Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-04-22
GOOD EATABLES.
Fruits, Fish, and Other Pro.
vemder.

The strawberry season has opened
here. We get the delicious berry at
present mainly from gardens in Lou
isiana, and they retail at twenty-five
cents a pint.
Our fret berries grown in this vi
cinity came in last year or he 10Th of
April. They will not be on hand this
year before the second week in May.
say about the 10th, or three weeks
from now. At first receipts will be
light, but a large yield is anticipated,
and prices are expected to be reason
able. Indeed, the prospect could not
be better than it is at this time. Out
at Bartlett the patches are in fine or
der, and promise a prolific out-turn.
Ben Hart, who lives four miles east
OF the city, a former we'll known ar
fist and skillful portrait painter, has
a seven-acre patch which last year
yielded 1000 quarts, and he regarded
the crop as a failure. His friends
expect him to gather at
least $4,000 quarts this season,
from the same plants. They are
nearly all for this market.
Last year strawberries, owing to the
general scarcity, averaged about fifteen
cents throughout the season. More
sold for twenty cents than did for
twelve and a half cents. The lateness
of the present season was caused by
the late cold snap killing the young
blooms. Since then a new set Olos-
somed forth and in great numbers.
The plants are everywhere vigorous
and in splendid order.
Other small fruits, such as peaches,
plums, etc, promise a fair yield. The
cold spring freezes killed a good
portion, but no orchards hereabouts
were thinned out more than lust
enough to make the fruit mature well.
The trees contain about as much fruit
as they will be able to stand up under,
and ripen properly. Apples. are in
excellent promise. Their blooms are
just beginning to drop off.
The garden vegetable crop is in
excellent condition, though a little
late. Potatoes are growing finely, and
the yield h%ereabouts bids fair to be the
largest ever known. Every grower
poets to realize handsome profits, as it
is expected a ready demand will be
found for every potato we have t ospare
out among the western cities. If our
season is a little late, theirs is still
later, and the interval gives a chance
for gardeners hereabouts to sell at good
profits.
AS yet, our market has nothing in
the way of home grown vegetables, ex-
cept radisbes, greens, lettuce and a few
onious.
Now that Easter is over, fish is
plentiful and cheap. Reel. foot lake
perch and trout of large size and ex.
cellent appearance, sell for s and 1Oc
per pound at wholesale. A few days
ago they were13 and IA cents. They
now retail for about that. I'VE are
getting plenty Of Mackinaw trout, sal
mon and white fish from lake Erica
they retail at Is cents per pound.
Snappers from the gulf sell at 10
cents, and the delicious pompano at
81 25 for a t pound fish. Poto-
mac shad retail at 20 cents per pound,
or 40 cents to 81 per fish.
Little or no game has been in mar
ket for some weeks back. "A duck
now and then, a piece of not very
tempting venison, a few snipe, and an
old squirrel occasionally, covers the
list, and there is not much demand for
it.
Spring lambs are, however, in de-
mand, and green peas, from New Or
leans, may be had for six bits a peck.
Young spring chickens are expected
within a few days, though none have
offered yet. At present one can buv
two dozen eggs for a quarter; not at
retail, however, but in boxes contain
ing several dozen. Small dealers sell
at fifteen to seventeen cents. Butter
is getting cheaper, and the prospects
indicate plenty Of good living at mod
crate prices this spring, all strawberry
cake material especially having a
downward tendency.