Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-26
BADWEATHER'S EFFECT
Alar mAmong the Local Pro-
duce Dealers.
RISE IN PRICES NOTED
THOUSANDS OF BUSHELS OF Po-
TAToES LOST.
Dealer States He Has Known No such
Season Since 1s72-Market
Supplies.
RISE IN PRICES NOTED

Some alarm is being caused the local pro-
a,ce dealers because of the continued wet
and cool weather. 1t is becoming difhcuit
matter for many of the dealers to get STOCK
enough to meet the demands, and unless
there is a change in the weather condi-
lions in the near future there will be put
a small variety of vegetables handled by
some of the dealers. Farmers and truckers
about the surrounding country have been
unable to make much Roadway In the veg
Vsstlo line. Thousands of bushels OF po-
aatoes planted for early crops have rotteo
In the ground and the small supply whlch
matured has brought good prices.
The price of potatoes is soaring skyward.
and in a short time they will be considered
a luxury. unless some relief is obtained
While there has been SO much wet weather
in this section, dry weather has been eX-
perienced elsewhere and the crop from the
vicinity of Norfolk and the CarOnnaS mas
been in great demand. 1t is stated that
32OOO barrels of potatoes sent TO New
York were taken off the hands OF the com
mission merchants In single DAY. dealers
in the local markets were paying as mucn
as So a barrel for them this morning, ana
expect to pay much more for them In the
near future.
member of the firm of Charles Engels
Sons said to a Star reporter that he had
been in business since 1872 and had never
before known of such a season as the pres
ent one. Where potatoes will be obtained
when the present supply eXhaustS he Sald
he had no idea.
While the potato crop is perhaps more
seriously affected than anything else in the
vegetable line, all the farmers in this sec
tion are complaining of the loss of their
crops Because of the immense amount of
rain that has fallen, it is impossible to do
anything in the way of cultivation.
Watermelons are not scarce. nor are they
~ II tl,ny- has lya,Nt
down the demand for the Georgia fruit, and
the consequence is that low prices rule
Choice melons are to be had from % to 40
cents. Florida canteloupeS are said to be
much poorer this season than usual. Most
of them are green when they reach here,
and but few of them have the delicious
canteloupe flavor. Several boxes of cante-
loupes were received here today from Cali
fornia for Saturdays market, and the dealer
to whom they were consigned said he had
not yet decided at what price to sell them.
They cost more than 50 a box delivered
here, and they will average less than fifty
to box.
Corn In Poor Condition.
Corn from the Carolinas is In poor condi-
ton, and the stock is selling at 90 cents a
dozen. A dealer explained that this price
has to be charged for the reason that much
of the vegetable has not matured enough
TO SELL
at from 80 to 60 cents bunch. while the
odds and ends from this section sell at
about 30 cents. Several barrels of parsley
were received here this week from New
Orleans while celery has been received
from Bermuda and Ohio and Michigan The
Bermuda celery is Is cents bunch, while
that from the states is to be had at four
for % cents Strawberries are about played
out. but there is an abundance of other
berries, and they are cheap There are very
lew good cherries he had
from California. Thirty cents a pound is
the price. Most of the cherries from this
section as we'll as the New York stock are
water-soaked. Homegrown tomatoes are
high, but those from Florida are cheap
The Fish Market
Weather conditions have also affected the
hsh market. All kinds of fish are scarce
and higher prices necessarily prevail Soft
crabs were scarce for short time. but
they are more plentiful again and are sell
ing at from 30 to 60 cents a Dozen 1t is
considered unfortunate by some of the deal
ers that the shad season is over and that
the shad caught in this vicinity cannot be
sold in the local market. Many fine shad
are being dipped from the river in the
nelghborhood of the Chain bridge, and some
or them are being purchased by private
parties and brought to the city. During
the past two weeks many fresh shad and
shad roe have been enjoyed by Washinsto-
handle them The people who purchase
them in Virginia and bring them across
the river are liable to punishment under
the law. but ii is not an easy matter to ap-
prehend those who are guilty of violation
of the laws provisions.
Price of Meat
Meat is lower than 1t was last week ex-
cept so far as veal is concerned. There
has been but small drop. however and
the retail market is not much affected Most
meats have dropped about 81 on the hun
dred and veal has advanced about one-half
this amount. The poultry market is about
the same as ii was last week.
Old rivermen who base their weather
knowledge on the appearance of the clouds
and other signs in the heavens say that
change in the weather is at hand and that
II will not be long before summer, with
Its heat. will be here sure enough.
They say that clearing northwest winds