Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-25
Benches in Market Present
Attractive Display.
ADVANCE IN PRICES
SOME OF THE STAPLES QUOTED AT
HIGH FIGURES.
Delay in Opening Fish Season Respon
sible for Scarcity of Potomac
Shad and Herring.

Spring delicacies are now to be found in
the markets, and the benches of the deal
ers are more attractive than usual at this
season. Green produce is more plentiful and
cheaper, but a number of the necessaries
of life are scarce and higher prices pre-
vail Since last week there has been
decided advance in the meat market, and
shad and herring. so much in demand dur
ing the Lenten season, are quoted at higher
prices than usual. This is the result of
the delay in the opening of the fishing
season, the ice being later than in former
seasons in moving out. The fish remained
in southern waters. Poultry is still scarce
and high, and dealers are compelled to
use cold storage stock. because of the small
receipts of the other variety. The butter
market is firm. Eggs are cheaper. There
has been a drop In the price of eggs of
more than 20 cents a dozen In compare
lively short time. Fruits are more plenti-
full and cheaper, and there is such great
variety to be had that the stands. with
the addition of fancy vegetables, are made
quite attractive.
AT this season of the year the fish stands
attract more than the usual number of
patrons. and next week being holiday week
the demand will be still greater. An in
creased supply of shad and herring will
probably be on hand then, as the big seines
at the fishing shores will be put in opera
tloH NloHudy. w nile the Shad ana herring
are not so plentiful there is an ample
supply of fish for the demand and the quail
fty is as good as was ever seen in market
Roe shad are 10 cents each, while bucks
are to be had for 40 cents. Twenty-Five
cents is the price asked for shad roe
White Perch Plentiful.
White perch from the lower Potomac are
becoming more plentiful and are in great
demand. One dealer had ninety of them
on his bench yesterday that tipped the
scales at TIC pounds. Ten cents pound
is the price asked for them. Potomac bass
that have been out of the water only a few
hours Sell at 10 cents a pound, and rock
fish at 10 cents. The prices of other fresh
fish are quoted follows: Halibut 10
cents; smelts, 10 cents: cod. 10 cents; sheep
head, 10 cents; red snapper II cents: blue
fish. 10 cents; pompano, % cents; Spanish
mackerel, 10 cents; sea bass. IL cents; had
dock, 10 cents; lake trout. 12la cents: spec
kIed trout, - cents: lake white fish, u
cents; weak fish, 10 cents and salmon, 30
cents a pound.
Dealers are expecting soft crabs almost
any time, and while the first arrivals will
probably be small they will command
larger prices than when they are larger
Frogs are to be had now, and the price
asked is 90 cents a pound. Shrimps are %
cents pound, and 80 cents is the price of
scallops. Oysters and CLAIMS are sold at
their usual prices. Oysters are more plen-
tiful since the ice has disappeared from
the river and are of good quality
The hrst hard crabs of the season were
received by dealer at the fish wharf yes
terday. shipment of six barrels having
been sent him from Norfolk. The crabs
were caught In the lower part of Cnesa-
peake bay, and were large and fine speci-
mems of their species. This shipment is
rather early in the season, but the demand
for the crabs was excellent ard they sold
at good prices. In about six weeks or two
= months crabs from the lower Potomac will
ha
shell crab will be in order.
Poultry and Game.
SQUAD chickens command a higher price
than does anything else in the line of pouI-
try, selling at 80 cents a pound. BroiIing
chickens are in demand at 25 cents. and
turkeys and capons are % cents. For
short time this winter turkeys sold as high
as - cents pound, but dealers find il n
difficult matter to get that much at this
season Roasting and stewing chickens
are ~ and 16 cents a pound, respectivelv
Game is plentiful and in good condition
but the demand is not so great Canvas
back ducks lead the market at 81 a pair:
redheads $3.50; mallards $125: teal 81.
and small ducks, 30 cents each. English
pheasants and imported Scotch grouse are
$l.25 each Snipe and plover are from So
TO 81 dozen, and squads are scarce at 81
a dozen
Charleston asparagus, found on the
benches of the fruit and produce dealers,
is of superior quality and is selling at 35
and - cents a bunch. Strawberries are be-
coming more plentiful, and are to be had
at from ~ to 30 cents n box Hothouse ell
cumbers are bringing 10 and 20 cents each
and mushrooms grown under glass are 30
cents pound. Tomatoes from Florida are
u cents a pound, string beans - cents a
quarter peck and egg plants are 20 and %
cents. Western celery is 15 cents a dozen,
and lettuce spring onions and radishes are
plentiful and cheap Oranges, lemons ba-
nanas and grape fruit are also plentiful,
and the prices asked are not high