Evening star., 1907-07-26
LOCAL MARKET QUOTATIONS
DECIDED DECREASE IN PRICES
OF VEGETABLES.
-carcity of Late Tomatoes Predicted.
Fruit Plentiful-Means and
Poultry-General Conditions.

mere mas Neen a decided decrease III tlc
prices of everything in the line of vegeta-
bles, with the exception of potatoes, and
dealers in The local markets We're glad this
morning that they We're able to make such
a report. Tomatoes were quoted at 81 and
So a box only a few days ago, but this
morning they were selling at 81 to sl.5O
box, retail dealers selling them at 90 cents
a peck.
There is a great difference in the size
of the tomato boxes" remarked a dealer
TO Star reporter this morning. Some few
of the boxes hold a bushcl, but there are
plenty of them that will not hold three
pecks. 1t is my intention to call the at
tentiOn of the seaer OF weights and meas
ures to the size of thost boxes and See II
he cannot have regulation enforced that
Will require the boxes to be of uniform
size. livery box in Which fruits and vege-
tables are measured and sold should be of
a standard size. A uniform size. would mean
that dealers could compete upon equal
grounds. The man with the small box
would not be able to get much Tor his
boxes as would the man with the regulation
box"
1t is thought by some of the dealers that
tomatoes VIII be much more plentiful and
cheaper next week. They will then be in
demand for canning purposes.
Early Canning Enjoined.
:,
1t would be we'll for housekeepers to do
their canning early. Tomatoes have been
SO scarce and high this year that the de-
mand will be greater than usual, and the
chances are that canned tomatoes will be
higher than usual next winter. Should the
vegetable sell at 80 or even IS cents a
bushel next week l would advise that they
be utilized for canning. Late tomatoes
n
years. and there reason to believe
they will be plentiful and cheap this fall
Potatoes have experienced rise of about
- cents a barrel this week, and they may
so even higher. Beans, peas, cabbage
beets and other vegetables plentiful and
cheaper than usual at this season of the
year. Cabbage are SO plentiful that some
of the growers We're glad to get 1 cent a
head for them. None of the retail dealers
is asking more than cents head. String
beans selling at $1.5C and $1.IJ a bar
rel, and peas quoted at 81. Beets and
onions are selling at 81 a hundred punches
in the wholesale market; cucumbers are
selling at $50 hundred. They re-
failing at from to cents each. Corn
is much more plentiful than it was a few
days ago, selling at flom 10 to 70 cents a
dozen.
Fruit More Plentiful.
Fruit is getting more plentiful as the
season advances and prices are getting
cheap. 1t is predicted that
the apple supply will be larger than was
thought earlier in the season. Peaches
are getting better and more plentiful. They
are selling at 10 cents quart box or co
cents a pan. WatermelonS are coming
fine as dealers have ever received them,
the prices ranging from ~ to GO cents.
Cantaloupes are also plentiful, but many
of them are not of the best quality. Many
those being received
taken from the vines when they We're too
green, it is stated. They are selling at from
) to 10 cents each. Dealers are getting
backberries, raspberries and currants
enough to supply the demand, but the
prices charged are a trihe higher than
usual
Saltwater Fish.
Plenty of good salt water fish are being
received by local dealers and the prices, it
is stated, are low enough to assist in pre-
venting big sales of meat. Consumers are
still using large quantities of soft and
hard crabs and crab meat. Crisfield soft
crabs are plentiful and in good demand at
- cents a dozen. They are considered by
the dealers as being the best soft crabs
ceived here and they bring the largest
prices Soft crabs from other places sell
at from 30 to GO cents.
The butter market has shown no ten
dency toward lower prices during the past
week, quotations being cents a pound
higher than it was this time last year Deal
ers are stin selling it 1T p cents a pound,
however, and it is not their intention to in
crease the retail price unless there is
still further advance in the wholesale mar
ket. Eggs are also selling at about the
prices quoted last week, from - to %
cents dozen.
Meat Quotations.
Meat is to be had at almost any price.
There are many grades of fresh meat to be
found in the markets, and it is for the
to say just what kind they
want. Choice meats are high. 1t is stated
that the consumers are not buying great
quantities of meat End that the butchers
are therefore, not making rapid sales. The
continued high price of meat and the low
prices charged for vegetables, it is stated,
have made many vegetarians this summer.
There is brighter outlook for the poul-
try market than here has been at any
time this summer.
Tomorrow" said a local dealer this
morning I'VE will offer the choice stock of
spring chickens at p cents a pound.
Spring chickens nave sold at high as 45
cents this year. Fowls are quoted at IL
cents and 20 cents Ducks selling at 70
cents a pound. and Long Island ducklings
are bringing % cents pound. There are
a few turkeys in market to be had for %
cents pound.
Floral Designs of Much Merit.