Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-05
FINE HOLIDAY TRADE
MARKET DULL, BUT PRICES RE-
MAIN HIGH.
Many Dealers Suffer Loss Because
Small Demand for Turkeys-Sea-
sonable Products Plentiful.


the volume of the holiday trade, and say
it was the best holiday season they have
experienced during the past ten years.
Business has shown decided falling off
since the close of the holidays, but there
has been no corresponding falling off In
the matter of prices. 1t is stated that
some of the dealers lost heavily upon their
turkeys last week because there was not
the demand for them that they had antici-
pated. The close of the New Year market
found many of the dealers with turkeys
enough on hand to supply the demand for
some time. Prices kept up well. however.
and but very few fowls were sold for less
than 20 cents a pound. Because OF the
amount of stock on hand many fowls were
placed IN cold storage for sale in the
future. The demand for them is no longer
great enough to increase the retail prices,
and while 20 cents is the price asked for
them this week, it is thought they will be
cheaper in the near future.
Chickens getting scarce, and young
fowls, it is thought, will soon command
price as high as that now being charged
for turkeys. The condition of the meat
market, dealers say, has tendency to re-
duce the demand for fowls, the market
being easy al this time.
Rabbits Plentiful.
There has also been an unusually large
and the cheap prices for them has been
the means of buyers using them instead of
the expensive fowls. During the past week
they have sold as cheap as % a dozen,
but the best of them retail at 25 cents each.
The law in Maryland closed the season for
rabbits and quail some time ago, and the
supply that would go to the Baltimore mar
ket If the season had not closed is coming
here. Quail are selling at So and $3.50 a
dozen, according to size and quality. but
the demand for them is not great. There
are a few ortolan and blackbirds still in
the market, the former selling at SIP
dozen and the latter at 80 cents a dozen.
The season for wild turkeys and pheasants
has closed, and venison is also out Of sea-
son. Wild ducks are still plentiful the
supply being more than equal to the de-
mand.
Shad and Bass.
Shad are again in season and the supply
in the markets is brought here from Flor
ida. 1t was thought that the open win
ter would mean an early opening of the
shad season, and that the fish would be in
the waters long distance north OF Flor
Ida by this time, but they are not vet be
ing caught In the waters about the caro-
linas. The best roe shad are selling for 81
and the bucks are 80 cents each. There
has been an increase in the receipts OF Po-
tomac bass during the past week and some
of the fish are alive when they reach the
city. Not many perch are being caught in
the Potomac at this season and dealers are
surprised that larger catches Of them are
not being made on account OF the open
winter. There has been but little ice in the
shoal water in the creeks and none in the
channel.
The fish certainly must be there" re-
marked a local dealer to a. Star reporter
this morning, but why they are not being
caught and shipped here l do not know.
1t must be because the men are not work
ing their nets
Red snappers are now plentiful and in
demand at 1919 cents pound. The fish
run from three to fifteen pounds and are
considered frst-class for baking Terraptn
and sliders are plentiful, the former selling
at from s.. so to 50 a dozen, and the latter
from So to SEQ dozen. Crab meat for use
in preparing deviled crabs Is selling at Sl.2o
a gallon and oyster crabs are 81. quart.
Oysters and CLAIMS are plentiful, and the
usual prices rule.
Supply of Vegetables.
Celery is about as plentiful as anything in
the line of vegetables. The New York crop
Is about played out so far as the local
market is concerned, but the supply from
California and Michigan seems inexhaus-
tible There is also plenty homegrown cell
cry on the market, and the price charged is
according to the size and quality, ranging
from 5 to 10 cents. New PARSLEY and lettuce
are being received from Florida to supply
the demand, that is too great to be sup
piled by local growers. Tomatoes are get
ting more plentiful and are selling at from
Is to 20 cents a pound. String beans are
% cents quarter peck and Brussel sprouts
are 20 cents quart. Cranberrles are
scarce and high, 20 cents a quart being the
price charged for them. They have not
been plentiful since the Thanksgiving hol-
days but it was not until a few days ago
that the price advanced to what 1t now is.
There has been practically no change In
the fruit market since last week.
Butter and Eggs.
The butter market is firm and fresh stock
is said to be unusually scarce. There has
been an increase OF / cent a pound in the
wholesale price OF the product during the
past week, but the retail price has not ad-
vanced. The egg market is easier and there
is a tendency to decrease the price AS
stated in The Star short time ago, it Is
regarded purely matter of the weather
regulating the price OF eggs. There has al
ready been a drop of cents a dozen, and
dealers say there are prospects of a still
further decrease unless the weather con-
ditions should become unfavo-able.
Special Coal for Steam and Hot Water
All lump bituminous, $3.50 per ton See