The morning times., 1896-08-02
FRUIT CROP IS ONLY FAIR
Quantity Is Sufficient But the
Quality Is Poor.
DEMAND HAS BEEN BRISK
watermelons Are Plentiful and Good,
but CantelOupes HaveSufferedF From
the Unfavorable weather-Peaches
Coming In Slowly and Pears Are
Scarce-Grapes and Small Fruit.

Marketmcn generally speak encourage
ingly OF the fruit crop and say the supply
and demand has been fairly good, but the
quality not quite up to the standard. Up
to the present time this sea son all kinds OF
fruit has come in and has been disposed OF
at prices that have been reasonable to the
CONSUMER and given ralr profit 10 the
Wholesaler and 10 the retailer. majority
OF the shall fruits are yet to coIEe, but
reports are that the supply will he an
excellent one and equal 10 me demand. The
larger fruit, meions, apples. peaches,
pears, plulns, ETC., are stiii coming in and
they make u splendid showing in the
markets.
The fruit crop as u whole has not been
Just what it was expected to lie and
especially is this true Ut the melon crop.
There have been plenty OF cantelOupes In
the market, but they have not hau that
flavor when characterizes this particular
melon. Al the present time the fruit is
coming principally from that section around
the upper end OF the Potomac, Maryland,
and from the northern part OF virginia.
There has been entirely too much moisture,
which has greatly affected the excellence
OF the melon, consequently the prices have
suffered. The prices from the wholesaler
have been S12 to SIS hundred, and from
the retailer from 8 to B cents apiece. At
tie present time the fruit is inclined to he
a little scarce.
WATERMELONS PLENTIFUL.
Watermelons from Georgia, Florida North
and South Carolina have about ceased to
arrive and now they are coming from,
Mar yland, from the Virginia coast, and
from the lower end Of the Potomac. The
supply is equally as good as the demand
and that is saying good deal. The
quality OF the melons are not the best
for the reason that wet weather has
affected them. These melons have been
sold by the wholesale dealer, The cuttings
at So to 81 a hundred, primes at 81 to $40
hundred, and select AelOns at $3.50 TO
SIG a hundred. The retail prices have
varied considerably.
The crop OF peaches has been only fair.
No orchards in this vicinity have been
fortunate enough to produce full crop,
and some have been without any. The
crop around the bays and inlets at the
mouth Of the river and around the Chesa-
peake Bay have been fairly good, and on
the whole the crop has not been So bad
a. 1t might have been. In this particular
vicinity the supply is good and the quality
is about the average.
The severe storm of last Thursday is
reported to have done good deal OF
damage to the trees. This is the report
from the uplands ans the mountain dis
tricts OF Eastern Pennsylvania ana through
Maryland Previous to the storm the
crop was reported to hWs e been very
heavy and the quality good.
Peaches that have come into the market
have sold at wholesale for 90 and 7b
cents for hair bushel basket, and 10
cents to ST so a busbel in crates. Small
baskets of choice peaches for table. use
have sold for 20 TO so cents. Plenty of
peaches are expected yet to arrive, and
while the quality is to he good the prices
may be a uifle lower.
PEARS ARE SCARCE.
There have been but q very few pears
to come in beside the California fruit, and
these come from the Southern States,
principally Florida and Georgia. They
have been of the Lecont variety, fairly
good in quality, and have sold for $1.5o
To IS a barrel. Reports from the North
and Northwest are favorable for a good
crop and sales promise well.
The hot weather had some effect on the
apple crop and the result is that the fruit
which has reached the markets here has
been of rather an inferior quality. None
or the finer fruit of this class has yet
come in, but there are good prospects
that the late arrivals will be of a much
better quality.
There has been fair supply, and there is
a good prospect OF a better crop of grapes
from North Carolina and South western Viz
GINA. There has been aud there are
now in the market plenty OF grapes Of the
Concord, Ives, Delaware, Brighton, aud
Niagara variety, but the demand is limited.
At wholesale the grapes sell for 81 per
crate for the inferior black grape to I
81 80 for the fancy red variety.
Very fewapricots arefoundin themarkets,
only those coming from the West being seen.
Prices are rather high.
Crab apples are scarce SO far, and the
few that can now be found are offered for
80 and 20 cents basket. The fruit is
rather above the average.