Evening star., 1918-08-03
FIRST APPEARANCE
OF MARKET GUIDE
Initial Number Confines Ef.
/. forts to Prices of Fruits
and Vegetables.
TO ENFORCE FAIR PRICES

The nrst OF the daily market guides
for Washington, meant to keep con-
sumers in touch with the changing
market conditions. was issued today
by the bureau of markets of the De-
partment of Agriculture. with the
District Food Administration co-op-
Grating.
Todays guide covers only the veg
etables and fruits most important at
the present time. Unless otherwise
stated. prices are for products Of good
average quality. Poorer goods. it ia
pointed out. should sell for less.
The list, 1t is explained, will neces-
sarily be somewhat restricted for the
first few days until the organization
for gathering market inforInation m
further perfected. The list will be
eIpanded gradually. 1t Is stated. until
1t covers completely all fruits and
vegetables of reasonable Importance.
Meats and Fish to Be Listed
1t In expected that in the courae Of
the next week certain meats will be
included in the report Later fish
will be added.
The market guide 10 prepared by
the bureau Of markets on 4nforria-
tion collected early each morning by
its representatives on the Haskell ,Esh
11th and B streets northwest, and in
the wholesale and commission dis
trict. Fair retail prices to the con-
sumer are quoted through co-opera-
tion with the District of Columbia
forced fops by that % %orsanization.
The principal fruits and vegetables in
cluded in today's guide are grouped
under three headings abundant" !"
normal and scarce" This grouping
viii be followed each day. the makeup
OF the groups changing with changes In
market conditions. Purchases should be
made preferably from the abundant"
group, the bureau of markets points out,
as most abundant vegetables should be
the cheapest.
Prevailing Market Conditions.
After classifying the principal fruits
and vegetables according to supply.
the bureau Of markets furnishes dis
eussion of prevailing market condi-
tiens for the benefit of the housewife.
and completes the guide by listing the
products in table form. In the first
keepers. hucksters and other retailers
are paying for each product today. In
the second price column are what are
fair prices to the consumer today for
each product
Tho price range. showing cost to
dealers, in TIE first column. 1t IL eI-
planned, covers variations In quality
Of purchases. It also takes into ac-
count prices on the farmers market
as we'll az those charged by commits
sion houses and Wholesale dealers.
In general. the better the quality
the higher the price, and the larger
price. Usually, products bought from
the farmeYa' market direct can be had
for q somewhat lower price than
those purchased from wholesalers and
commission men.
The range showing fair prices to
consumers, In the second column,
covers prices charged by ''oash and
by credit and delivery stores.
The cash and carry shops, which
include chain atorea, most market
stalls and Independent stores which
do not furnish either delivery or
credit. should sell near the lowest
figure of the fair price range.
Extra for overhead Expenses
some credit and delivery stores do
ing . large volume OF business and
having relatively low expenses and
large buying power. should. in the
opinion Of specialists in the bureau
of markets, sell for little more than
the cash and carry" shops. The
smaller and less efficient credit and
delivery storea. these specialists say,
must charge = little more to cover
their higher cost of doing business.
The bureau Of markets says 1t will
consumers in regard to how IL can
make. its daily market guide more