The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-12-20
CHRISTMAS BRINGS
ITS CHOICE FOODS
Morris Avenue is Scene of
Great Activity
EGGS SCARCE AND HIGH
Oranges Are Also Very Scarce On Ac-
count of Shortage of Cars and
Motive Power-Mr. Shrop-
shire Talks.
EGGS SCARCE AND HIGH

shire Talks.
With Christmas only a few days off,
Morris avenue presents very busy
scene. On these holiday occasions the in
ner man demands special attention, and
the wholesale and retail merchants are
burdened with the task of furnishing the
tables with the choicest dishes that can
be procured.
The range is broad, extending from
the most delicate fruits to packing house
products, and every branch of the pro-
duce and provision market is called upon
to exert itself to the very limit i'm the
matter of providing good things to eat
The present season in Birmingham is
no exception to the general rule, and the
commission merchants and other dealers
are receiving stronger demands than ever
before.
Most of the staple articles are plenti-
full in the market this week, though
there are few popular fruits and other
products that are scarce, and the mer-
chants seem to be unable to secure the
supplies demanded by the public. Among
these are eggs, which are very scarce,
with very strong demand. Eggs are al
ways in great demand during the holi-
days for various purposes, but it seems
that the people will have to forgo this
favorite product to some extent. Prices
are high and the chances are that values
will increase until after the holiday de-
mand subsidies.
Chickens are not as plentiful as they
might be on account of the bad weather,
and prices are strong. The weather inter-
feres with the movement of poultry from
Interior points of shipment from the fact
that producers cannot reach the markets
Turkeys are moderately plentiful with
strong demand.
Game Is Scarce.
There is a scarcity of game, such as
quail, rabbits and squirrel, all of which
are choice products at this season of the
year. 1t is said that lie recent warm
weather accounts for the scarcity of these
articles on the market, though it is ex-
pected that shipments will begin at
satisfactory rate in few days.
Incidentally 1t is said on the street that
squirrels are remarkably scarce this sea-
son. No reason is assigned for this fact,
but it is said that hardly any have been
received on the local market.
Sweet potatoes were scarce on the mar
ket yesterday but it is claimed that this
was on account of temporary delay
in shipment, and that they will be plenti-
full in few days
There is a moderate supply of other
vegetables. such as Irish potatoes cab
bage, rutabagas, onions and other like
products. There is also a moderate sup
ply Of green stuffs.
The feature of the fruit market is the
great scarcity of oranges. 1t is said tina.
only about twenty-five per cent of the
orders are being filled and there seems
to be little prospect for immediate re-
lief. A scarcity of cars and motive power
are assigned as the reason for this fen
ture. 1t is said that there are plenty OF
oranges awaiting shipment in Florida
but local dealers are unable to secure
anything like enough to supply the d.
mand on account of delays in shipment.
Oranges are perhaps the most popular
fruit for holiday purposes and this scare
ity will greatly inconvenience the peo-
pie unless relief is secured Immediately
Apples are very plentiful and perhaps
will have to supply the market that
would ordinarily be filled with the
orange.
Mr.. Shropshire Talks.
In speaking of the scarcity of oranges
yesterday II. f. Shropshire, one of the
ham said. 1.-THE great scarcity of oranges
Just at this season is very unfortunate,
but there seems to be no way of relieving
the situation. The shippers tell us that
they cannot fill our orders on account
of the lack of cars and motive power
] hav just been informed of a car OF
oranges that have been loaded for mo
al a point in Florida but they cannot be
sent on account of a lack of motive
power The car is standing ready for
shipment on a side track.
while the orange crop in Florida
is quite large it is not as large as
was thought at the beginning of the
season. From the outside the trees APP
pear to be full of fruit, but under the
foliage the crop is found to be very
short and most of the producers have
been greatly disappointed on that ac-
count
''rhe California crop will help out won
derfully however. and will have a tend
ency to hold down the prices.
1.-The orange producers in Florida are
adopting some advance methods IN
handling their crops which promise to in
sure better production and afford a safer
basis for estimating the amount OF pro-
duction before the gathering season be-
gins.
"a system of irrigation and drainage
has been adopted by many of the growers
that will no doubt be very beneficial and
perhaps often insure good crop where
failure would otherwise obtain. The
orange Is very susceptible to either ex-
treme dry or wet weather and il Is hoped
that through drainage and irrigation the
needs OF the rfuit may always be supplied
and the crop protected from total loss.
''Dr. e. ]. Baker. Of Plant City, Flor
ida. a extensive grower has made some
valuable experiments along this line
and has been emInently successful"