New-York tribune., 1901-08-11
POTATOES GROW SMALL.
THERE IS A SCARCITY OF ALL PRODUCE
AND FRUIT BECAUSE OF PRO
LONGED DROUTH.


rnemy drouth has been this year suffieiehtiy
,,olonqed and desperate TO attract the attention
nj oven the CITY dwefer whose thoughts on the
subject of the distribution of produce generaiis
yo hack no further than the corner grocery. III
is the fact that he is suffering now mat 'iihs
hi mind to the conflict which mas gone Oh ioi
weeks all over the country. The price OF po'a-
toes has risen by leaps and bounds Lettuce
has no longer a heart. Tomatoes are full or
krots Cucumbers a snare and a deiusioh
Ct,inr beans won't string, despite the efforts OF
the cock The bills rise as the quality fals OIL
and something is evidently wrong somewhere
How wrong a glance at prices for this year ana
lhe corresponding week last year VIII sho"
OF all the farmers army it was the potato bat
laon which suffered most in the fight report
would have it entirely routed, but things are not
so had as that However, potatoes last week
brought 81 and 81 a barrel, while at q correspond
lre, time a year ago the same could be bought
for not more than 81 10 increase of about
,o9 per cent Cucumbers, and poor ones at tnat'
lere worth 81 80 and 81, while similar guam
i;tv last wear cost only 80 cents The price OF
rom has risen nearly 100 per cent; tomatoes
more than that. For cantaloupes one pays at
wholesale just about twice as much as last year
Berries almost alone of all that the market
lfrers are about the same in price and quarry.
New-Jersey has been a heavy sufferer from the
J outh, and that, of course seriously aiiec's Iie
comfort of New-Yorkers. Jersey fruit of almost
pvery kind has been injured and everything
practically yields only a short crop" The same
!, true of Long Island.
The outlook for the future is. however less
disheartening than might be supposed All over
the country potatoes are small and the crops
net equal to the average. but New-1ork state
IND ew-England have still a good many to
Esfer ard the West will send fair supply. The
reports of the potato famine have been un-
uoubtedly exaggerated. "The Fruit Trade Jour
hal after investigating the situation, declares
hat things are not so bad they are painted.
Inc that this winter will not see the towering
brices which have been predicted. Several
prominent merchants maintain that the short
age is only temporary If the potatoes were
larger the crop would be satisfactory. AT any
those nervous persons who have been ex-
pecting to potatoes served In a separate
course as the luxury of the dinner table may
&. m their fears. The humble murphy takes on
{ new Importance, but is not going to be too ex-
elusive AS to the other vegetables, of less con-
sequence to the welfare of the State, there is no
great hope This year the luscious cucumber is
shorn of its glory every side; those who can
not live without plump and juicy tomatoes must
yaek di igently for them, while string beans are
, memory
Reports have been circulated to the effect that
ne Maryland and Delaware peach crops are
! lures This is than half truth; to be
, :act this year will about 1000 carloads of
teaches taken from those two States while
:2G00 came last year. There are plenty of
teaches in Georgia, however and Michigan has
50 per cent of the usual crop. The fruit is good
in spite of the drouth. Apples are few and far
between this year. but there will be enough for
his country Every State has some apples and
a few report many as last year, but others
:ount gloomily on only a quarter of what were
pic ked last The enormous apple indus
try affects many people and the crop is always
W. tched with anxiety. In 1SJ6-9I. for instance,
q great apple year. a little under :SOOO,OOO bar
reis of apples were exported from this country,
putting in circulation something over S6,UOo,OO0.
1t is not to be wondered at that much space
should be given the consideration of the
apple crOD
amid these tales of shortage and high prices
comes the cheering that there will be
grapes enough TO go around without stnting any
body After all the New-Yorker will not fare
so badly The best of everything will come to
him, and in spite of the disastrous results of
the recent fight fair proportion OF every part
tale.
ARTIFICIAL STUHPS.