If a special rate file, covering the particular territory in which the shipper's trade lies, is prepared, it will be found convenient for reference, and will save consulting the tariff files whenever a rate is wanted. Such a file can be arranged on cards, or in a small loose-leaf book. One card or sheet should be used for each town, the name of the town being written at the head of the card. [Illustration: Fig. 4. Card Index for Classifications] The card should show the rates for all classes from the shipping point to the destination, as well as the route. It may be necessary to record rates from more than one shipping point. A manufacturer may have two or more shipping points, and it is important to know from which points he can secure the most favorable rates. It is also advisable to include the shipping points of the chief competitors, that they may be given due consideration in meeting competition. Fig. 3 shows the form of card for this rate file. The cards should be filed alphabetically, and it is well to include cards for some of the principal towns outside of, but convenient to, the regular territory. The rates for the different classes, rather than on specific articles, are given for the reason that the classification is more likely to change than the rate. If the rate on a certain article is given, and the classification of that article is given, should the classification of that article be changed, it would be necessary to rewrite the entire index. It is much less difficult to change the record of the classification of one article than to revise all of the rates. =Classification Index.= For convenient reference, the shipping clerk should prepare an index showing the classification of all articles that he is obliged to ship. This classification index should be on cards or in loose leaf, whichever is used for the rate file. One sheet is used for each article, the name of the article being written at the top. [Illustration: Fig. 5. Card for Commodity Rates] The record should show how the article is packed, the class, and the classification in which it is found. As has been stated, more than one class may apply to a given article, depending on the manner of packing; an article may take the first-class rate if boxed, or double first-class if crated. In such cases, both classes with the manner of packing should be shown. These classification sheets should be filed alphabetically in the file used for the rate cards, and they should be printed on stock of a different color. Most shippers will need but a few of these sheets as the number of articles shipped by one house is small, as a rule. If a large number of articles is shipped, the classification index is of even greater importance. A suitable form for this index is shown in Fig. 4.