Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-03
THE FOOD SUPPLY.


The prevailing high prices of almost every
article Of food in this District is subject of
great interest TO every one. and especially to
the heads of families among the poor classes
who have to provide from our markets The
prime cause is, Of course, understood to be due
TO tue short crops" of almost everything in the
food line throughout the United States, caused
oy the drouth of the past summer: but much is
also due to speculation, which generally thrives
most in times of great scarcity
THE SEASON FOR DOMESTIC FRUIT
Is well nigh over, except for apples, which will
DE found In the markets in greater or less GUAM
titles until the new crops appear from the south
IN May and June next. And it is probable that
there will be fair supply of them, but not of a
good quality. except for pie making and for
cooking. that will sell for about % or $50 per
barrel through the winter season; any really at
tractive fruit of this Kind that can he reiished
when eaten in the natural state viii command
higher prices after the holidays and up to that
time good apples will probably range from 81 to
50 per barrel. The dealers on Louisiana avenue
and on street now find ready sale for medium
apples at these prices. Messrs. Shafer & Clary
wholesale dealers in domestic fruits oranges
lemons, potatoes &c, being interviewed by a
STAR reporter. say there was about half crop
of apples raised in the United States, and singu-
larry enough, the best of this crop was
RAISED IN MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA.;
but the drouth made them small. I'm Michigan.
Ohio and New York, usually the best states for
apples, the crop averaged about One-thrd less
than the usual quantity and of lower grade
Only the choice fruit is bringing good prices at
the present time. The best of the varieties
raised this year in Virginia and MARYLAND are
the "lnesaps; Newtow pippins, or. as they are
sometimes called, the Albemarle pippins. These
varieties have more than local reputation and
are usually shipped to England i'm considerable
quantities; but not this year. as they find a
ready sale. at remunerative prices. at home.
They are of good flavor. keep well through the
winter and are attractive i'm appearance. Red
streaks. Smiths cider and Rambos are also good
eating apples. raised i'm Maryland and Virginia.
and are much in demand at this time. There
are some few apples coming in from New York
state. but thus far the market here has been
supplied from the two states above named The
fair 10 good kinds are now selling from 20 to 81
per barrel The wide range between these prices
Is because so much of the fruit is small, in con-
sequence OF the drouth. The cider makers. who
have inau@urated within the past few years a
thrifty business on some of the principal streets
With their portable cider presses. and glass
pitchers filled with the pure apple juice made
new every day, are large purchasers of the lower
grades OF these apples. at the figures stated.
DRIED FRUIT
ts also much higher this season than last Fancy
sliced dried apples are worth from IS to $40 per
hundred: ordinary to good, SIS to 81, and eyap-
GRATED sliced apples. S12 to S1i per hundred
pounds. Peaches dried are worth from SlS to
S25 per hundred pounds. Messrs. Shafer Il
Clary state that judging from the past there
will be sold in our markets about 125 900 barrels
of apples this season. This embraces all grades
Apples are not keeping in so good condition
this year. and much loss is suffered in cOnse-
Guence. They show signs of decay. and some
lots that have been stored by farmers for winter
use have been taken out already because it be-
came evident TO the owners that they would not
Keep This will be the case for the next four or
nye weeks The forcing of such apples into
market prenaturely to be sold at once will tend
somewhat to keep down the prices until the
stock is nearly exhausted.
OTHER FRUITS.
The supply of pears is light, and prices rule
high; So to $3.50 per bushel being the range for
common good fruit. There are some good
Duchess pears in the market at higher figures,
from SO TO IS per barrel. Ounces have been
scarce and high. and are now seldom seen in the
markets.
Grapes have not been so much in demand
since Thanksgiving day, as during the week
prior, although the prices have not declined in
consequence. This is owing to their scarcity
The vineyards about Washington have not Welded
large profits, and but limited quantities Of
domestic wine have sePn made. either from
grapes or other fruits. The orange crop begins
to make its appearance in our markets The
crop in Florida is said to be good and of excel
lent quality The abundance of this crop and its
superior quality will in some degree compensate
for the scarcity and high prices of domestic
fruit They are now selling for IS per barrel and
will rule lower as the season advances Sicily
oranges are not as Yet of so good quality being
too sour to be generally liked They sell at SO
per box on 200 TO 2215 in each package aud will
soon he cheaper. Lemons are worth from 50 to
$3.50 per box. containing $50 to 400 i'm each
a ag
will soon be higher as the season advances
The cranberry crop is reported to have been cut
short by the first frost in October Cape Cod
cranberries are selling from IS to SIP per bar
rel, and Jerseys. from IS to $40 per barrel. The
prospect for "a good later crop NAV reduce the
prices before Christmas.
THE SHORT SUPPLY OF VEGETABLES
Prom the best accounts there has been about
half crop of vegetables raised in the United
States the past season In New York, how
ever, which is a great potato raising state this
rule does not hold good, as it is pretty well
ascertained that the crop is only about one
third short. This scarcity has suggested to
Spectators the feasibility of importing from
ireland. and considerable quantities are arriv-
ing per steamer in New York and other ports
POTATOES FROM IRELAND.
Monday last 1000 bushels arrived in Balti-
more and We're sold readily. The duty ON them
Is fifteen cents per bushel per weight Sixty
pound are allowed for each bushel. Here it
may dc a matter of interest to state that every
where. except in the District of Columbia. the
number of pounds per b,lshel fixed by law for
potatoes is sixty. In this District only fifty-six
pounds are required. The law was made by
the old feather-duster legislature.
The imported potatoes are of two kinds the
''cups" and champions or white rocks" The
first named are a round white potato and of
medium size. and the latter are similar i'm form
TO our peach blow, only they are white instead
OF purple There are many potatoes usually
brought here from Maine and Nova Scotia: these
are the blue MERGERS and some early rose peer
less, Burbanks and snOwflahes. Not many of
these have arrived this season. The greatest
demand is for the Burbanks. These are compa-
ratively new variety in this market and are
much liked The price for all of the kinds
named is from II to 81. 20 per bushel wholesale
the imported selling for the same The price in
New York during November has been 81 whole
sale.
THE BEST SWEET POTATOES RAISED HERE
There has been about half 4 crop OF sweet
potatoes raised, the price ranging from "a to
S4Jo per barrel The best that come to opr
market are from the neiehbOrhoOd of Washing