Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-14
IN THELOCAL MARKETS
SOFT CRABS PLENTIFUL-GAME
SCARCE-ADVANCE IN PRICES.

and local dealers have no trouble in filling
all orders at Is cents a Dozen During the
time when there were SO many heavy rains
the crabs were scarce and high. Hard
crabs are still plentiful and are in demand.
Potomac bass are also to be had IN the
local markets. 1t has been many months
since dealers were able to offer bass from
the Potomac to their patrons, and they are
rated as novelty.
They are being caught In small nets in
the creeks along the river between here
and Quantico," said dealer to a Star re-
porter this morning. "Only few large fish
are being caught, but the fishermen are
catching small fish in profitable quantities"
The larger Of the fish are selling at 20
cents a pound the smaller ones bringing 10
cents. A few rock and perch are also peing
taken from the waters of the Potomac, and
they find ready sale at from 10 to % cents
a pound. Norfolk spots are in demand, but
the fish are scarce. Dealers have not been
able to get enough of them to fill orders.
1t is said by dealers in Norfolk that spots
nave been unusually scarce this season. and
they can only account for their scarcity
by attributng it to the heavy rains. Blue
hsh and trout are getting plentiful, and
they are taking the places of the Potomac
hsh that are so scarce this season.
Small Supply OF Game.
The game market is not especially active
this season. Reedbirds, ortolan and black
birds nothing like plentiful on the
local marshes as they have been in past
years. Ortolan are particularly scarce, and
dealers are unable to supply the trade. Some
birds are being received from Savannah,
the reedbirds selling at 70 cents a dozen.
Ortolan are quoted at about 81 a dozen and
blackbirds at 90 cents Many consumers
who have heretofore refraned from pur-
chasing blackbirds are buying them,
and many of them are well satisfied with
them as a substitute for the more expensive
birds. Reports from the marshes along the
Potomac river indicate a scarcity of early
ducks.
Scarcity of Eggs.
The scarcity and advance in the price of
eggs came earlier this season than usual
and packers in the west have already start
ed shipping their cold storage stock. 1t Is
also astated that few eggs have been
taken from the cold storage plant In this
city. 1t does not often happen that deal
ers get as much as 80 and 80 cents for eggs
so early in the season, but sucn prices have
been charged by local dealers for more than
two weeks.
Their scarcity is not due to the packers
putting them away" said a local dealer to
a Star reporter today, but it is due to the
hens having ceased laying. The cause Of
the refusal of the hens to lay their usual
number of eggs at this season is attributed
to the great amount of wet weather that
was experienced during the months of July
and August"
The dealer expressed the belief that eggs
will become more plentiful before winter,
and that the price will get cheaper than 1t
now Is. He said he thought the western
packers were doing wise thing in dispos-
ing of some of their stock at the prevailing
prices. There has been slight increase
in the wholesale price Of butter since last
week. but the advance has not further az
fected the retail market.
Fruits and Vegetables.
Prices of fruits and vegetables are quoted
at about the same they were last week,
with the possible exception of pes ches and
tomatoes. Dealers are depending largely
upon the western Maryland growers for
their fruits and upon the Maryland and
Virginia farmers for their tomatoes. The
latter are not furnishing anything like the
quantity of tomatoes that is necessary to
supply the demand. Grocers are paying 81
and $3.50 box for them this morning, and
it is therefore necessary for them to charge
more than ordinary prices for them. In
stead of selling them by the peck they are
selling them by the quart box. Potatoes
are getting more plentiful and cheaper. APP
pies are also plentiful, some fine fruit be-
ing received here from New York and other
states Maryland and Virginia farmers are
also hauling a great many apples to mar
ket, and it is their supply that has a
tendency to make the prices reasonable.
There has been no change in the meat
market during the past week, and the poul-
try market is also about the same. Chick
ems are more plentiful than they were dur
ing most of the summer and cheaper prices
prevail There are but few turkeys being
handled by local dealers at this season, but
they are cheaper than they were during
most of last winter.