Evening star., 1928-12-01
CHRISTMAS TRADE
ISAIM Of DEALERS
Market Men Are Preparing
for Holiday Business Next
Month.

poultry dealers are giving thought to
the question of supplies for the Christ
mas holiday season, not quite one
month on. 1t is not that the dealers
fear scarcity of foodstuffS, but one of
getting the best commodities early in
the season and offering them at the
lowest possible prices.
sonable," observed dealer, the volume
Of business Is greater, consumers are
better satisfied and profits are greater.
Many consumers seem to have an
Idea that high prices mean much to the
wholesaler" the dealer added. "but it
is just the reverse. When prices are
high, especially when they are almost
prohibitive. profits have to be cut to a
minimum and losses resulting from un-
sold stock are heavier.
Poultry Business.
when foodstuffS are cheap" he add
ed, "the demand Is greater, sales are
quicker and there usually is very little
stock left TO be relegated to the garbage
can
It Is reported that most poultry deal
ers Jared fairly we'll during the Thanks
giving season just closed. Receipts were
heavy, dealers having more than enough
turkeys to supply the demand, and the
stock left over was so carefully handled
that most Of it was supplied the trade
yesterday and today.
Dealers complained Of tardy ship
Haents of turkeys this season. RaiSerS
always have been advised to ship early,
more especially those who send live
turkeys here, but this week several
trtIckloadS of live turkeys reached here
as late as Wednesday afternoon, and
local dealers could scarcely have dressed
them In time for the Thanksgiving
trade, 1t is stated, even if there had
been . shortage In supplies.
There was nothing like shortage Of
supplies of the king Of the fowls, how
ever, and the late arrivals had to be
sold at slightly decreased prices.
Turkeys cooped and driven many
miles to the city will lose about a pound
In day" said one Of the older produce
dealers, "and when they reach the city
on the eve Of holiday the haulerS may
expect to have to drop cents or more
on pound. It usually means differ
ence of about 81 on turkey"
Local dealers expressed themselves as
satisfied with the Thanksgiving turkey
trade. Weather conditions, unfavorable
q week ago, improved about the time
naule-s reached here. preventing serious
anticipated losses. Prices kept up fairly
well until Tuesday night, when the
market showed signs Of becoming easier,
and Wednesday morning all kinds of
prices were quoted.
Price Changes.
Retailers dropped to IS and SO cents
for good stock, while other dealers
dropped as low as so cents for turkeys
that were not especially fat and plump,
but the low prices are reported to have
prevailed at only few places.
Consumers who objected to the price
of turkeys made purchases OF chickens,
ducks, geese, keats and rabbits for their
holiday dinner. In few instances, ac-
cording to reports, coon and poSsum
dinners took the place of the domestic
fowls.
Retailers were in evidence about the
wholesale. district early this morning
looking for supplies for the week end
trade. They realized that consumers
had about finished their Thanksgiving
supplies and probably would want in
creased supplies for today and tomor-
row. Early morning business was re-
ported fairly brisk.
Today's Wholesale Prices-Jobbers'
Prices Slightly Higher.
Butter-one- pound prints, 53a54;
tub. Sass; store packed, S0a32.
Eggs-Fresh, selected, 41a48; hen
merry, 53a55; current receipts, 45a46;
storage, 33a35.
Poultry, alive - Turkeys, 35a38;
Spring chickens, 27a2s; Leghorns, %;
fowls, 25a26; roosters, 1sa20; keats,
young, 60a6o; old, 80. Dressed
Turkeys, 40a45; Spring chickens, 3OaS2;
Leghorns, 2Sas0; fowls, 2Sa3o; capons.
large, 40a45; small, 30a35; ducks, 30a32;
keats. Young 90al 90.
Meats, fresh killed-Beef, l8a25:
veal, 27: lamb, 20a25; fresh pork loins.
19a22; fresh hams, 81: fresh shoulders,
1a; smoked hams, 25a27; smoked
shoulders, %; bacon, %; lard, in tins,
12i2; In package, 14al5.
Live stock-Calves, 1872; lamb, 1S.
Plentiful supplies Of green peas, to-
natoes squash, lettuce, string beans.
eggp!ants and cucumbers on the B
street wholesale line this morning gave
that portion Of the wholesale district a
decided Summer appearance.
Conditions are such that there Is
very small portion of the year during
which most fresh vegetables are not
obtainabIe," said O wholesale dealer.
And it's remarkable that prices uSu-
any are SO low" he added.
Discussing the receipt of vegetables
from the South and West, dealer said
they usually are received in splendid
condition, meaning an absence OF
losses, so that prices really are not as
high as they would appear
Moderate receipts Of tomatoes from
California. and hothouse stocks from
other States have been received since
before the crop Of homegrown toma-
toes became exhausted. A light de-
mand for the California vegetable most
81 HA ovtgn ~
LugS Of ripe, wrapped tomatoes the
past few days sold at SO and 1925, some
In only fair condition selling as low as
$225.
Supplies Of string beans, chiefly from
Florida, have been light the past few
days. Prices, according to quality. COW
cred q wide range. Peas have been re-
ceived in more liberal quantities from
California They are shipped in cold
storage cars and are received in SDlen-
did condition. The light demand re-
ported the past few days made the
market steady. Crates Of the vegetable
have been selling around $7.25 and
$3.50, few higher.
Other Vegetables.
Elephants and cucumbers have been
received in such small quantities re-
Gently that sales were too few to eStab-
liSh market. Receipts Of squash also
have been light Caulinower has been
received in liberal quantities this week
meeting q light demand that continued
the market steady. Long Island. N. Y,
stock sold at $3.50 and $2.75 most of the
week
Light supplies of onions, moderate
supplies of lettuce, limited receipts OF
cabbage and liberal supplies of celery
were reported the past few days Mod
crate supplies Of potatoes and light
supplies of sweet potatoes were report
ed s:lis week. sweet potato prices going
slightly higher.
Dealers reported a moderate demand
for Michigan and Pennsylvania white
potatoes, making the market about
steady. Sacks Of $50 pounds sold from
$l.85 to $2.25. Idaho potatoes, 100
pound sacks, one Of the best sellers