Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-28
DEALERS FORESEE
LOWER EGG PRICES
Moderate Decline Predicted,
Based on Supp|ies-GeneraI
Market Conditions Noted.

Cheaper eggs the coming week is the
prediction of local merchants in touch
with the general egg situation. 1t is
believed. however. that the decline will
not be great enough to make 1t possible
for sales at anything like what ordi-
narily is called cheap. there not being
storage eggs enough on hand to break
the market.
Receipts of the product of the hem
merry are steadily increasing day by day,
according to reports, and dealers hope
the increase the next few days will be
great enough to materially affect prices.
Yesterdays reports showed there was
only trifle more than 10000 cases OF
storage eggs in possession OF packers
throughout the country. Last year and
the wear before. it is stated, the storage
egg market failed to prove profitable,
and the result was that the quantity
on hand this Winter was probably less
than the demand. Dealers reported a
price of ~ cents for current receipts
Yesterday, selected and hennery stock
selling at less than so cents.
It is the opinion OF certain deal
ers that nothing short Of blizzard
weather IL w PAASIo Wy
again during the remainder of the
Winter season. Poultry prices also have
been down this week, meat, fruit and
vegetables remaining practically un-
changed.
Fruits and Vegetables.
Florida seems to be going backward"
was the casual remark OF q local frult
and vegetable wholesale dealer, telling
&c NJ n
from there this season.
We usually have watermelonS from
Florida early in January" he added,
but not melon has been received
from there thus far this season"
Texas. Mexico and the Bahamas
have come to the rescue. however. the
merchant added. but supplies have been
so small that high prices have ruled.
Hothouse grapes from Belgium. the
show fruit of the season, are not much
in demand at $l.25 a pound. 1t Is
only show fruit, was the comment
of a dealer. not possessing anything like
as good flavor as that Of grapes grown
in this country.
cumber. Growers in Terre .Haute, Ind.
and Boston. Mass. are supplying the
local market at the high price of SIS a
dozen. meaning a retail price of so cents
apiece,
Tomatoes Brought From West.
Hothouse tomatoes from the West,
chiefly Ohio, also are being received,
but, according 10 dealers. they meet no
better demand than the garden toma-
toes from Nassau. The Nassau TO-
matoes, received in New York and re-
packed. were quoted this morning at So
AF cty containing
& pounds each. Inferior stock sold al
lower prices.
Asparagus. also grown In hothouses
in the West. was quoted at $3.50 a
dozen punches this morning. The
punches are small, containing only 10
stalks.
Brussels sprouts. received from New
York and California. are in good de-
mand and top price OF 40 was quoted
on the best supplies from the West.
Two-bushel baskets OF peas from
Mexico were quoted at $3.50, the whole
sale price. IL Is stated. meaning a re-
tail price of about Acc pound.
string beans, product Of Florida grow
ers, continue scare. They are more
plentiful than they were a week ago,
however. and dealers report they found
ready sale at $50 a crate.
Only moderate supplies OF lettuce.
celery cabbage. spinach, and potatoes
we're received the past few days. re-
ceipts OF pepper. eggplant, beets and
onions being light. Dealers reported
liberal receipts Of caulifiowcr from Cali
fornia shippers that me. light de-
mand. the market continuing weak.
Honeydews from Argentina are being
received In the local market. They
run 6 and TO the crate and were SELL
ing at 50 a crate this morning Mod
crate supplies of Florida oranges and
grapefruit and light receipts OF tanger-
ines and cranberries were reported.
Fish Supplies Short.
Municipal Fish Market this week has
been without It's usual large quantities
OF fresh fish, due, according TO reports,
TO high winds and otherwise rough
weather than prevailed along the coast
and on inland waters High winds on
Chesapeake Bay and tributaries proved
a handicap with both fishermen and
oyStermen, more especially the fisher
men. making 1t difficult TO operate nets
and tongs.
In spite OF adverse conditions, how
ever. oystermen managed 20 keep local
merchants supplied with bivalves
enough to meet "A fairly good demand
at prices that have prevailed the past
offered at $3.50 gallon, standards
bringing $225 Shell stock this week
sold at So a bushel. Most of the oysters
received during the week were shucked
AT points on the Chesapeake Bay and
tributaries.
Shad from North Carolina waters led
the market. Meters are not vet catch
Ing them In great quantities, II is re-
ported. and are getting what they term
fairly good prices,
Fine Roe Shad on Sale.
Roe shad. said by dealers 10 be espe-
ciaily fine. were on hand throughout the
week. and their scarcity resulted In run
ming the prices OF the roes up TO 90
cents pound. bucks bringing Is and
jacks. IL cents pound. Shad are not
yet plentiful enough for dealers TO sell
the roe separate.
North Carolina fishermen also shipped
small quantities Of rockfish 10 the local
market this week. the fish finding ready
sale at 50 cents. high price under
normal conditions. Spotted trout. also
product Of North Carolina waters,
were scarce At IS cents while herring
from the same waters were In fairly
good demand at 10 cents.
wholesalers received fairly large
quantities or especially attractive shrimp
from Florida shippers that found ready
sale. Green shrimp were offered ut 10
and cooked shrimp at As cents a pound.
spanish mackerel. also from Florida.
were quoted ut 10 cents yesterday. a de- |
cided advance over the price week
ago.
River Shipments Scarce.
Very few fish were received from
Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River