Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-09-30

vegetables and Fruits,
Almost everything which the farmer pro-
duoes this year is quick of sale at advancing
prices, though since one of the causes Of this
advance is the shortness of crops the Guilt
vator only gains in price by loss in quantity.
Though the potato crop of 1881 is still
somewhat uncertain, enough is known TO
predict small average throughout the coun-
try. Those who harvest fair crops Of tubers
may consider themselves favored exceptions.
Extreme drought in the middle and western
states has in many sections made potatoes
scarce and high, owing to the falling off in
the crop by nearly fifty per cent. In some
sections of New England the crop has also
been cut short by dry weather, while the rust
and blight have had the effect of reducing the
size and quality of the potatoes The guam
tity of small and understandable specimens,
as shown at harvesting, is larger than usual.
The receipts of potatoes in the Boston mar
ket since the season opened have been very
nearly 110, 900 bushels, against 1875, 900 bush
els for the corresponding period last year, or
falling of in receipts of about II per cent.
Potatoes are also very firm in price, rs COM
pared with last year Choice Eastern Rose,
selling last year in September for 60 to 60
cents per bushel, are now worth 80 TO So
cents by the carload. One or two other
causes operate to keep up the price of pota-
toes beside the light crop reports. There is
n better demand in the South. A large crop
in Ohio, Michigan and the middle states filed
up the New York and Philadelphia and south
ern markets last year, and kept them full
greater part of the season. Such is not the
case this year. Free shipments of eastern
potatoes are already being made to the south
ward, and short crop of sweet potatoes
makes brisk market. Again, eastern pota-
-. III l.. III NJ. II Il
phia and southern markets that sweet pota-
toes are more largely drawn upon for home
consumption, and hence they are not shipped
freely to this and other northern markets.
As another result, sweet potatoes are dearer
here. In many places in the West at the
present time potatoes are selling at double
the price current in this vicinity. This may
lead to a large demand for eastern potatoes
There is likely to be quite n speculative
movement among the dealers in potatoes.
Corners, booms, specuations seem TO be the
order of the day in wheat corn, cotton. pork
products hay and the like. These unnatural
influences may be brought to bear upon pota-
toes, but the shrewd farmer will avoid any
speculative ventures and sell his crop when
cash buyer wants it at a high price. Already
quite speculative movement in potatoes is
apparent in Canada. In the vicinity of
Montreal some 40, 900 bushels have been con-
tracted for by American buyers. The price
paid was 55 cents per bag of 30 pounds, or
about 81 cents a bushel. When the duty,
freight and other expenses are added, this
will make them cost pretty dear, so that we
do not think that many of them will be want
ed this way.
Good prices may be expected TO rule for the
present crop of potatoes, though high range
brings out an enormous surplus from Province
Maui pr,,pg.tyioly o,,I
Prince Edwards Island, ready to come for
ward at price. High prices will also divert
thousands of bushels generally consumed by
starch factories The present price for pota-
toes is rather tempting to those farmers who
have secured good crop, and in holding for
a future possible rise all the risks of shrink
age and rotting, as we'll as the expense of sto-
rage and extra handling, should be taken into
careful account.
Tomatoes have failed to produce well this
| year. Drought in many sections and blight
in others have made serious reduction in the
| crops. Last year tomatoes we're cheap and
| plenty, while this season, owing to short and
| inferior crop, prices have nearly quadrupled.
Canned tomatoes will rule higher, as the great
tomato growers in Maryland, New Jersey and
Delaware, in the vicinity of large canning fac
tories, have light supply from the fact that
| the long spell of dry weather almost burned
everything in the vegetable line to a crisp.
| The packing of almost everything has beer
cut short, owing to the fact that short crops
have reduced the material for canning. I'm
der the most favorable exhibit the pack can
not equal that of last year.
| In all the great city markets of New York
Boston, Chicago, and others, there seems tC
be scarcity of vegetables. As a Quincy
market dealer said to us this week, there il
not enough choice garden truck to answer the
demand; hence, where several parties com
pete in the purchase of one or more lots Of
vegetables, the price is pretty sure to advance
Cabbages are quite plenty, the season having
favored their growth, while squashes have
suffered severely from fungi, as is also tn,
case with cucumbers grown for pickles. TIT
crop of watermelons, especially in the south
has been unusually large, while the local croI
of cantaloupes is small and dear in price
Some of the finest melons ever tasted in thi
market have been received this month from
Montreal, Canada.
The crop of native peaches, now coming
forward, is much larger than that of last year
but it is hardly up to what was expected of i
| when the southern crop was found to be
failure. In some sections the fruit is said L
be dropping from the trees, immature ant
small Still there are now some fine peache
to be found in the market. They sell, by tn
commission Dealers all the way from $1.2
to So per basket. Pears are doing much bet
ter than was expected of them when il wa
found that the crop was very heavy and tn
market likely to be glutted. A good HON
demand, to which is added call for shipmen
of pears to New York and Philadelphia, keep
the market up. Pears at 81. 80 to $1.75 pc
bushel, at which price they have ruled 70
some days, is not quite so bad, although o
course many inferior lots have been sold a
low prices. In New York many good pear
have sold at 81 per barrel. Grapes are plen
ty at so to 50 per crate eight and min
cents pound for Delawares and four to fiv
cents for Concords.
Apples are firmer. Shipments to Europ
have commenced, and prices will undoubted
ly hold firm for some time. Last year at thi
time choice apples were selling at 81 to 81 2
per barrel; now they are worth 81 so to So. 3
per barrel. The exports last week from Bos
ton were about 800 barrels, and from Montrea
5000 barrels. Last year at this time we wer
shipping at the rate of 10000 to TO- 600 bar
rels week. Notwithstanding the fact tina
there are some favored localities, like Esse
county, Mass, yet the apple crop of 1881
small one, and prices of winter varieties wi
rule high. Winter apples will be a light Gro
everywhere, except perhaps in Maine an
Michigan, After December / the short Gro
of apples will make itself felt, the smalle
fruits being mostly disposed of by that tim,
A fair supply of fall varieties will probabl
keep prices reasonable until that date Their
is no doubt that the yield of apples will
much less than last year, not only on accour
of its being the ''of" year for apples, but b.
cause the dry weather has caused much of th
fruit which had ''set' to drop before ripenin(