The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-12-22

W HAVEN MORNING JOJ
in Tennessee and North Carolina. Il is
extremely poor in New York state,
which generally raises more chestnuts
than any other state in the Union; also,
in Pennsylvania, New England and
Ohio. Maryland and West Virginia are
said to have only one-third Of a crop.
In Ohio the chestnuts are not only few.
but are Of poor quality. On the other
hand. the quality of the southern nuts
is exceptionally good. The general
failure Of the crop is attributed TO a
sort of blight. caused by too little hui
nudity at the time it was wanted, and
too much rain when it was not wanted.
Usually. it is said. the chestnut t rec
thriycs in moist atmosphere. which
produces well-deyeloped. full-flavOred
nut. The price Of chestnuts started
this year at twelve dollars per bushel
in the middle of September, declined to
eight and seven dollars in the early
part of October, and then to five and
siXf dollars in the rest of October and
November
The present price for the best chest
nuts is about six dollars per bushel.
In 1898, when the crop was the largest
ever known. being good in all parts of
the country, chestnuts sold at this time
of the year for from three dollars to
three and a half per bushel. The aver
age prices this season have exceeded
those in any previous year. 1t is esti-
mated that the total crop Of the United
States this year is only about thirty
thousand bushels, and that about TWEEN
ty thousand of these have been re-
ceiVed in this city. Baltimore. which is
the center of the southern trade. ship
ping to New York as the best distrib-
uting point. Over five thousand bush
els have been sent from this city to
Boston alone. Sales have been very
brisk, and on firm here sold fifteen
hundred bushels within five hours on
an October morning.
Italian chestnuts, the importation OF
which is increasing every year, are also
selling at higher prices than usual.
owing both to a short crop in all parts
of Italy and the shortage of the Amer
lean nuts. The finest, which come from
Piedmont, are now sold at from six to
eight cents per pound, and those from
Naples at from four to five and one
half cents per pound. About six thou
sand barrels of the Piedmontese chest
nuts have been received here so far,
and some two to three thousand cass
from Naples. New York has also re-
ceivpd a considerable quantity Of
French chestnuts selling at from three
to FIVE and one-half cents per pound.
The imported chestnuts, which are
much larger than the American nuts,
are used chiefly by confectioners. I'M
ports will continue to arrive till about
Christmas.
HICKORY NUTS AND PECANS.
Owing to the different ways in which,
the trees are affected by the same
weather conditions hickory nuts are
usually plentiful when chestnuts are
scarce, and vice versa, but this year,
strange to say, the hickory crop is eX-
tremely light, and prices are higher
than ever before known. The hickory
nuts are grown principally in Pennsyl-
vania, Ohio and Indiana, with a good
many in New York state and Con-
necticut in favorable years. This sea-
son the crop was poor in all sections.
One dealer here received just one bar
rel of the nuts from a firm in Ohio
which usd to send him a carload of one
hundred and sixty barrels. The prices
are now four and five dollars per bush
ell, according to quality. while usually
at this time they are one and a half to
two dollars. Even old nuts which have
been over two years in storage can now
be sold for two dollars per bushel. The
hickories are used chiefly by confec-
TONERS and bakers.
There was an immense crop of pecans
this year in Texas, the principal pro-
ducing state, and also large crop in
Mexica. The supply is SO large that
the prices of the shelled nuts, cleaned
and polished as they are used for des-
sert and by confectioners. are now only
from seven and one-halw to eight and
one-half cents per pound. Earlier in
the season they were from nine to elev-
cents.
Walnuts are coming in very slowly.
California Standards are twelve cents
per pound. soft-shells twelve and one
half cents, French ten and one-half
cents and Grennbles twelve and one
half cents. The meats of the domestic
black walnuts are ceiling at sixteen to
eighteen cents per pound. being on the
average about five cents per pound
higher than last season. The demand
for almonds is good and the supply
limited. Brazil nuts are higher than
usual, and the supply is rather short
Filberts are selling freely at from
eight and one-half to twelve and one
half cents per pound, which is about
the average rate.
------"----------~------
NEGROES IN WASHINGTON.