The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-06-26
MINES BERRIES SWEET
STRAWBERRY enof OF 1898 THE
PEERaOFyaANY-
Luscious Fruit Aaased in This State
Competed WITH the Product of
the Sunny sostn as Well as That
of the Pacific Slope, and the
Comparison WasSNot Damaging
to 1t. M


Never before in the history of the
local market have Strawberries been as
plentiful and as of fine a variety as
during the present season.
Although the season for the foreign
berry Is about over, the recent rains
have helped along the late local crop
10 SUCH an extent that for a week or
more st. Paul housewives will have
chance to purchase in any quantity the
minnesota berry, which for size and
1avor is surpassed by none In the mar
ket. 5.s5-'s .
Fully 200 cars have been shipped into
st. Paul during the three weeks past
and have foundoCa sEeady mark ct. aaPos-
sibly rs per cent of the consignments
received in this market have bean
bought up by local berry spectators
TO supply the outside trade
Ih1s means that ST Paul people con-
Sumed nearly fifty cars more of the
fruit this year than last, and in round
hgures the number Of quarts used by
the trade would number several mil
lions.
The Minnesota berry has been more
pientlIul this year than ever before. and
much larger in Size than previous
years. This Is partly accounted for by
the growing popularity of strawberry
raising in connection with general
farming in the localities best adapted
to Its culture, and the further fact that
about half the crop picked in Mime
sofa TINS year has been off new beds.
Many new beds were put out last fall
which yielded for the first time this
spring, and the season previous saw am
exceptionally large number of beds put
IN, the product of which made an ex-
cellent showing this year.
Unless the beds are renewed every
so often, the plant after few years
becomes dwarfed.j and each year the
berry decreases in size and general an
pearance. -
The crop from Minnesota and Wis
consin has even been better than the
yield of some OF the more popular berry.
states in the South, occasioned by TIE
almost perfect climatic conditions in
the Northwest.
The Minnesota berry was excep-
tionally early this. year. for no more
had the Southern berry commenced TO
come in pretty steady shipments than
the Minnesota and Wisconsin variety
was dumped on the market in car.
load lots. The demand right through
has been good, Iyet the commission
men are complaining of the low price
OF the frult and the small margin
upon which they were compelled to
handle them. At no time was the
berry a drug on the market, as there
were always outside orders enough an
hand to take all offerings. At times
the local dealers bought more than
they could dispose of to the retail
trade, but 1T is safe to say that the
fruits netted ali handling it a neat
sum.
The st. Paul strawberry market is
looked upon by Southern growers as
one of the best in the United States
It has been asserted by one well in
formed as to the strawberry interests
OF the middle West that more berries
are sold in ST. Paul every year than in
twice its size.
The people of ST. Paul have not only
cultivated taste for Strawberries,
but they demand only the best. The
Southern growers and those of our
own state have learned this, as a.
small watery berry is generally dead
loss to the consignee, being almost I'M
salabIe.
At one time it was thought that the
Hood river, Washington, berry could
be successfully marketed in ST. paul
Last year doz&n5 OH more cars were
shipped in. and 'theS7 brought 10 cents
per case more than either the local or
the Southern product, but at that
there was loss, as the freight rates
across the mountains amounted to al
most as much an the. cost of the ber-
ries I'M
This year some eohcessions In rates
were made and a nufSber of care were
shipped to ST. PSul A4t happened that
they reached heS juA about the time
so much Of theSa9cal, Wisconsin and
Southern produ was being dumped
on the market, and did not bring
price which would make it profitable
to continue shprpeHts. The Hood
river berry, although looked upon as
the finest in thSfcountry is no better
than the Minnesota strawberry. In
some instances it is little larger, but
the flavor Of the Minnesota berry beats
the world.