The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-12-07
APPLES SCARCE.
Prices Will Advance After the
Holidays.
Talk With a Minneapolis Commission
Man About Apple, Orange
and Lemon Crops.

Apples that have recently been re-
ceived in Mankato have sold at an adj
vance upon the prices asked for the
first shipments: There has been raise
at the different shipping points rang
ing from sixty cents to dollar a
barrel, and a proportionate advance
has been made in this city. From a
prospect of abundance and low prices
few weeks ago, the outlook has
changed to one .of comparative scar
city and higher prices. here has been
disappointment in all the states de-
pended upon for a supply of apples.
Geo. G.. Sherman, of Minneapolis,
secretary and treasurer of the Mankato
Fruit Commission Co., arrived in the
city Friday afternoon with his wife
to remain over Sunday. When asked
by Free Press reporter as to the
causes for the advance in prices, he
replied:
"The Michigan fruit was found to
be wormy and of poor keeping quail
ties In Missouri, where the prospect
was as good as in any section, the
bitter rot reduced the supply, getting
to work just before the crop was ready
to pick In some sections of the state
the apples are good, particularly the
Ben Davis variety, but these are all in
cold storage. The apples that suffered
from bitter rot went into the evapora-
tors, so there are no Missouri apples
in sight at present
"The New York and New England
supply was large enough for the whole
country until the recent great storm,
which caused loss of one-third of
the crop. For this and other reasons
the buyers focked there from all over
the country and this sent the prices
up. The crop is now out of the grow
ers' hands and is held by the dealers
and spectators. Nobody has con-
fidence in the keeping ability of New
York and New England apples after
JAM 1st The people who have the
apples will want to make their profit
and will dispose of their holdings dur
ing December Then they will have
to pay a good, round price for the
cold storage stock. Prices will be
maintained at the present figures un
til Jan. 1st, and then an advance will
take place.
Apples now on the market are Bald
wins, greetings and russets. with a
few northern spies. There is fair
supply of russets, but the main supply
is in Baldwins and greetings No 1
Baldwins bring So by the car and
So. 90 at retail. The Mankato Fruit
Commission Co. has supply of apples
in cold storage.
The company is receiving Washing
ton naval oranges the second carload
arriving today. They will be received
right along from now on. In speak
ing of the orange crop, Mr.. Sherman
said
'The stock this year is very fine and
prices are quite low, starting in fifty
cents box lower than last year.
There is big crop in Mexico, Florida
and California, which are our three
sources of supply. The crop is unus-
ually early this year year ago the
navals did not arrive until nearly
Christmas The oranges now arriving
are of better quality than were the first
arrivals last year Rain in California
has delayed work there ten days, but
will improve the stock. The Mexican
and Florida crops will cut no figure
here from now on this season, for the
country is partial to the California
navals
Oranges are retailing in Mankato
at So. rs a box
New lemons are coming in from
California and are of good quality.
They are quoted the same as last year
at this time, 81 a box.