Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-25
BUSINESS IS QUIET
AT D. c. MARKET.
End of Vacation Period and
Cooler Weather Expected
to Improve Trade.

ing to reports, and the close Of next
weeks trade will be welcomed, the last
week in August being generally looked
upon as the last week of the vacation
season.
Cooler weather and return of thou
sands Of vacationists should mean a
decided picking up of trade, whole
salers say, past experience showing
such a change in market conditions.
Market conditions invariably i'm
prove the week Of Labor day" COM
mented a merchant, land there is every
reason TO believe this seasons business
will prove no exception to the rule"
Rain Is Welcomed.
Thursday nights rain was given a
hearty welcome by fruit and vegetable
very little good, but Fridays storm, so
closely following it, unquestionably will
prove very beneficial.
Several rains have fallen at distant
points in Maryland and Virginia the
past two weeks, according to reports
OF the Weather Bureau, and some hail
also fell. While the hail is reported
to have damaged growing crops, grow
ers say the rain was more beneficial
than the hail was harmful.
Haulers of fruits from nearby Mary
and and Virginia appeared along the
wholesale line yesterday looking happier
than during the past month.
We had a good rain yesterday" was
almost chorused by numerous haulers,
explaining why they were more cheer
full than during the past month.
And with all the hot and dry
weather Of the past month";" said a
wholesaler" receipts Of vegetables and
fruits have been fairly heavy.
With respect to most commodities"
he added, what we could not get from
n section We did get from another.
It is true that prices OF some products
OF the farm. garden and orchard were
scarce and high at times, while Other
received Blu little compensation for his
hard work"
Tomato growers have reaped a har-
vest this season. according to reports.
the output being smaller, but prices
continuing high enough to enable those
with short crops to receive more money
when the vegetable was plentiful,
without the added expense of gathering
and hauling. Prices ranged from 81. SO
to $3.50 most of the season after the
first supplies brought much more money.
The past two days, however, receipts
largely increased and prices dropped
to the lowest of the season. around so
cents for two-peck baskets. Nc. 2 stock
selling as low as a quarter. 1t was
limited yesterday that Fridays rain.
although it did not last so long. NAV
result in increased receipts the coming
week and still further decrease in prices.
Wholesale FRUIT.
In the wholesale fruit market dealers
continue to receive immense portions OF
the bumper crop Of peaches from diff
ferent sections. First came peaches
from Georgia. followed by receipts from
South Carolina and later from North
Carolina, much of the fruit from the
three States. more especially North
Carolina, was overripe and resulted IL
losses TO both shippers and consignecs.
Later came the Virginia and Mary
land fruit. and receipts the past week
were so heavy that commission mer-
hants were almost unable to handle
them. Heavy receipts, without the
heavy corresponding demand, dealers
reported. lowered prices to a point
which meant small profits for all con-
cerned.
Look at this fruit" remarked one
OF the dealers yesterday, pointing to
baskets OF attractive peaches from the
Valley of Virginia, land to think it is
almost impossible to get SIPS for it,"
Some good stock, not so large, sold
as low as 81 a bushel basket. the con-
tainer included. while the price for the
large top quality fruit went around So
most OF the week. Few White Heath
peaches, leader Of the clings. reached
here during the week and were offered
around 81 a bushel, first receipts earlier
in the week selling as high as $3.50.
Close of the weeks market found
dealers holding over fairly large
quantities Of watermelonS. Receipts
of the melons had been heavy through
out the week. dealers reported, and
ever received here. The best of the
stock came from the Rappahannock
River section of Virginia, a section
long noted for its fine watermelons
and cantaloupes, but cantaloupe grow
ing has not been engaged In to any
great extent in recent years.
Many Of the melons weighed as much
as so pounds. such fruit finding ready
sale at prices as high rs SIPS. Smaller
melons on the commission house line
sold as low as so cents. Smaller of
the melons were not handled on the
commission house line. and. according
10 EepUTG- Hldny OI IIl6 smaller ones
were too green to eat.
Cantaloupes were even more plentiful
than ~watermelons. coming from nearby
and far distant sections in quantities
larger than merchants were able to
handle, and at times, according to
reports, it became necessary for local
dealers to advise shippers to reduce
or cease shipments. Prices dropped so
low that shippers or the Eastern Shore
of Virginia concluded they would save
money by reducing shipments.
C~antaloupe Prices.
"Prices Of c%antaloupes this season."
commented a dealer, brought a re-
minder of prices of years ago, and to-
day good fruit is retailing at lowest
prices experienced in years. Some of
the small fruit is going at a price of
three for a dime"
Turlock, California, cantaloupes,
grown in Turlock County, reached here
this week. They ere reported of ex-
c~eptionally fine quality and found ready
sale at about So a crate. Next will
come the genuine Rocky Ford fruit
from Colorado. There are plenty Anne
Arundel AMI homegrown stock still being
received. but 1t is believed receipts
will largely decrease the coming week.
Grapes of several varieties. plums,
damsons, apples. pears, oranges. bana-
mas and pineapples are among the fruits
claiming the attention Of buyers.
Damsons, for preserving. were more
plentiful the past week than usual and
were offered around 81 for 2-peck bas-
ketS.
Uncertainty as to the prospects of
cheaper potatoes was expressed by
dealers. Prices have continued high
all the season, prices the past week
reaching as high as $3.50 a barrel. No
definite information as to the pros
poets for the late crop of potatoes has
been obtained by local merchants.
"Scares have been encountered many