New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-27
THE GLUT IN THE APPLE MARKET
RETAIL DEALERS MUST MAKE. 100 PER CENT
so CONSUMERS ARE NOT BENEFITED MUCH.

RETAIL DEALERS MUST MAKE. 100 PER CENT,
so CONSUMERS ARE NOT BENEFITED MUCH.
The wall of farmers in the Western part of New
York State over the low and proftless prices offered
for the superabundant crop Of their apple orchards
has been h sd a great many times since the fruit
npened last fall and the oft-repeated cry has set
the consumers in this city TO wondering why the
retail prices here for good fruit show little or no
difference between this plentiful year and a season
Of scarcity. Tribune reporter called OH number
Of fruit and produce commission men downtown 10
get some light the question.
Not since 1 have been in the business SAID
member of the firm Of A. S. Cook & Co., OF NO ITO
warren-st. do l remember such depression In
the apple trade. II is regular apple gorge lana
the market Is completely demorallzed. Like all other
produce the crop is hard handle when the weather
Is warm ia midwinter, and because Of the long
warm spell this year there VIII be a good deal OF
money lost by dealers who have bought largely.
We have man down at the pier from O'Clock
a. ~ to p. ~, and he can hardly sell fifty barrels
In that time When the buying is at all brisk he
ought to sell coo barrels day"
But II the supply is greater than the demand,
said the reporter, why is that the retah price j.
not lowerlD
@Wel lt IS somewhat lower downtown for cheap
varieties Ike the Baldwins and Greenngs. But II the
crop we're doubly plentiful it would be impossible to
buy the best assOrments above Union Square cheapy'
II IS Ike the beef market beef might fall as 1t did
year ago from seven cents pound gross to four cents
| but the h)usekeeper uptown would never Know IL
aud porterhouse steak would still cost above twenty
Ave cents a pound uptown. Now make a calculation.
This year great many apples we're bought early from
the farmers in no instance less than 81 barrel being
paid Add 10 that the cost OF the barrel thlrty-hve
cents and the transportation, twenty-five cents
The wholesale commission merchant has TO get ms
| living and the retailer gets the barrel OF apples iOr
Al Now Il IS estimated that the retailer IS justified In
adding 100 per cent to all losses from damaged
and frUstben fruit He not get twenty barrels OF
good fruit ont Of 100 That makes the barrel or apples
| that sold I'm Western NewYork for 81 cost the con
armer ~ Now that is a cheap barrel OF apples. II
the retailer belongs uptown he has got heavy rent TO
look out for as well as keep up certain style He
may tack on little something for that and II Is reason
able. II his apples are 1rstoass-Spes, spizenbergs
or Kings costing him at wholesale 50 to 80 So or should
they beNewtown pppins worth SO barrel-you can see
that you would have TO give him the apples before he
| could sell them for less than S5 a barreL'
Nix & Co., wholesale commission merchants, OF
No 2s1 Westinghouse, gave much the same reasons
for the disparity OF prices between the shipper and
the retailer where fancy picked fruit is concerned.
Baldwlns and other shipping apples said member
Of the firm at bottom prices at wholesale here.
In fact the commission men Will take almost any offer
that IS made, for the excess OF Badwns IS nearly as
great as that of all the other varieties combined But
choice table apples not abundant. Northern
Spies spzenbergs and Kings are sold high, for they
are tho best IN the market and are scarce"
4" How Is tho export tiade?'
"FrOm September !, 1885, TO the present time there
we're shipped 10 all points from this country, but
chiefly 10 England and scotland, 100000 barrels.
against 49, 900 barrels for the same time last year.
Foreign prices low, and II barely pays to snip them
We have, probably, 100000 barrels in the city now,
and there are up In the country 100000 barrels walt
ing for chance TO escape
william Allen & Co., of No. Io4 waren-st., deal
altogether ovapoaed apples and handle about one.
third of what comes TO this market member of
the firm sam that the supply largely In of
the demand they were shipping large quantities.
one mau In Niagara County had consigned 70 them
1000 boxes OF twenty five pounds each at five cents
a pound, all OF HIS own raising Many others had
done nearly as well.
The general sentiment az tho commission men
seemed 10 be that II the price of apples uptown Is
sill high the fault lay at the door of the retailer,
NOT of the mlddlemen or the apple grower.