The Washington critic., 1885-06-05
THROUGH THE MARKETS.
Results of Interviews with the Prov
sion Dealers.

AWlAON luOIlllllB lllHH Ill lne past, so us 10
escape the heat ofthe day. They will find
the fruits and vegetables looking much
iresher than last week, as the recent rain
storm, followed by the bright sunshine,
has had the effect to make the crop fairly
spring from the earth. The groups of old
colored women, too outside the markets
grow more picturesque as the fronds of
their ferns grow brighter and more
fcathery Their little bundles of asparagus
seem freshcr than those of other venders,
cut as they are from their own little gar
dens while still glistening with the early
morning dew.
BUTTER AND EGGS.
Special Officer Mckay at the Center
Market, stated to q reporter of THE Critic
to-day that great frauds had been pcrpe-
trated on the people by some of the I'M
pretentious cOuntrymen who handled
oleomargarine on the outside of the mar
lict, put up in small country rolls which
they sold as pure country butter. He had
been vigilant in breaking up this fraud,
and had succeeded only after carrying
some of the cases before the Police Court.
He said that he could guarantee the pub
lie that the game was no longer being car
ried on, and that they could buy the rolls
of butter which sit on the little stands
within the white space line with perfect
satisfaction of fgetting genuine butter.
Butter remains cheap, regardless of the
expense of filling the iCc-boX i'm which to
keep ii from melting. The finest Penn
sylyania print is 40 cents pound. The
Pennsylvania and Elgin, which is also a
IN mOdc, is down TO 35 cents The best
dairy butter is cheaper still, at 30 cents,
while ordinary to good butter varies from
20 to 20 cents pound.
Eggs are 20 cents dozen.
MEATS.
The quality of spring lamb is better this
week and also lower in price Fore and
hind quarters of the best grade are selling
| for 20 cents a pound. The price of veal
| varies with the market, outlets, from good
| to choice, being from 20 to % cents a
pound, and fillet from Is to % cents. Veal
| chops still remain cheap, the prices vary
| ing with the cut, being 10 and % cents q
| pound. Sweetbreads are plentiful, the
| prices also varying from 3j to 30 cents n
| pair. The quotations of beef and mutton
! remain unchanged. The best rib-roast is
| 20 and the lower grade - cents. Nice
| porterhouse steaks are still bringing 20
10 25 cents, while corn beef is as low as
| TO l24 cents. The prices of ham re-
main medium; the best is l2l to IL cents.
| Shoulders, s and . cents. Breakfast bacon
| shows but little difference, being and
| cents Hog jowls are cheap 6 and s
| cents. Dried beef off the piece is bringing
~ ttlltS SllCtu % ana ClllpDcu ~ cents.
| Beef tongue is way up, being 60 cents a
| pound.
POULTRY AND GAME.
Fair tempting spring chickens are the
| delicacy of the poultry stalls this week.
| Those tender small fowls, dressed, weigh
ing from four to five pounds pair are
| selling for 80 cents a pound. Gearling;
are % cents a pound, while old fowls are
| as low as 16 cents. Turkeys are scarce
| n lgat
| prices, however, have not advanced much
as they can be bought already dressed
| from rs to Is cents pound. None of the
toothsome young ducklings have reached
the market yet. Domestic ducks are II
cents a pound. Asquab pot-pie would bt
birds remain firm--50 cents pair Tn,
gaming season is over and consequent,
there is no game in the market.
FISH.
The fishing season on the Potomac
ceases next week. The shad sllpplywhicl
was scant is rapidly lessening, but ar,
still excellent in spite of the opening o
summer. Male shad are 80 cents a pair
and roe sdad are 81 pair Fresh mackere
mains cheap, being from to 10 cent,
apiece. Boiling rock is 20 cents pound
and halibut 10 cents a pound. Goldfish i,
plentiful at 10 cents pound, while
perch closes out with the
closing of the Potomac fish,
| ing season, and the price.
have jumped up to % to 10 cents bunch.
Pickerel are 10 cents pound. Spanish
mackeral is dish for the epicure being
80 cents pound. Fresh salmon is higher
still at 30 cents pound. Salt water tay'
lors remain about the same ut 12l cents q
pound. Salmon trout is 10 cents pound
Soft crabs are 81 dozen and are very
md al iff1 Il,nNr tt,.,t
larly nice this year, being plump and deli
cate. Hard shell crabs are 25 cents q
dozen. The lobster dish is be
coming more popular and some of the
fishermen say that they can't get n large
enough supply. The meat is cheap al
10 cents pound. CLANS are 10 cents q
dozen. Sturgeon meat is ~ to - cents Il
pound. Smoked and salted fish remain
about the same. Smoked mackcrel are
to cents apiece. Dried herring arc plcn
tiful and are 20 and 80 cents dozen. Eel,
sell slow, even at 10 and 20 cents pound
Scotch herring, the cheapest fish on tho
bunch, are 10 cents dozen. Smoked
haddock are 124 cents pound. Smoked
shad are becoming more popular and arc
10 cents pound, while the salted shad /.
124 cents. No. 1 mackcrcl are 10 to q
cents apiece.
VEGETABLES.
Vegetables are better grown, freshera and
little lower in price than last week
Bright, solid, purple egg plants are now
in market and can be bought from 10 t.
20 cents each. Some which have held
over and have become wilted can be
bought for 10 cents, but in this condition
they are not safe to eat. Firm, solid
white heads of hot-housc cauliflower are
% and 80 cents each, Old potatoes are q
to 80 cents peck, while the new potatoes
which are of good size, vary'from 40 cent'
to 81 peck. Asparagus varies all Tho
way from to 10 cents n bunch. Tina
handled by the country women outside il
the freshest. Rhubarb is 3 to cents {
bunch. Lettuce is in excellent condition
and is only and 5 cents head. Cabbage
is cheaper at s and 10 cents n head
Kale is also in demand at 10 and 20 cents
a peck. Spinach is % to 30 cents a peck
Green peas are not so good this year
They are 25 and 80 cents a peck Toma
toes are becoming cheaper at 10 and II
cents a basket. Bunch onions look fresh
3cents bunch. String beans are way up
being GO cents to 81 peck. New beets arc
in market and are s and 10 cents bunch
Cymlings have put in their appearance al
3 and 10 cents each. Radishes are 3 and 7
cents bunch. Cucumbcrs are becominl
plentiful and are 3 and 8 cents apiece
Lima beans are nice and are Ii cents q
quart
FRUITS.
The strawberry crop IS far behind, anC
the prices vary from 10 to 20 cents a box
Sugar-lOaf pineapples are becoming plenti
ful, and are 10 to % cents apiece. The
cherry crop promises TO be large as the
juicy fruit ispentful so far, from 3 to |.