Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-28
BUYING IS LIGHT
IN LOCAL MARKET
Good Supplies Meet Small
Demand and Prices Con-
sequentIy Decline.

The past week has been featured with
two drops in the prices of poultry and
the largest receipts from nearby and
Southern States of vegetables and fruits
that have been received here for many
years. All stores and stands are today
flooded with choice edibles at excep-
tionaliy low prices.
Early in the week the price of both
live and dressed chickens took drop
Of from to cents a pound, while
a similar drop of / cent was noted yes
terday. Large quantities of Spring
broilers have been coming in each day
and the prices are now lower than at
any time this season. Eggs have been
scarce and of poor quality for the entire
week, the scarcity resulting in an adj
vance of cent dozen yesterday.
Meat Prices High.
Meat prices still continue so high
that there Is little demand for it. Many
persons who formerly purchased large
quantities of fresh meats for their tables
are now combining themselves to pur-
chases of a single small chop for each
member of the family or of small
steak for ALL
The result that might be expected
from this practice would be heavy de-
mand for fresh vegetables and this is
probably the case but the supplies are
so heavy from all parts of the country
that the demand has not been sufficient
TO keep wholesale dealers from find
ing themselves continuously overloaded
with perishable goods This has caused
heavy losses TO both wholesale and re-
tail dealers.
At the beginning of the week the
most choice cantaloupes were bringing
from $3.50 to $3.50 large crate. Today
melons of the same quality are selling
at maximum of $3.50 a crate. More
inferior goods are selling as low as 81
a crate. The Carolinas, Georgia, Cali
fornia, Arizona, the Eastern Shore of
Maryland and Virginia are shipping
the bulk of the cantaloupes, those from
North Carolina and Virginia being the
most in demand.
Peach Prices Drop.
Shipments of peaches reached such
volume during Thursday and FRIDAY
that the prices dropped to a maximum
of from 81 to 50 for both bushel baskets
and crates, with the more inferior
grades going at any price offered Sew
eral carloads received here during the
week did not realize sufficient price
to pay the freight. The fruit is of
medium size and most of it has been
received in good condition. Some. how
ever. had succumbed to the heat and
was total loss to the shipper.
The berry season is practically at an
end, the only ones offered during the
week being cultivated blackberries that
sold at 81 and $3.50 a crate, depending
upon the quality AS a whole, they are
very choice.
Potatoes are lower in price than at
any time for several years. dealers said.
They are plentiful and are bringing
only 81 so bushel Local truck farm
ers are supplying the market with sweet
corn at $50 sack of five dozen ears.
The quality Is unusually good. There
are also large supplies of homegrown
tomatoes and cabbage. The prices are
very low.
Motor Trucks Used.
At no time in the history of the mar
ket have motor trucks been used so
widely In the transportation of fruits
and vegetables as during this season.
1t is estimated that two-thirds of all of
the produce that has come here from
the Carolinas has been transported in
that manner The trucks usually ar
rive here during the ealry morning
hours and start the return journey as
soon as they have disposed of their
loads.
The fish and crab market has ex-
perienced the same difficulties during
the past week as those confronting fruit
and vegetable dealers. Receipts have
been large. the demand light and the
prices. as a result, low Soft-shell crabs
have been available at 81 dozen. hard
shell crabs at So barrel and fish at
any price, ranging from cent pound
to rs cents.