The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-01-26
THE ORANGE SITUATION.
CALIFORNIA; Lack FIavor-Floridas Do
Well in Chicago.

Special to the Ocala Banner:
Chicago, January 22.-This week
finds the demand for oranges about
normal. They are usually dull for sew
eral weeks following Christmas. Cal
ifornias are easy, while Floridas have
been firm. CALIFORNIA; are in lighter
supply, and there are said to be but
few cars rolling, but these facts have
not caused prices to go up TO any APP
peciable extent. Direct shipments to
nearby cities, il is held. have caused
some of this local weakness.
According to advices received here
by representatives of the California
shipping associations, there will be
light shipments for some time now.
Owing to the short crop, now estimat-
ed at around 22,7O0 cars, the associa-
tons think that better prices will pre-
vail later, and they are shutting down
some of the packing houses. Again it
is said that the rains the past week
have prevented packing and that ship
ments are being made only of such
stock as was already held in the pack
ing houses.
About one fifth of the California
crop has already been shipped. Up to
the 18th, 4,4S2 cars had come forward,
a few of these being lemons.
Small sizes still prevail. The slump
in number of car loads is attributable
to the small sizes to which the fruit is
running. While the trees apparently
held quantities Of fruit, the sizes are
small and they don't fill up the crates
rapidly. So far the fruit is faulty as
to taste. 1t has not yet attained the
flavor that makes it a good seller.
Then it still lacks in color. Prices
obtained here this week for California
navals, good colored ranged from
$235 to 1915. The prices vary of
course as to sizes.
Advices from New York show that
the CALIFORNIA; are not doing so wei!
over there. There is much complaint
about quality, and one we'll known
house in wire to California trade
paper scores the California shippers
for dumping such poor fruit upon their
market. The trade here have comment
ed freely on this wire, and command
the firm for the outspOken way in
sizing up the situation.
Florida oranges ever since a week
before Christmas have sold readily in
this market. At first their firmness
was due to light supplies, and not so
much as to the quality of the fruit,
which is not SO particularly fancy by
any menas. However. FlOridas are in
demand by certain consumers. and
they take this fruit very readily, pro-
vided the prices is not too high. This
week finds more Floridas here than
at any time previous this season. This
is due to the fact that Cincinna L.
Philadelphia and other large markets
for Floridas have sustained slumps,
owing to excessive supplies. Many
cars have been diverted here in the
past ten days. but the market still re.
mains steady, prices ranging from
1915 for Russets and Brights and IS
and $3.50 for Indian River Russets.
Last week at the League meeting at
Milwaukee, it was the consenus of
opinion of the Florida receivers. who
got together there to compare notes
that fully 80 per cent. of the Florida
crop would be moved by the 18th This
leaves less than 100000 boxes still to
com from the state.
Mr.. John w. Martin, who travels
for ST. Louis harness house spent
Monday in Ocala. Mr.. Martin will
Monday in Ocala. Mr.. Martin left
Tuesday for Mississippi, having
ell there for the next six months. His
Florida friends will miss him greatly.