Radio broadcast .. (1922-30)

Down on the Farm in 1923 By W. A. WHEELER In Charge, Radio News Service, United States Department of Agriculture THE lights in the living room went out. Conversation ceased. Only the ticking of the clock on the mantel could be heard. Presently the tiny wall bulbs came on and bathed the room in a rosy glow. There was something uncanny about it; it was like a seance. Suddenly a voice spoke: " Less fuel is required to cook the cheaper cuts of beef than is required to broil a thick steak properly." The guests stirred uneasily. Someone laughed. Then the voice continued: " Recipes for the proper preparation of stews, boiled beef, and braised beef have been prepared and are now ready for distribution on application." Puzzled, Mrs. Baker switched on the centre lights. Something had gone wrong. Nothing wrong with the customary dramatic setting she had contrived for her radio concert, but she had not expected the beef stew. Again the message was coming :• " Less fuel is required to cook the cheaper cuts. . . ." At the close, it was announced: "This is the new 'Agriogram' service of the United States Department of Agriculture." "Agriogram?" No need to look in the dictionary— you won't find it. "Agriogram" is a newly coined word, denoting the messages of a newly instituted radio broadcasting service. Secretary of Agriculture Henry C. Wallace is its author. Jed Connors' s crop of spring hogs had not yet been sold. This worried Jed, as he was hoping to start on a motor trip with his family. To delay the sale until his return might mean a heavy loss, because prices had been dropping steadily, and he had been holding out for an advance. He regretted now that he had not kept in closer touch with the market. Most of the information he had was several days old. He heard a footstep on the walk, and looked up to see his friend Tuniper approaching. "Well, I got it!" Tuniper announced jubilantly. "Got what?" "The radio. And say, guess what hogs did today. Jumped clear up to nine dollars." "What!" shouted Ted. "Who told you that?" "Came by radio. Come on over at 11 o'clock and we'll get the final report." Half an hour later Tuniper and Connors were seated before a radio set, receivers over their ears. At 1 1 o'clock the market message came: "Chicago live stock market: Hogs opened strong to 15 cents higher, light and medium weights closed firm at advance. Bulk of sales $9.30 to $n. 60. Better grades beef steers "Hurrah!" shouted Connors. Ten minutes later a sale was closed by telegraph— and the family was advised that the motor trip was "on." These instances are not the product of imagination. They are actual occurrences reported to the United States Department of Agriculture. It is all part of the Department's Radio News Service. By radio, farmers nowadays get market news while it is hot. Distance from market means nothing. The hog raiser in the Corn Belt, or the fruit grower in California, can be as closely informed on markets hundreds of miles away as the operators in the individual markets. Through the Department's Agriogram service, city people are beginning to learn something about agriculture. Housewives are being taught home economics. The big facts about agriculture in their relation to national life are being brought into city homes. More than six and a half million dollars' worth of business is transacted daily in the large livestock markets of the country. A thousand cars of wheat go into our ten largest markets each day. If farm products are to be distributed where and when they are needed, if overstocked markets that result in high prices to the consumer and low prices to the producer are to be prevented, producers must have upto-the-minute news of market conditions. To get this news to farmers quickly, the Depart