The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-06
MELONS CHEAPER
Prices of WatermeIOns Have
Dropped to Minimum.
Home Grown Ones Make APP
pearance on Markets.

Persons who eat watermelon and
tomatoes at restaurants will find
money in their pockets by buying
them from some merchant and eating
them elsewhere, according to local
commission men who report that these
two kinds of vegetables are now so
plentiful that the prices have dropped
almost to the minimum. One COM
mission man said today that if toma-
toes became any cheaper, it would
not pay to handle them.
Home grown watermelons made
their appearance on the markets this
week and it is said that at least an
average crop is in sight. Not many
have ripened so far and growers say
they would have better luck from now
.on if the amount of rainfall would be
reduced. All of the melons have set
eon and they VIII ripen better and be
of better quality with moderately dry
weather. Too much rain causes the
melons to ripen slowly and frequently
causes them to have light streak
thru their centers. few watermelons
are usually shipped from this locality
but in most cases are grown only for
local consumption.
Price Takes a Drop.
Watermelons from Oklahoma and
Arkansas took the place of Texas
melons a week or ten days ago, and
with the appearance of the local crop,
the price has taken a drop, from three
and four cents per pound to from one
to two cents. The wholesale price of
an average size melon is from twenty
five to forty cents. but a slice at the
restaurant brings from ten to twenty
five cents, ten cents at some OF the
places where food is served on the
cafeteria plan and a quarter in the
high class cafes.
Tomatoes are now seiIing at wholesale
for fifty cents per basket of twenty
pounds, two and one-hah cents per
pound. This brings the average price OF
q single tomato down to about one cent
still one of them sliced at a restaurant
costs ten to twenty cents, with plhch
Of salt as the only extra trimming. Can
taloupes are selling at the stores for three
for a quarter and can be bought at whole
sale for as low as nickel each but 1t costs
thirty cents to eat one at restaurant.
fifteen cents for a half
Sweet Potatoes Cheaper.
Home. grown sweet potatoes have also
made their th me Sotste e o ope
large enough to eat, and with big crop
promised, some of the growers are getting
ON the market unusually early Ihis has
caused a big reduction i'll price. For
able have come from the south and sCld for
eight cents per pound wholesale. The price
today Is three and One-half cents and COM
mission man say the price will be lower
Sweet potatoes as well as a number
Of other vegetables have matured here a.
most as quickly as they nave III the south.
and 1t is said that crops in the north are
also about to mature. Commenting on this
situation, commission men declare that it
is very unusual but say 1t is due to the
fact that the entire county was affected
more or less by a late spring and when
warm weather came it was quite general.
This caused the vegetable crops. to be held
back in the south and also here until the
crops in the north were nearly as far
along allowing maturity to come almost
at the same time in all sections.
There is no tree fruit In Kansas this year
TO speak of but there are a few grapes. In
northeast Kansas, where some grapes are
grown for marketing, the first were placed
on sale this week. They are high, however,
local commission men being forced to pay
rs much 50 cents for six pound basket.
including 10 cents for express By the time
these reach the consumer the price cannot
be less than IS cents, it is said.
Green apple pie is coming mostly from
Michigan. With tue local crop of apples
missing most of the green apples found on
the market now come from that state This
causes them to be high, commission men
demanding $3.50 per bushel
The potato market has stiffened slightly
during the past week. Growers are now re-
ceiving from 81 TO SIPS per hundredweight |
for graded Early Ohios, and from S1.25 to
$50 for Cobblers, which is a slight in
crease over the prices paid few days ago.
1t is estimated that about two-thirds Of
the potato crop in the immediate vicinity
has already been dug, but around Silver
Lake and Rossville it is said that hal1 Of
the mrop Is still in the ground.