Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-20
DRY WEATHER
REDUCES CROP
Report OF Market Expert
Shows Prices For Fruit
And Vegetable Rise
Especial to The Herald

EOn4 cept. <U.-nlSluB
prices, heavy shipments and prac-
tically all kinds Of weather are re-
ported as features CT the fruit and
vegetable market during the past
week in the review Of c. ID. Shir-
ley, local representative OF the mar
ket news service, United States de.
partment of agriculture.
Marked price advances occurred
In potatoes, onions, cantaicupes and
peaches in some markets. Shirley
reports. He found that cabbage
sold mostly lower.
Shipments Of fruits and vege-
tables made great gains during the
period, the total output Of % pro-
ducts being $500 cars. But this
still was 1900 cars less than during
the corresponding week the year be-
fore. Tomatoes totalled 625 cars Of
the movement last week.
Weather Varied
All varieties Of weather and
growing conditions were reported.
Rains in many parts Of the country
relieved prolonged drouthS ami
Shirley thinks should improve
prospects for late crops. Storms
snow and freezing temperatures III
the Rocky mountain area ten days
before did CONSIDERABLE damage 20
potatoes and Colorado green pea
shipments were practically stopped.
A reduction Of 24.000,000 bushels
in the potato crop due to dry wea-
ther in August is reported, making
the crop the smallest in ten years
except in 1925.
Shirley writes:
Fair 10 ordinary quality lettuce
was returning around S225 per
crate Of four to five dozen heads AZ
loading stations in Colorado and
central California. Dealers in term
inal markets quoted most sales AZ
$2-25-5.50 and Big Boston lettuce
from New York ranged SOC TO Sl.O0
per crate Of two dozen heads. Color
ado and New York shipped less but
California more than the week be-
fore.
September Crop Reports
Dry weather during August was
chiefly responsible for the reduction
of $4,000, 900 bushels in the potato
crop leaving the latest production
estimate at 349,0 600 bushels; this
would be the highest crop in ten
years except for that of 1925. The
August decline was rather general
except in New England and some
western sections. Sharp decreases
were made In the north central
states, a reduction Of about one
fourth from last year may leave
only 239 1000 900 this season.
Citrus fruits in Florida and Cali
fornia still show relatively low con-
dition and are far below last years
corresponding position. Texas and
Arizona report citrus crop conci-
lions nearly 80 per cent OF normal
Shipments Of new crop grapefruit
are beginning heavier than last G
son.
Prospects for late onions i'm
proved and production in sixteen
states may now amount TO l8,6Sl,OOO
bushels as against 12.775,000 las.
season. A bumper crop Of 2.457,000
bushels is expected in Colorado. In
creases in the crop forecast were
made for nearly all the leading
states except Massachusetts,, Ohio
and California.
Looking Ahead in Potatoes
Reports from Florida growers in
dictate that they are planning TO in
crease their acreage of early pota-
toes about 20 per cent over that OF
last year, and growers in the Low
er Valley Of Texas plan an increase
of 8 per cent. This would give
Florida $4,000 acres and the spring
crop in the Lower Valley 5000
acres. Production may be 100000
bushels. Prices for early potatoes
next spring will depend chiefly on
the production in these states and
the supply Of cd stock still avail
able. Based on the September
forecast of production, stocks Of
merchantable potatoes on hand
next January ! probably will be
around 75.000.O 900 or 10000, 900
bushels, compared with 13l .000.0 900
last January and 100000 bushels
two years ago. The supply of Ger
titled seed in producing sections OF
the United States and Canada
promises 10 be considerably smaller
than that Of 1929.
Potato Prices Advance
Partly because Of the rather light
shipments of the past two weeks,
potato prices were advancing and
the general I. o. b. level for most
kinds reached S2.15-2.60 per 100 lbs
Yakima Valley potatoes were selling
as high as $40 per ton at shipping
points. City jobbing sales ranged