Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-18
IN The LOCAL MARKETS
FRUIT IS PLENTIFUL AND
FINDS READY SALE.
Crop Of Tomatoes-Fish and Lob
sters-Price Of Butter-Supply
Of Poultry.

loupes Is practically at an end although
some of the market dealers are still able
to fill orders. Cantaloupes that are to be
had at this season are from the west and
are brought here In chilled cars. but not
many of them are being sold. the demand
having diminished when the change in
the weather occurred. There Is plenty of
fruit in the markets. however, and deal
ers are having no trouble in getting rid
of it. They are still securing peaches
from New York and California, but, 1t is
said. they do not possess the flavor Of
those grown in this section. New York
peaches were selling at about 81. so peck
this morning. Apples are selling at from
10 to ~ cents a peck, according to quail
ity. and they are in great demand. 1t is
said. by local dealers that apples will
badly be higher than usual this winter
on account of the short crops Fancy
apples are already bringing as high as
81 barrel.
Reports received here from sections in
which growers had fairly good crops this
year, dealer remarked, indicate that
the price of apples will be much higher
than for number of years. l heard of
one instance In which a grower sold his
crop on the trees at So. so a barrel. An
other report had it that the choicest Vir-
ginla apples were bringing So"
Pears are more plentiful than dealers
had anticipated they would be, but the
prices asked for them are considerably
higher than they have been for several
years Good pears are bringing 81 a peck
Grapes are quoted at from Is to p cents
basket. Oranges are more plentiful
but there has not yet been much of de-
cline in prices. Bananas are plentiful
being the cheapest fruit on the market
Tomatoes on Ragged Edge.
Tomatoes are on the ragged edge" a
dealer said. land there are not many
good ones to be had. The season that is
about to close has been the best in this
city in many years. Early in the sum
mer tomatoes were exceptionally high, the
early growers getting money enough from
their crops to make up for the lower
prices they received later. The tomatoes
were as fine as | ever saw them and con-
sumers had no reason to complain about
prices. They were so plentiful that there
should be no reason for dealers charging
extravagant prices for canned goods this
season."
The early frosts killed the vines, but
growers will have tomatoes to sell for
two or three weeks yet, although the quail
ity will be nothing like 1t has been the
past summer. The larger of the green
tomatoes are being kept under cover to
ripen for the market trade. while many of
the consumers are wrapping them in
paper and putting them away to ripen
In this way, 1t is stated, ripe tomatoes
may be had until the Christmas season
Irish potatoes are selling at % cents
peck The late crop has not been gath
cred by many of the farmers in this sec
ton, and 1t is yet rather early for dealers
to cry high prices. New York celery Is
being received by local dealers and some
Michigan stock is also reaching here
Dealers say the New York product is
much better than that from the west and
the prices they are getting for 1t range
from > to 10 cents. Lettuce and radishes
to 10 cents a head. and the latter at
from to cents a bunch. Cabbage Is
not so plentiful. Cucumbers are quoted
at three for 10 cents. beans 40 cents, and
caulif1ower Is cents.
Fish and HOLSTERS.
In the local fish market the absence of
quantities of ice gives the dealers OPP
portunity to make better displays of ma
rine products. Some fine bass are being
received from the creeks down the Po-
tomac and are leading the market, find
ing read sale at % cents a pound. Po-
tomac perch are selling at from 1917 to
10 cents pound. Some dealers had
sturgeon to offer their customers this
morning charging % cents a pound for
it. Rockfish are also being received from
ing ready sale at from 1917 to Is cents.
Salt water fish are still plentiful and
reasonable.
There are plenty of Holsters in mar
ket but hard crabs are scarce. The price
of hard crabs Is the same all the time
they are to be had-25 cents a dozen.
Crab meat will probably be offered all
the winter by local dealers, but the de-
mand for it will not be very great when
the cold weather sets in.
Butter and Eggs.
The butter market is easier, but the
drop in price is so SMALL cent a
pound-that the retail price will not be
affected. The prediction was made by
dealer several weeks ago that butter
would be selling at 80 cents a pound by
butter has been taken out and placed on
the market that the prediction has not
been fulfilled Some of the packers, 1t
is stated, have large quantities OF butter
on hand and some of the retailers con-
fidently assert this butter will prevent
the charging of extravagant prices for
the fresh product. Eggs are quoted at
from 80 to IS cents.
Supply of Poultry.
Poultry dealers report that the market is
easier so far as young chickens are con-
cerned, the supply being larger than it
has been for several weeks and the de-
mand no greater. Spring chickens are
quoted at 20 cents a pound. live ones
selling at about II cents. Turkeys are
no cheaper than they were a week ago.
dealers being unable to get enough of
the spring fowls to supply their trade
Pork products remain high, but beef is
to be had for almost any price. The
price charge depends entirely upon the