The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-09-24
APPLES ARE SCARCE.
The Prices Will Shortly be Much
Higher.
Peaches and Grapes Plenty and Prices
Low.

Inc apple growers or tne country,
like other raisers of produce, are
likely to enjoy higher prices for their
products this fall than for many
years. During the past two years,
prices have been very low and last
September ninety cents barrel or
less was all that the growers could
get for their fruit. The cause OF the
better prices is the scarcity and
better quality of the fruit. Eastern
buyers are already swarming over the
western apple growing area. The
great apple producing belts of New
York and Pennsylvania are yielding
only little more than fifty per cent.
of their customary product. The
New England states will have only
fair.crop, while thatin Michigan is said
to be almost a total failure. The
orchards of the west will have 10
contribute to supply the deficiency.
. A disease known as ''bitter rot' has
made it's appearance. on the surface
of many Of the apples in the form OF
a small, dark brown speck, and
spreads after packing in barrels as
result of sweating. This is notice
able on many of the apples on the
market in Mankato.' BY the time
the apples reach their destination
each one is tattooed with these spots,
which at first assume the form of dry
scabs or demonstrations on the skin, Out
gradually penetrate deeper, Wither-
ing and making bitter and uLWhole-
some as it sinks toward the core.
The disease does not appear to be
limited to any locality, but is genera
iu most species of winter apples.
P. S. Thomas, manager of the
Mankato Fruit Commission Co., con-
firms the views expressed above as to
the conditions which must inevitably
lead to unusually high prices for
apples during the coming winter.
He predicts within short time good
winter apples will sell at $3.50 per
barrel in carload lots. He says that
most Of the apples in this market
come FROM Iowa, Illinois and Missouri
and that dealers in making their
purchases must compete with ad-
vance buying agents from the east.
The firm received carload from
Illinois yesterday, and one from
Missouri Saturday. B..
In speaking on this subject, Mr..
Thomas said "Apples in small
orders are already bringing $3.50
barrel, and l look 10 see them bring
$500 to $3.50 barrel before long
During the hot weather we had to
rush our apples, and some of them
were baked by the extreme heat, but
that difficulty is now over"
Fruit is being received daily from
California, the shipments including
pears, grapes, peaches and plums.
Ohio is furnishing most of the grapes,
and they are Of fine quality. The
Fruit Commission Co. received two
carloads today, and is selling car a
day on the average. The season will
last another month, at least, and the
price is not apt to advance, Grapes
are now retailing at the low figure of
fifteen cents a basket.
= Manager, Thomas states that the
peaches are all coming from Califor-
mia, and that Michigan is not selling
any here this year. This latter fact
is accounted for by reason of the
price in the eastern market being so
high that there is no profit in hand
ling the Michigan crop in Minnesota.
The company tried it and will not try
it again. .
This week will end the California
shipments of peaches, as the crop has
been disposed of. Peaches are retail
ing at eighty cents for twenty
pound box, which is as low or lower
than ever before. 1t is not expected
that any advance will be made.
- 4'arAUs nn,c Conn DnunSxH