The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1904-11-11
Turkeys May Roost High.

As Thanksgiving Day is only little
over two weeks off, much interest is man
ifested in the condition of the turkey
market People are beginning to inquire
about the size of the crop, how the fowls
are fattening and the prices likely to pre-
vail Inquiry among commission mer-
chants who deal largely in turkeys yes
terday indicates that the prices will be
fully as high as last year, with the prob
ability of an advance.
So far very few turkeys are coming into
the local market, but the demand is rath-
er light. The buyers are mainly hotel
and restaurant keepers, and the wholesale
prices range from 13 to Is cents pound
for live stock. This is from to cents
higher than at the same time last fall,
when extreme prices prevailed. Dealers
say the late spring of the current year
was unfavorable for heavy production
while the wet weather that came later
caused many birds to die shortly after
Matching The Maryland, Virginia and
Tennessee crop, from which States Balti-
more receives nearly all of its supply, is
said to be about equal to that of last year,
though the fowls are late in fattening and
will not be as large or in as good condl-
ton. Corn and other grain is higher in
price, and the raisers of turkeys will not
feed them as freely or as long; hence they
will come into the market in poorer con-
dition. U Mike in other seasons, little
frozen stock was carried over from last
year, and the demand will have to be en-
tirely met from this years hatchings.
As the prevailing prices during the fall
of 1903 were so attractive and profitable,
the farmers sacrificed their stock and ma.
terially reduced the chances for breeding.
With this condition there is danger of the
selling prices being forced 50 high that
the consumption will be greatly lessened.
Stevens Bros, who are among the larg-
est turkey dealers in Baltimore, say the
prospects are that there will be as good,
if not better. market than last year, and
they look for higher prices. Live tur-
KEYS sold wholesale last fall as high as 1G
to- 1S cents pound, while picked stock
brought 20 and % cents a pound. The
retail price is irregular and regulated
more by the supply and demand, but
usually ranges from to 5 cents pound
higher than the wholesale prices.
1t is estimated that during the week be,
fore Thanksgiving about 10000 turkeys
will be shipped into Baltimore from Mary
land, Virginia, West Virginia and Tennes-
see. Sometimes. it is said, turkeys are
rushed into the market day or two be-
fore Thanksgiving, when the demand has
been almost fully taken care of, with the
result that the bottom drops out of the
market. The birds won't feed after being
shipped and lose about a pound day, so
must be sold at the best prices that can
be secured. Last year such condition
prevailed, and the day before Thanksgiv-
ing the wholesale price for live turkeys
went down to IL and 10 cents a pound.
One year, Stevens Bros. say, they receiv-
ed single shipment of seven carloads
of live turkeys from Tennessee, each car
containing about 1000. Even if live tur-
keys retail as low as Is to 10 cents a
pound. which is said to lie doubtful,
small one weighing 10 pounds will cost
the consumer from 81 so to $50