Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-09-17
EATABLES.
Something About the Steepness
Of Living.


effects Of the late drought, a few
remarks regarding the cost of things
good to eat.will be in order just now.
Half a dozen or more of whole
deer have been brought to our market
during the past week, also a few sad
dies, They promise to be as plentiful
as usual during the fall and winter
and are in good order. With their
hides off they have sold at &c per lb,
and saddles at 10c wholesale. In
retail way venison is worth at present
Is to zoe per lb.
A few squirrels have arrived and
retail at Zoe apiece. The crop is said
to be moderately abundant, and in
good, fat order. No wild ducks or
turkeys have yet been seen, but tame
ducks are worth 50 rs to 50 90 per
dozen, or 35 to 4Oc each singly.
In the line OF fish, fresh supplies
have been arranged for, as usual, from
Pensacola and the Northern lakes.
Red snappers from the gulf retail at
l21c per ID; Mackinaw trout and white
from the lakes at 15c. The expense
of ice, which is scarce here, has so far
prevented dealers from enjoying much
profit, but later they will doubtless
realize larger margins and sell at lit
tie lower prices.
The prospects are fine for oysters.
In the beds about New York City
they have grown well and have not
been destroyed by their usual depre-
dating enemies. Our dealers have
been receiving them regularly for the
past two weeks, and though the
demand is light at present it will
shortly increase four fold or more.
At this time prices are 90c per quart
keg of about three dozen and 81 Is
per half gal. do for New York ship
mentS and 30 to Coo per can. The
demand just now is mainly for amount
of restaurants and eating houses,
families are buying Sparingly.
The vegetables offering mainly have
a measily, stunted appearance and are
exceedingly high. Our gardeners had
an unusually bad season and their
crops were poor. Irish potatoes are
now mainly supplied from the West,
the home stock having long since been
exhausted. The market men buy at
50 90 to So so per bbl., as in quality,
and sell in a small way from the
market stands at about 40 to SOC per
peck. Sweet potatoes Of home growth
are worth 81 so to s. 90 per Dbl, and
sell high in small way. The recent
rain is thought to have been in time to
help sweets attain improved size
before frost, and it is to be hoped the
crop will be plentiful and cheaper;
Tomatoes are in scarce supply at
present, their production having been
reduced by The long dry spell. The
plants are beginning to revive, and we
may enjoy an improved quantity a
week or two hence. They sell at
about double their usual value when
the crop is abundant. Cabbage, Of
home raising is poor and almost valu-
less. The northern arrivals come in
fine, large shape, and sell at % to 80
cents head, which is two to three
times more than they were worth last
year. Green corn. is scarce, though
the market men this morning had a
very fair showing. 1t is now worth
about a cent an ear, and not very
large ear at that. Onions are in fair
supply, and not more than 40 per cent
above last seasons prices. A little
lettuce of fall growth is coming in,
but like other things in the same line,
is high in value. Egg plants, etc., are
also scarce, and worth more than when
prolific crop has been raised. All
classes of vegetables are from 80 to 90
per cent above the average ruling
prices.
Fruit is in the same fix. Peaches
are worth from so 20 Zoe per box of
one third ola bushel, and retail at
about so cents a peck. Apples are
not very inviting, the crop being
stunted, and by the barrel are from
81 IS to 50 so per barrel, according to
quality. Dried fruit is scarce and
high, ranging from 7 to 90 per lb,
eyaporated apples being worth 15c.
Lemons are $40 to $l2 per box, and
40 cents per dozen. BaDanas are as
cheap as usual, selling at 81 so to 81 90
per bunch. Canned fruits have ad-
venced from 75c to 81 per dozen cans.
A pound of ham now costs 10 or 20
cents, when last year at this time it
was hardly half as valuable. Bacon
is now worth 12 to lac, 7 or Sc above
last year. The same Of lard. Fresh
meats of home production are not
much higher than they were last fall,
but -four has climbed out of sight
almost, its value now being from So to
$40 per Dbl for family qualities. Sugar
and coffee have not advanced much as
yet. Butter is, however, very high
as compared with last years prices,
and eggs in our market at present can
not be looked at under 25 cents =
dozen, retailers in some cases asking
more. At Wholesale they are from 20
to &c for fresh qualities. Chickens
are about at ordinary figures, a very
fair specimen being oblainable for q
cents, and a fat, large hen for 35c.