Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-07-01
PRICE SHOWS
SIGNS OF DROP
HIGH COST OF POTATOES NOT
EXPECTED TO LAsT-DEcLINE
NOT TO BE GREAT.
PEACHES GO UP.
Short Crop in Texas Makes Heavier
Demand on California With Con.
sequent Rise in the Price
lemons Cheaper.

The abnormal price that has been
prevailing for potatoes for some time
past is likely to take a drop within
short time and already shows signs OF
the decline. Not that this decline Is
going to be enough to grow jubilant
over, but a drop nevertheless Is IN
sight. The grocer can now buy his
potatoes for 1925 to s2.4O for the new
crop. while 81 to 1920 will buy a
bushel Of the old spuds. This is still
high, but the conditions promise some
thing slightly better. At least the
provision men give that impression for
they say that the cause of the sudden
high Jump of spuds was out OF the
ordinary and cannot prevail very long.
They say that In Texas there was
good crop, but likewise good demand
and figuring on the great crop apparent
sales were more liberal than usual and
before the digging OF the tubers from
mother earth in Oklahoma and Arkan-
sas the Texan grower found that ne
must needs run short if he filled the
demand at the opening prices and
soaring Of the spud resulted. Since
the rise, however, the indication looks
better. Potatoes are not at the price
that ordinarily should prevail at this
time, still there is promise OF
decline in a short time from the quota
lions of the past ten days.
Receipts Are Liberal.
Just now the receipts are liberal.
Virginia is sending her tubers to Iowa
and elsewhere and Of course Arkan-
sas and Oklahoma have few to Of
fer. The quality and quantity locally
is poor and if the community depended
on what is raised hereabouts, the price
would soar and still be unable to sup
ply but a slight amount of the demand.
1t is not likely that potatoes will be as
cheap any time this year as they are
ordinarily, say the provision journals.
This is attributed to a number OF
causes among which Is the drouth in
certain places.
Smaller Crops.
This might be Offset slightly by the
bumper crop in Texas,but that I'M
mense state cannot supply the coun-
try. Another cause and one that cuts
a figure according to the produce
journals is the fact that In certain
potato growing districts there Is a
falling off of from 50 per cent to 80 per
cent OF the crop This is said to be the
case in the American bottoms lying
on the Illinois side Of the river below
st. Louis and in the Kaw river valley
OF Kansas. The Missouri potato Will
be shipped within week and that will
lend to the lowering tendency IN these
parts until the tubers of the more
northern states begin to reach the
markets. The big dealers, however,
are not very sanguine as to much
lower price for some time to come and
predict high potato price for the
year
California Fruits.
Among the wholesale fruit houses
one now finds an abundance OF pine
apples, apricots, peaches, plums, cher
ries, etc. from California, and the
coast fruit is being shipped quite
freely. Peaches will show somewhat
of an increase in price, however, and
last year at this time. The reason as.
signed is the scarcity OF the peaches
in the Lone Star state, which has be-
come factor in recent years as a
fruit country. This scarcity has driven
the Gamers into the California market
and the result Is higher priced peach.
Lemons Are Cheap.
The citrus fruit 80 popular in sum-
mer time is cheap. in fact the whole
salers say the lemon is cheaper this
year than last. Melons from Texas
and Georgia and cantaloupes from
California find ready sale on the mar
ket Tomatoes are being shipped in
from Texas and sell about the same as
this time last year. Michigan celery
will be here from now until the winter
and small stuff such as beans, peas,
etc. is filling the usual want on the
market with about the usual supply.