Los Angeles herald., 1905-02-28
OF PRUNES
MAY Be ADVANCED
SIZES BELOW 70S PROVE TO
BE VERY SCARCE
Eggs Are Freely offered-6utter un-
changed by Creamery Board.
Fish Plentful--osme and
Poultry Steady

been no marked activity or indivldu-
ally important transactions in any va
riety.
Prunes have received perhaps more
attention than anything else on the list.
The consuming demand gives indication
of increasing, jobbers reporting much
freer movement into retail channels of
distribution than has existed for many
weeks. They, in turn, are showing
disposition to replenish their stocks on
a more liberal scale, and inquiries for
carload lots, both spot and for forward
shipment from the coast, are more fire.
quent. With stocks of the favorite sizes
comparatively light in all positions
and the demand increasing, an inn
provement in prices is believed to be
due, some looking for an advance OF
cent q pound as possible, should the
consumption continue to grow. On the
spot SOS are beginning to attract more
attention, owing to the scarcity and
relatively high price of 40s. Sizes below
7Os are reported to be extremely scarce.
Peaches and apricots in small sales
of spot make up the business In those
varieties, which are offered sparingly
and held firmly up to the quotations
The raisin situation shows no ma
terial change. The consuming demand
improves very slowly and jobbers are
apparently not anxious to add to their
holdings With the prospect of higher
prices on the coast and the gradual
disappearance of the old cheap stock
from the market there is a better tone.
Currents are quiet on the spot, but
are not being forced. The easy FEELING
reported in the primary market is
without influence, as the lowest cable
quotation on prompt shipment from
Greece is little If any lower than the
present spot price.
There continues a good demand for
Persian dates and the market is firm.
Figs are in fair request at the low
range of prices still quoted.
EGGS ARE STEADY. - Although
some eggs are being sold under 22c,
yet the market conditions seemed ap-
parently consistent, so the egg quota
ton committee yesterday again fixed
the selling price of eggs at 22c. There
are plenty of eggs, and as San Fran
cisco is reporting a weaker market
and as northern eggs are coming here,
many dealers express the opinion that
lower prices will prevail and that a
decided cut may be made today. This
condition should cause no surprise, as
this is the time of the year when eggs
must come down, and many dealers
say they expected lower prices long
before this date. AS ranchers are
bringing in eggs freely that this retail
trade takes, demand is limited only to
actual needs.
BUTTER UNCHANGED. - Yester-
days receipts of butter did not reach
such awful big proportions, but the
quantity Is expected to be greatly in
creased today. Demand was reported
steady enough, and that creamery
found a free market. AS the butter
board has not changed quotations, 1t
seems apparent that a fairly healthful
market should prevail for some days.
This can be aided by the fact that no
butter is in storage, the market being
practically bare of any surplus.
Cheese still rules at top figures, with
the demand taking all that is offered.
Surplus must be limited, as the re-
ceipts are heavy. This would indi-
cate that the market of local product
IS below normal requirements.
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. - In
| speaking of the foreign apple market,
| w. N. White & Co. of New York say:
"All European markets speak of i'm
proved demand; but, while some prices
are fairly good, many lots of common
| stored goods arrived in bad condi-
| ton and we hear have been sold at
low prices. We are not surprised at
! this, as we have cautioned our shippers
for some time not to ship through our
care anything but choice goods. Our
net returns from Hamburg Tuesday
showed 1925 for Baldwins. These prices
will go higher next week. London
| wants best fruit Yesterdays sale
of bushels and boxes of Oregon New
towns made 18s and 21s and for one
parcel of 22S barrels ordinary Hudson
| river Newtowns net back $6.1S. Good
| golden russets are in great demand at
20s to 24s. Rox russets. real good colored,
will also do well. We have received
four cables this week concerning Tas-
manian apples. One said: Crops are
very short One thing, we are certain
that England will not have half the
supplies of Tasmanian apples that she
had last year. On account of the large
supplies last year, American apples
were shut out of the English markets
early in April This year England can
take American apples until such time
as the French cherries and strawber-
ries are ready, which sometimes arrive
early In May; other times not until
the end of May. One thing, we are
| certain that American apples will now
make increased prices everywhere"
Locally, apples are improving in de-
mand. Bellefieur (job), $1.15@125, and
other fancy California varieties from
Sl.oO 10 $l.l0. one carload or Colorado
Ganos came in yesterday and is re-
ported selling at $1.75 a four tier box
Bananas are scarce and job freely at
4c a pound.
Strawberries showed slight i'm
provement In quality and the fancy
Moneta held at 15c fiat.
All the vegetables were about steady,
the supply showing an improvement
French peas jobbed at 5@Sc a pound
string beans, 12@1Sc; tomatoes, $1.25 a
crate and $1O0 box; chiles. 7m9c a
pound bell peppers, 15@20c a pound
cabbage, 75d90c a sack, and golden
celery. 35@40c dozen.
FISH AND GAME. Halibut again
filled the market. and this supply was
increased With salmon, shad and
striped bass from the north. Demand
was good, but made little impression
on the stocks.
Grabs again were scarce, and Holsters
were early cleaned up.
Rabbits and geese were plentiful and
as the day was warm, the demand
moved offerings freely.
Live poultry was scarcer than on