The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1907-08-01

plums, arriving on the Seattle market
in the few days beginning June 18th,
demoralized conditions on Western
avenue to a large extent during the
following week. The local potatoes
and peaches commenced to arrive
about ten days before this class OF
produce usually reaches the market,
and caught the commission men I'M
prepared. They were heavily stocked
with California fruits and produce and
the large amount which came in from
Washington caused considerable con-
fusion and demoralized prices. ]. B.
Powles states that Washington fruit
and produce are always given prefer
ence by the consumers and the COM
mission men always make it rule
to push the local goods. Consequently,
the hardship was the greatest on the
California shippers and brokers. The
produce came in very large quantities.
Thirty-seven carloads arrived on the
morning of June 14th alone, and on
other days the shipments were pro-
portionately large. AS soon as the
market adjusts itself to conditions
prices will probably pick up and things
assume a normal condition, but the
arrival of the unlocked for early pro-
duce certainly demoralized things for
a while.
Yakima peaches are arriving on the
markets in fairly good quantities, and
dealers state that they are of good
quality and are finding favor with the
consumers, but that the considerable
supply of California peaches on hand
has hurt prices until this surplus is
unlOaded.
A. D. Blowers, when asked concern
ing derOgatory stories which have been
run recently in the yellow papers of
Seattle about the alleged methods of
the Western avenue dealers, stated
that he did not believe it was worth
while discussing, as the allegations
were too ridiculous to be worthy of
attention. Moreover, as his concern,
A. d. Blowers & Co., is no longer in
the commission business, he does not
consider that he is concerned as the
imputations made in the papers had
to do mostly with the commission
dealers. His concern has been buying
and selling produce for several years
and commission consignments have
comprised only about rs per cent of
their business Since the new law
went into effect they have dropped
the commission business entirely.
William Meister, of the California
Produce Co., advises farmers east of
the mountains to cease raising GU
cumbers for the Seattle markets. Gu
cumbers, he says are drug on the
market at the present. time, owing to
the fact that they have come in in
such large quantities from both east
and west of the mountains. He says
that the supply from the farmers on
this side of the mountains is sufficient
as they raise them in large numbers,
both in hothouses and in open gar
den. The farmers east of the noun
tains must raise this produce and then
pay express for several hundred miles,
after which they get no better price
for their shipments than the growers
in the Puget Sound country, who are
right at the market. At the present
time cucumbers are selling as low
as 20 cents dozen.
Mr.. Meister says that cherries at
the present time are a drug on the
market, also. The recent heavy rains
In the PuSeC SOunu country were VeIy
harmful to the cherry crop, and put
the fruit in such a condition that it
now rots over night, and must be
handled quickly. Such necessity is
demoralizing to prices.
J. B. Powles, of J. B. Powles & Co.,
Seattle produce dealers, says he be-
lieves that the fruit growers and rails
ers of produce still have a lesson to
learn concerning the most advantage