The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-01-16

Retail Prices or all Kinds a Marketable Pro-
duce-E6ects Of the Hard Tunes and the
Mabd Weather ON the Markets.

Retail Prices or all Kinds a Marketable Pro-
duce-Enscts Of the Hard Tunes and the
Mald Weather ON the Markets.
It's our purpose hereafter 10 give q full and reliable
statement weekly Of the retail price Of all marketable
produce used by families. In every case care will be
taken that the prices current on the Friday of each week
in our leading city markets will be reproduced in the
HERALD Of Saturday morning. Housekeepers can consult
this department Of the paper with confidence, as giving
the average price of each article they use, and q perusal
Of this column will be equally interesting to farm
es as it will give them an idea of the value Of the goods
they wish to send TO market.
We would caution our readers in advance that the
prices we give are not those which are obtained in the
small retail groceries and butcher shops about town.
These charge from FIVE to fifteen per cent more than the
regular market prices, and it would be impossible to give
any statement that would agree with their prices. Our
readers may rest assured that they should not give more
for their family marketing than the prices marked below.
Take the single article of butter. The best can be bought
in market for "a cents per 10, yet nearly all the grocery
stores charge 2s and 80 cents per lb. for the same quality
of butter; and the same rule holds good through the entire
list.
GENERAL REMARKS.
The mild weather has, so far, had the effect of keeping
down the prices of all kinds of market produce. Expecting
a severe winter, the dealers had laid in their usual stock
Of staple commodities, but as navigation has kept open
and the railroads all continue TO run without interruption,
goods keep coming in daily in quantities sufficient to sup
ply the market without resorting to the reserved stock.
1t is estimated that potatoes and apples are a full dollar a
barrel cheaper than they would have been had the season
been cold.
The hard times also have their effect upon the market.
Dealers complain that sales are light. One would natu-
rally suppose that as much food would be eaten in hard
as in good times, but 1t appears it is not the case. House
keepare who uera wont IN buv their harral of pnta.naa
apples, turnips, &C., at a time, now deal with the grocers
for these articles in small quantities and use less of them,
while in most cases they pay more. The dealers all COM
plain Of this dulness in trade. Another fact will be
noticed. The retail consumption Of flour in this city has
largely increased, while the demand for potatoes has fallen
of. This is due TO the cheapness of the former as com
pared with the latter commodity and its consequent at
tractiveness to heads Of families.
GAME.
New York is unqestionably the greatest game market in
the world. II levies contributions on the forests of the
entire Atlantic coast, extending from Nova Scotia 10 Flo
are sent on here from the west Of the Mississippi. At no
capital 10 Europe can such an extensive game list be served
up as in this city. We are nos in the midst of the game
season, and the market Is laden with all manner of birds,
which sell at cheap rates. The mild weather has had the
effect Of keeping back much game for fear of spelling, and
much duck is sent on in a damaged condition. We saw
in the market yesterday barrels Of duck from Virginia
that were rendered 'soft' by the weather, and the sale
Of which was cons equently spoiled, except TO the pedlers,
who take It TO Wall street and up town, and sell them at
ridiculously high prices, considering the quality Of the ar
ticle. The pedlers buy of the dealers tainted duck for
which they pay rs and 81 cents per pair. They retail the
same duck in Wal. street 30 the unsuspecting bulls and
bears for 81 and Is cents a pair.