The times., 1900-12-23
HOLIDAY FOOD SUPPLIES
The Washington Markets Well
Stocked for Christmas.
The Game supply Not Great ns i'm
Former SeasOns-EarIy Frost Sends
The Stalls Aiundaut1y Supplied
With Turkeys. Chickens and Ducks

The week just passed has been a busy
one in the Washington markets. The
housewife has turned from the purchas-
ing OF presents to the stalls of the mar
kets, where, replete in their dress OF
evergreen and berries, are toothsome tur-
keys. chickens. and game such as no other
market in this country affords. With The
truck farmers and hunters of Mary
land and Virginia close at hand, the
Washington markets enjoy the distinction
Of being the best in the world.
Although the turkey is hardly as sym
bolioal of Christmas as it is of the last
Thursday in November. yet it is generally
the piece de resistance of most Christmas
dinners, and, consequently. an item of
Importance in the mind of the house wife
who is calculating the cost of the feast.
. Turkeys are now more plentiful, in bet
ter condition, and cheaper, so the poultry
dealers say, than they have been at the
holiday season for several years past.
Last week in some of the markets, they
were quoted as low as 10 cents per pound.
Yesterday found the price ranging be-
tween II and Is cents.
The stretch OF cold weather that has
prevailed in the vicinity OF Washing
COlQIlIOl
and made ii possible for them TO be kept
for a considerable time in storage with
cut the effect OF age becoming noticeable
In order to avoid the turkey famine that
sometimes ensues on Christmas Eve when
the market has been swept clean by early
buyers, many housewives and buffers, res
taurant and hotel keepers. have their
turkeys and Will keep the birds in cold
storage till Christmas day Chickens are
in avFv.1Nr r-t-a
quoted at practically the same figures.
Game is rather scarce and consequently
pretty high. In the Central Market yes
terday there were few deer and several
bears at the booths ef the game dealers.
yenison and bear when procurable quote
at 30 cents per pound. Some Of the deal
ers dislike to sell their venison by the
pound. however, and often dispose Of an
entire hind to hotel keepers and the chefs
of the large clubs.
Small game is rather scarce. but what
IS on the market is first class in quality.
A brace of canvas back ducks cannot be
procured for less than 50. Mallards bring
but 81 30 per pair, while red heads cost
twice as much. Prairie chickens are more
plentiful than on Thanksgiving. and COM
mand $3.50 a brace. Quail are plentiful
at SO per dozen.
There are plenty OF rabbits hung up at
all the stalls and sell for Is to 20 cents
each, according TO size. A few opossum
also adorn the market. Oysters, ish, and
sheIlhsh command the usual unyarying
prices.
Florida and California oranges are be-
ginning to show on the markets in good
supply and command from 25 cents per
dozen upward. PineappIes are not very
plentiful, and the quality is not always
the best, They sell from 25 to 10 cents
each. The apple crop this year is very
poor and the only good apples on the
market are shipped from New York. The
fruit industry is a much neglected one in
Maryland and Virginia, and 1t is only at
the close OF the most favorable season
that the product is equal in quality 10
that OF the Empire State orchards. The
choice stock OF Baldwins and Bellfowers
sell for $3.50 and 81 per barrel.
A severe frost early in November
played havoc with the produce OF the
truck gardens, and as a consequence the
public is paying from 10 10 20 per cent
more for vegetables of the perishable
variety than they would had normal con-
ditions governed the production of the
crop. Celery is in light supply and
quotations are steadily rising. At pres
ent the market price is 81 per dozen
punches. Lettuce, whole and sound, is
selling at top prices.