4  to  8 
cents,  though  some  of  the  best  sold  as  high  as  10  to 
12  cents  on  early  morning  arrivals.  Express  shipments 
arriving  bite  in  the  forenoon  are  fit  a  disadvantage  even 
when  the  quality  is  good. 
The  Department  of  Foods  and  Markets  has  com¬ 
pleted  arrangements  for  auction  sales  of  cherries, 
strawberries  and  other  small  fruits  as  early  in  the. 
morning  ns  the  fruit,  can  he  discharged  from  the  beats 
or  roee'ved  by  express.  The  sale  will  probably  he 
held  about  1  o’clock  in  the  morning.  It  will  also  have 
continuous  sales  during  the  day  so  as  to  take  care  of 
later  deliveries  by  express.  The  work  is  in  the  hands 
of  experts  in  the  business,  and  nothing  has  been  ne¬ 
glected  to  handle  the  fruit  to  the  best  possible  ad¬ 
vantage  for  growers. 
Live  Poultry 
Live  poultry  has  been  very  firm  this  week.  One  of 
the  big  receiving  concerns  told  the  Commissioner  cf 
Foods  and  Markets  that  New  York  State  fowl  arriv¬ 
ing  by  express  were  selling  one-half  cent  per  pound 
above  any  Western  fowl  arriving  in  carload  lots.  This 
is  the  first  time  in  20  years  that  State  poultry  has 
been  given  the  preference  over  Western  poultry.  This 
<han?ve  comes  about  from  the  thorough  investigation 
into  ihe  fraudulent  feeding  of  Western  poultry  and  has 
turned  buyers’  attention  to  the  fact  that  State  poul¬ 
try  arrives  here  free  from  feed.  Light  weight  fowl  are 
preferred  now  to  the  very  heavy  fowl  and  farmers 
should  clean  up  and  ship  in  to  the  Department  their 
surplus  fowl.  All  kinds  of  meats  are  high  and  the 
outlook  for  good  prices  on  this  year’s  poultry  crop  is 
most  excellent. 
Summary  of  sales  of  miscellaneous  farm  products 
during  the  week  ending  June  15th,  1016: 
1% 
1 
.'it; 
26 
70 
25 
202 
11 
<“.!/> 
1 
1 
1 
doz.  duck  eggs  .  . 
crates  duck  eggs 
crate  duck  eggs  . 
crate  duck  eggs  . 
crates  . 
era tes  . 
crates  . 
crates  . 
crates  . 
crates  . 
crates  . 
crate  . 
era  te  . 
crate  . 
402 U.  crates. 
2000  lbs 
DAIRY  PRODUCTS. 
68 
lbs. 
butter  . 
407 
lbs. 
butter  . 
22 
lbs. 
butter  . 
s.-, 
lbs. 
butter  . 
It  Ml 
lbs. 
butter  . 
'0 
lbs. 
butter  . 
:*0 
ibs. 
butte:- 
768 
lbs. 
168 
lbs. 
chicks 
6 
pa  i  r 
guinea 
05 
lbs. 
old  cock 
121 
lbs. 
old  ciick 
•» 
•  • 
live 
turkeys. 
1 
live 
turkey. 
241 
lbs. 
fowl  .. 
lbs. 
ch'ckeus 
270 
lbs. 
fowl  . . 
M 
lbs. 
chickens 
1 
I' kg. 
squabs 
U> 
doz. 
squabs 
100 
lbs. 
chicks  . 
63 
1  hs. 
■  hicks  . 
57 
lbs. 
chickens 
134 
Ds. 
fowl  . . 
57 
lbs. 
chickens 
126 
lbs. 
old  cock 
34 
lbs. 
broilers 
127 
His. 
chickens 
-!  5 
lbs. 
broilers 
1  di 
•esse  i 
1  calf,  si 
POULTRY. 
PRESSED 
1  tire 
1  dre 
1  d  re 
1  dre 
1  dre 
Liver 
dressed  calf.  110  lbs. 
dressed  calf.  00  lbs.  . 
dressed  calf.  84  lbs.  . 
dressed  calf.  07  lbs.  . 
dressed  calf,  OS  lbs. 
ver,  etc . 
VEGETA! 
doz.  bunches  asp  a  mgr  a 
doz.  bunches  asparagus 
doz.  buo ekes  asparagus 
doz.  biim-lii  >,  asparagus 
boxes  peppers  . 
boxes  peppers  . 
baskets  peas  . . 
baskets  peas  . 
bag  beaus.  128  lbs . 
doz.  bunches  asparagus 
doz.  bunches  asparagus 
doz.  bunches  asparagus 
crates  tomatoes  . 
crates  tomatoes  . 
crates  tomatoes  . . 
erates  tomatoes  . 
i  rate  tomatoes  . 
crates  tomatoes  . 
erates  tomatoes 
erates  tomatoes  . 
erates  tomatoes  . 
22  qts.  cherries  . 
11  22-qt.  crates  strawberries, 
7  22-qt.  crates  strawberries, 
6  48-qt.  erates  strawberries. 
045  crates  strawberries  . 
64  quarts  strawberries  .... 
226  quarts  strawberries 
160  quarts  straw! evr'es  .  .  .  . 
752  quarts  strawberries  .... 
1040  quarts  strawberries  .  .  . 
06  quarts  strawberries  .  . . 
120  quarts  strawberries  .  .  . 
64  quarts  strawberries  ... 
4c  to  . 
4V>c  to 
4c  to  . . 
.21 
.28 
.2114 
$  .17 
.16 
.17 
.17 
.1615 
.17 
.50 
.81.27U, 
,  1.50 
.  2.50 
2.25 
2.00 
.05 
1.75 
1.40 
1.25 
2.50 
2.00 
.3.00 
.2.121. 
2.40 
1.60 
1.00 
