New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-24
AN UNUSUAL LEMON MARKET
THE INFLUENCE OF FLORIDAs LARGELY Ne
CREASED CROP PLAINLY PERCEPTIBLE-
THE TRADE OUTLOOK


CREASED CROP PLAINLY PERCEPTIBLE-
THE TRADE OUTLOOK.
Strange conditions prevail in the lemon market
| Florida has maturing on her trees an estimated
crop OF fully 200 900 boxes more than four times
as many as at the corresponding date Of last year.
There still to arrive from italian ports. mainly
in Sicily. between and the latter part Of Sep
TENDER about 10000 boxes. The stock In
market Is sufficient to meet all demands meanwhile.
This ample supply hand. together with the largo
quantities yet to arrive from Scilian and other
ports OF Italy. will compel the Florida growers to
leave their fruit unpicked TIL considerably later
than usual
The Florida crop however. will begin to arrive
freely In the course OF about three weeks. and
wild alone be sufficient to supply the Eastern
markets till the next Italian crop begins to arrive
in the latter part OF October. The present abun-
dsnt crop Of Florida Will virtually exclude Spanish
lemons, mainly from Malaga. about 10000 boxes
OF which have generally been received here annu.
ally between the closing OF one Italian season and
the opening OF another
Last year the supply Of italian lemons. which are
as superior to the Florida lemons as the Spanish
fruit is inferior to them. received at American
ports 259590l boxes. against only 454 035 boxes
in 1873. twenty years earlier The receipts this year
will. perhaps somewhat exceed those Of last year.
California, whose crops OF lemons and other fruits.
like those OF Florida rapidly increasing. pro-
have several times that quantity this year. Cali
forna lemons almost wholly consumed in the
markets west OF Chicago. but with the continued
increase OF crops they expected to find their
way still farther eastward. and with the increas-
ing crops of Florida lemons importers will soon
encounter serious competition from domestic
growers.
Just as Florida has already made great inroads
into the Cuban pineapple trade. having supplied
so crates this year. against only 10000 last year,
and into the Italian orange trade already supply.
ing about 100000 boxes year, and with annually
increasing crops. she Is now doing with the
lemon trade. and there are sanguine dealers VINO
predict that in the course OF only a few years the
american fruit market will be practically monopo-
liZed by Florida and California, one state supply.
ing the territory east and the other west OF chi
caCo
The tariff question has been subject OF great
concern to Florida lemon growers who have long
and earnestly advocated increase OF the import
duty. instead OF granting which the "tinkers have
made reduction In the new bill The average
lemon box contains from 800 TO 800 lemons. an!
tariff was 8 cents a package for packages OF
capacity exceeding ~ cubic feet and not exceeding
2is cubic feet per package Under the new bill the
duty provided for Is cents a cubic foot, which
would make the new duty 20 cents box. or s
cents less than the old duty Five cents may seem
to be only insignificant sum. but II Is reduction
would serve entirely to wipe out the present duty.
leaving domestic growers at the mercy OF ioreisn
producers.
Present wholesale prices for fancy lemons range
from 50 Is to A5 box containing $50 lemons;
choice from 81 62l. TO 50 25 Some fancy lemons Of
extra superior quality selling at vs. a box
less than al the corresponding date OF last year,
while other grades are selling at ABOUT the same
prices quoted at this time last season. On account
OF the peculiar conditions OF the market, noted q
TO make offers for fruit to arrive unless backed By
positive orders actually In hand.