The Washington critic., 1885-09-04
FoOD ron TTE PEOPLE.
What the HoUsckccpcr viii Fivd
In ,iir Nni.iAria.


of the fruitcrs' stalls this morning
attracts much attention. Excclcntly-
grown, mellow, juicy peaches from the
later crops were carefully piled in heaps
in the bins samplecut w0tcrmclons
displayed the richness of the melon
crop, clusters Of different colOrcd Juicy
grapes hung In conspicuous places while
the rosy and goldCu-mciOW pears. In their
different varieties, were vOluptuOus in the
eyes of fruit-lovcrs. The fruit season IS at
It's height, and the quality Of the late crops
arc far superior TO that Of the early season.
Peaches ere i'm their very finest condition,
and are the dclicacy of the fruit stalls. They
bring 80 and 60 cents peck, the price vary
ing Of course according to size OF the deli
Cious fruit.
Watcrmclons have been so numerous
and the prices SO cheap that the cool de-
liCious fruit becomes sckening at from to
% cents each. Cantcloupcs, though album
dgnt, have been exceptionally fine the sea-
son through the price at pre- ent continues
within the reach Of all at from . to - cents
each. The pear crop has been phenomenal;
California Bnrtlctts never showed up In
better condition. The size has been re-
markahly large, the fruit mellow and Juicy
and high favored, and the price standard
! mt from go cents to 81 peck. Siclllcs are
~ ftUlH Ihttks Nus-eIS anu llOWtl, lucy
and delicious, are each II peck while the
Duchess for preserving are 80 cents peck
Green Cages for preserving are scarce at
II Il peck. Other price' may be Jumped as
follows. Damsons, 60 cents peck: lemons,
40 dozen; California plums, 20 quart;
bright red Wild goose plums 10 and Ia
quart; secdloss Florida oranges, 50 aud go u
dozen.
FISH.
L. 4
usual brisk appearance. Bunches of pretty
sliycry gray white perch hung from the
hooks. Blue fish and taylors were packed
In cases Of crushed ice, while the hundreds
Of hard crabs scramble through the damn
sea grass, their claws ready to grasp any
thing that happened to come within reach
| The fish quotations remain unchanged
| though the quality Is perceptibly better
| since the cool weather set in. Blue fish
! from the jersey coast are becoming more
! plentiful, and are 10 cents pound. Ilalibut
| continues choice at 20 cents pound, while
| Spanish mackcrel are tempting Mt % cents
| pound. Saltwater taylOrs are cheap at l2l
cents a pound. Mackerel are plentiful at
| 10 and 20 cents each, the price varying ac-
cording to the size. White perch are %
| and 10 cents n bunch.
kcnuoboc salmon, firm and solid, are de.
licious at % cents a pound Trout are al
| ways in demand at - cents a pound, while
| shccpshCad at 10 and 30 cents pound find
ready sale. Spat fishing off Piney Point is
| reported as excellent. They can be pur-
chased at home at 40 cents a bunch. POM
| piuoes from the same waters are 81 a dozen,
| while hog fish in firm condition vary from
| % to 80 cents bunch. Boiling rock is 10
| cents pound, and founders and Goldfish
are 10 cents pound each. Sturgeon is
| becoming scarce ut 10 cents pound. Hard
| crabs fail short of tbp nnYnnpI ut ~,
cents a dozen. Soft crabs, toothesOme on
toast, continue high at 75 cents and 81
dozen. CLAIMS are 10 cents a dozen.
VEGETABLES.
The past few days of rain and cool
weather have had pcrceptibly good effect
ON the growing crops. The corn appears
more tender and sweet. Cabbage is iirmcr,
larger, and more solid, the delicate green
leaves displaying thorough maturity.
lunches of dark red beets are ripper still as
result Of the excellent growing weather.
| New potatoes are % cents peck. Sweet
| potatoes are well grown and in demand
at from 90 to 40 cents peck. Lettuce, rs
delicate as ripened In the hot house. is .
and cents a head. Solid heads OF cabbage
range from to s cents a head, the cheapest
corn, tender juicy, and sweet, are as ever
the choice at prices varying from 10 to 20
cents n Dozen
Large purple egg plants are cheap at ) and
10 cents apiece. Lima beans are as fine as
could be desired at is cents quart. To-
matoes from the finest crop in many years,
are % cents peek, while an inferior quail
ity for making catsup may be had for IL
cents peck. Spinach continues at % and
so cents a peck. Cucumbcrs, crisp and
tender, are 10 cents n dozen. Bcets and
carrots are each cents bunch.
MEATS.
No change in the price of meats is an
rounced for the butchers stalls this week.
The condition Of beef and lamb is said to be
improving, and the supply is equal to the
demand. The following are the quotations:
Iiindquarter, 90 cents and forcQuarter, 10
cents; porterhOuse steaks, % cents; sirioin,
20; round steak, 10: veal, from l2l to 20 the
outlets, from 20 to %, the chops from 10
TO 90, and lamb fries, 10 cents a pair; sweet
breads, 80 and 40.
POULTRY AND GAME,
The general patronage Is becoming more
brisk, and the poultry stalls since the de-
lightful weather set in Is causing many of
those who were at the seashorc or in the
country to return to the city with an in
creased appetite for tOOthsome young fowls.
Since the opening of the cunning season,
last Tuesday, the poultry stalls have been
abundantly supplied with the game in sea-
son. Fat and toothsomc reed birds are 60
cents dozen. Blackbirds, in better con
dition than for many years past, are 80
cents dozen. Ortolan so far have been
quite scarce, but the supply Is equal to the
demand, at 90 cents a dozen. Jack snpes
in excellent condition are 50 dozen. Blue
wing ducks, the first duck of the season,
are ~ pair. Woodcock continue scarce
at 81 % a pair. Among the other quotations
are: Spring chicken, 5Oc.GSl per pair;
ducks, 22 cents per pound; turkey, 10 cents
FER pound; squads, 80 cents per pair.