Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-06-12
VEGETABLES FOR MARKET.
Where the Supplies for this City Gene
From.


THE EARLY FRUIT AND GARDEN TRUcK-rHE
CONTRIBUTION OF THE SOUTH TO THE NORTH.
ERN MARKErs-rHE MODERN MARKET CON-
PARED WITH THE OLD.
That the Washington markets of to-day are
vastly superior TO the markets OF the olden
time is apparent to all who knew them In ante
bellum days. Then It was quite late In the
spring before any fresh vegetables arrived and
were exposed for sale on the benches, and the
prices asked amounted to prohibition In cases
or persons OF moderate means. Now almost in
the dead Of winter tomatoes, strawberries, early
cabbage, and other vegetables can be found on
the stalls, and there is ready sale for all. This
improved condition Of affairs In due not only to
the fact that these products are raised earlier
but also the recent additions to our population
provides purchasers.
A produce commission merchant speaking to
STAR reporter remarked upon the increase
In the business, noting the fact that there are
today 1--WE to ten engaged in the business TO
where there was one fifteen years ago.
w here do you get your first strawberries"
asked the reporter
why" said he, .the first come from
some (Cubans)a few years ago for a fashionable
though, l paid 81 dollars a quart tor them
Floridas come first and We wholesale them at
Az to 90 cents per quart. Then about week
To- twenty days and bring 20 to 40 per quart:
Ihey have the Sharpless, Seeding, Wilson and
Downing Nextthe North Carolina andNorfolk
berries, come, and are followed by the supply
from this neighborhood. AS this supply grows
smaller and the season in this neighborhood
hor ABOUT over we get berry from the neigh,
their first appearance in respectable quantity
last season and great many will be here this
season. Wen have them In a few days at from
Ten 10 twenty cents per quart The varieties
are the same as those previously named, with
one called the Cumberland Tramp, and they are
ABOUT the finest berry We have ever handled"
SHIPPING STRAWBERRIES To THE NORTH.
"How has the shipping business been this
season." asked the reporter.
There were," answered the commission
man, ''ten thousand crates Of our native berries
Pittsburg and Cleveland. There is just now q
glut and the natives will wind up about this
week. Considering everything our growers
nave done we'll this season, the prices ruling
from 9 TO 3 cents per quart. Some have sold
lower, but few reached as low rs 3 cents. It
costs 30 cents for picking and % cents ex-
pressage"
CUCUMBERs AND OTHER GARDEN PRODUCTS.
"The first cucumbers," continued the COM
mission man, ave receive from New Orleans,
where they are grown in hot beds. They come
in boxes holding about 100 each in February,
and we sell them at 50 per dozen. You would
hardly believe it, but there is growing de-
mand for them at that price. Then the Florida,
Savannah, Charleston and Norfolk cucumbers
Cohe III anu the prices 1all 10 point Wuer6
others than the wealthy people can enjoy them.
southern cabbage commences to come in from
Florida about March both. They come in
crates holding about 60 head, and wholesale
at 50. 80 TO So. The crop in Florida has been
small this season, probably on account OF the
1rost. After these come those grown nearer.
The NOrfOlkS have arrived here In double the
quantities heretofore known end ready sale
Is found at 81 to S1.5O per barrel
The tomatoes reach here early in February, the
first from Bermuda, followed closely by the
Florida tomatoes. They come In peck boxes,
wholesaled at $3.50 per box. The Floridas
have been about three weeks later this season
than usual, and the price has been kept up.
About July 1st the native tomato will come in,
and the prospects tor plentiful crop are good.
come from Bermuda and Florida about April
LIST, bringing "a to SIS per bushel box. The
beans are now down to $1.5O per bushel, and
peas have been down to 81 per barrel. The
nearby peas are about over, but the IN AFRO WHAT'S
are coming in. AS to potatoes this neighbour
hood suffered much from rot, caused by the
rainy weather. There are plenty of Bermudas
and Floridas in the market, which sold in JAM
uary for $50 per barrel, and now bring So,
While our own are from 81 TO $5.'
THE PEACH PROSPECTS,
81 suppose you want to know something of
the peach prospects, said the commission m an
"All can say is that I. H. Massey, r. B. Mas
sey and r. b. Grimes, probably the three
largest peach growers on the Potomac, their
in Westmoreland county, Va, write that the
prospects are good for a large crop of most ex-
cellent fruit, and they will ship from 10000 TO
80. 900 boxes"