Los Angeles herald., 1905-02-15
MUCH FLORIDA
FRUIT DAMAGED
REPORTS SHOW ORANGES
HAVE SUFFERED
Butter Steady and Fairly Active.
Eggs Unchaneed-Game Wanted.
Fish Sceroe-AppIes Firm
and Bananas Limited

ing practically every point i'm Florida
received in this market yesterday by
the principal handlers of the fruit and
vegetable products of that state caused
general change in the views hereto
fore held i'm regard to the damage done
by the freezes experienced In the south
ern states on the 26th 9th and 2Sth of
last month. 1t had been believed here
that the reports Of serious damage to
the oranges on trees and to the trees
themselves were based on the pessimis-
tic attitude of few men who suffered
losses from the big freeze of 1894; but
all the reports received yesterday go
to show that little If any fruit has es-
capped injury.
The keenest interest in this market
lies in the Florida grapefruit. Cali
fornia can supply the demand for good
oranges, but the trade must depend on
Florida for its grapefruit supplies. The
grapefruit season is from February
to April 1, and during that period
New York cannot get too much of it.
Frank Ruhlman of Z. Ruhlman & Co.
informs the trade of the coast that the
outlook is gloomy. In special report
he says
MANY of the people who have writ
ten to me-not my regular correspond
ents-clam that while their neighbors'
crops were ruined their own escaped
believe that a majority of injured fruit
Will be dumped on the northern mar
kets within the next two or three
weeks, making bad matters great
deal worse.
II also learn that a number of
brokers who have speculated largely
in Florida oranges this year stand to
lose a very large sum of money"
In a general way it may be said that
If was pxpeptpd that the Florida
ange crop of 19O4-O5 would yield about
100000 boxes, and 80 per cent of the
crop had been shipped prior to the
freeze of the 26th, 9th and 2Sth of
January. The freeze was quite gener-
al all over the state, the tempera-
lures going lower than ever before.
Naturally, reports are conflicting as
to the actual damage done to the trees
themselves, and it will be impossible
to know positively the true situation
until a decided warm spell or warm
rain comes. Fortunately the trees
were very dormant, with little sap run
ming up, and therefore were in the
best possible condition to Withstand
cold weather. 1t is doubtless a fact
that very young trees in the northern
part of the state were badly injured
AS for the fruit on trees it is very
probable that all of it has been more or
less affected After the big freeze of
1884 immense quantities of frozen or
anges were hurried to market, but be-
ing without juice and. therefore quite
unsatisfactory, the prices fell rapidly
until the oranges did not bring the
freight money, and that ended it.
For the past week arrivals in New
York from Florida have been small
and there is difference of opinion as
to whether that market will have
heavy receipts of this frozen fruit, or
whether the growers, remembering the
lessons of the past, will see fit to aban-
don it on the trees.
In short the New York fruit trade
is up in the air, and awaiting devel-
opment as the situation is crowded
with serious possibilities.
Locally oranges are quiet, the pres
ent cold snap causing some anxiety.
Redlands Beauty oranges are selling
at $1.60 for the top for fancy. Tan
gerines are $1.25@1.50 and dull at these
prices.
The fancy brands in small packages,
like the Sunnyside, are still dragging
and show an accumulation in the
hands of jobbers and dealers.
BUTTER IN DEMAND-While re-
ceipts are large the demand for but
ter is active, and the market can be
characterized as steady to firm, and is
well stocked. Demand from Arizona,
NEW MehlCO anu western leXdS points
is taking large blocks and as long as
the local output increa ses just in such
proportion dealers say can prices re-
cede.
Northern cheese is reported firmer
and up to 141s cents. Local supplies
are greatly increased, but these do not
aggravate local conditions.
EGGS UNCHANGED-Based on To-
cal receipts the egg quotation COM
r1Dtf hn
terday again fixed the selling price of
California ranch eggs at 26 cents. This
leaves the market where it closed last
week and unless receipts become
greater, many produce men are pre-
dieting that the lower quotations will
not soon obtain.
Shipping demand is active. as many
interior points are short of supplies.
Some northern eggs are in market
and this it is said has become neces-
sary because the local output is only
about sufficient to meet local require
ments.
FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
mana receipts, it is learned. will only
reach three or four carloads this
week. The market is well stocked
and the cleaning up process is now in
vogue. Prices are firm at 4@41sc on
quality.
Strawberries show the effect of frost.
They are off in color and in quality.
Fancy are 15@17c, and choice S@D12c a
box.
Apples are firm with Ganos $1.5O@1 rs
for Alter and Lahore $2.00@225. All
other varieties $1.25@1.75 a box.
Egg plant is % cents pound and
scarce. In fact all vegetables are
scarce caused by the cold weather and
frost damages Spinach is 15c a dozen
punches. String beans 7QD9c a pound,
and green peas 36D5 cents.
FISH AND GAME-All fish except
halibut were scarce yesterday: small
are wanted. Catches have not been
large.
Lobsters are scarce and crabs were
limited the northern markets taking
supplies.
Some rabbits came in. and they are
scarcer, all offerings being taken at
once.
Geese are doing better as they
are about the only game of that nature
In the market
Ducks are no more for the year. The
season closed today.
Receipts of Produce
MI.