Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-09-23

There is every probability that po-
tatoes will be high during the COM
ing winter. In fact they are already
up and up to stay. Home grown are
selling at from 40 TO so cents i
bushel while year ago they were
going at % cents. The crop is small
only from to tubers being found
under a hill. The same story comes
from the potato counties to the north.
This is not the only state where the
potato crop has fallen off. The acre
spring owing to the low price at which
the enormous crop of 1896 was mar
keted. Cold weather during the early
spring, with rains in some localities
also retarded largely the growth.
In addition to this the hot and dry
weather of the last two weeks COM
bined with the work of the bugs has
played havoc still further with the
acreage and the total yield. The last
gov eminent report places the average
condition of potatoes Ill points be-
low the average for the last ten
years. The effect of the hot and dry
weather is indicated by the falling off
of 11.2 points as compared with the
condition of August |. The estimate
of the present condition is 1875 points
lower than on September /, 1896
Nebraskas shortage in the crop is
estimated at from 10000 to 300 900
bushels. The Michigan yield is esti-
mated at 80 per cent. of last year
Illinois will raise half crop, and the
decrease In Wisconsin ls placed at
one-fourth.
Cabbages are selling at from 25
cents to 80 cents a dozen. Local deal
ers are selling them at cents head.
The bulk of the deliveries will not be
II ade until next month. The price is
somewhat in advance of last years,
being about 81 a ton more. The crop
this year has been good but the acre
age has not been as large, as farmers
put their land to other uses, owing to
the low price for this product. Brown
and Outagamie counties raise the most
cabbages. One large Green Bay COM
mission house makes the shipping of
cabbages a speciality.
Onions are selling at from % cents
to 60 cents a bushel which is about
the same as last year. Tomatoes are
coming in quite freely and are in
good condition. They sell at about
35 cents a bushel. Last year the price
was % cents. Musk melons have
been going at from 20 cents to 20
cents dozen. No home grown water
melons are placed on the market here.
Apples will go hand in hand with
potatoes toward the luxury class with
the poor this winter. There are plac-
tically none in the local orchards, the
spring frosts having killed the bios
SONS. The crop in the east is also
the smallest IN years. There is not
half crop in Michigan or New York on
which states the north chiefly de-
ponds and Illinois, Missouri and Kan
sas must supply the lack. Good win
ter apples will sell at from SOU to
81 per barrel while last year they
were going at $l75.
Cucumber "picklings' sell at from
Is cents to 20 cents per 100 while
those for table use are about cents
a dozen. There are few peas ana
beans brought to the local market by
farmers. Beans are worth nearly 81
cents bushel.
An unusually large orange crop Is
reported from California. There are
very few Florida oranges on the mar
ket as nearly all the trees were frozen
three years ago. However, they are
not selling much higher than before
and most people cannot distinguish
between the California and the bet
ter Florida fruit few Mexicans
have been placed on the market.
Pears are good but the receipts are
small. They are worth from 81 to
$3.50 per bushel. Peaches have been
a little weaker but this week they
should move we'll. There is only
quarter OF a crop in Michigan and
Canada from which the chief supply
is obtained. Illinois contributed quite
an amount OF the early variety.
Peaches are now going at from 30
cents to 40 cents per bushel Last
year they were worth about 10 cents
a basket less.