Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-18
VEGETABLE PRICES
REPORTED F|RMER
Quotations Still Low, but
Compare Well With Those
of Last Season.

stronger market showing tnan mos'
other farm products this Summer, says
the United States Department OF Agrl-
culture Bureau of Agricultural Eco
Monies Market News Service. Prices
are low but have compared fairly well
with those of last season or with prices
before the war. but around the middle
of the month there was a weaker tend
ency in a number of leading products,
owing to disturbances in outside markets
as we'll as to heavy seasonal shipments
of green products.
Production is ample and carlot ship
ments are running about as usual at
the rate of near 1000 CARLOADS oaily.
The car movement has been increasing
the mast few weeks while delayed crops
of potatoes, melons and peaches have
been catching UP with the season. Inc
Eastern Shore is at the height OF It's
glory, supplying half the country with
potatoes and cucumberS, with Ioeral
Shipments of tomatoes. cantaloupes,
apples and the like soon to follow. Tne
Southern peach season Is swinging 10
the later and larger varieties. The melon
season is advancing northTard. Apple
supplies are increasing and shipping
region extends as far north as New
Jersey and New York. Northern type
onions are again on the market from
Virginia Iowa, New Jersey and Massa-
chusettS.
Potatoes Lower.
Prices of potatoes began a downward
trend around the middle Of the month.
Eastern Shore of Virginia cobblers, the
leading line, receded to $1.70 per barrel
in producing sections. compared with
high point OF S2.25 at the beginning OF
the season and with 50 during the
recent upturn. Shipments of this stock
are heavy and demand slow at shipping
points and in many of the consuming
markets Probably the height OF ship
ments from this section was reached the
second week of July with 3700 cars,
but about $500 cars were scheduled for
the third week of the month after
which local estimates placed remaining
shipments at 4,500 to 5000. A total Of
$4,000 to 10000 cars would be below
early expectations.
Market for Eastern potatoes has been
extensive this year. Many of the Mid
western States report heavy arrivals OF
this stock The early Midwestern crop
from Oklahoma north to Minnesota
seems to have been damaged by alter
nate hot and rainy weather. causing
second growth and other defects and
a shrinkage in the yield of potatoes Mt
for market. These conditions helped
the demand for Eastern potatoes which
have been selling higher at Chicago
than the same varieties OF Midwestern
potatoes Shipments from the Mary
land part of the Eastern Shore section
are increasing rapidly, but the season
still shipping heavily to Southern mar
kets.
Peaches Selling Well.
The peach market so far this season
has been satisfactory on fruit of good
10 Drinoc
downward trend after the middle of
July, but so far have compared well
with last season when the crop was
smaller. One reason for the good re-
ception of the peach crop has been the
excellent color and flavor. Another is
that many of the small size peaches
were culled out, thus reducing the sup
ply suitable for market. Delay OF the
main crop varieties also kept down the
supply and helped the price compared
with preceding years. Later peaches are
now becoming more abundant. So far
this season, the quality of the Georgia
peaches have been above average. snip
ments from Georgia have been about
two-thirds those of last season. but the
principal late variety, the Elberta,. is
expected to move actively to market
the second half of July and until the
middle of August. At the same time,
supplies will be steadily increasing from
producing sections farther North and
West. Hileys from Georgia reached top
of SIS per siX-basket carrier in New
York, but declined in most markets
and average jobbing price was about So
for best stock. Southern growers Here
receiving ST. to $1.20 per bushel for
Hileys Early peaches from Virginia
and Maryland have been selling at So
to S275 per bushel in New York.
Cucumbers and Melons.
The cucumber movement from around
Salisbury. Nd, has been increasing
rapidly this month. Total shipments
from Maryland the second week OF
July we're 281 cars. and from Delaware,
95. The Eastern Shore section supplies
the country with about threc-fourths
of its cucumberS during many weeks OF
Midsummer. Yields are reported good
this Summer, but the quality is not
holding quite as good as at the be-
ginning of the season. From present
indications the shipments probably will
be far greater than those of last sea-
SON Heavy shipments from New Jersey
will quickly follow the Eastern Shore
cucumber season. Growers in the Sails
bury district we're getting only Is to
IS cents per bushel hamper at their
local auction sales in mid-July, prices
having declined about is cents within
a few days.
The watermelon crop in Georgia has
been improving since the rains earlier
in the month. starting new set OF the
fruit in fields that were not too lar
gone to be helped by the moisture.
Many of the melons loaded in South
Georgia this month show effects OF
sunburn in varying degrees, causing
considerable complaint from the North
ern markets. On the whole. the city
markets have held up well in price this
season as compared with some other
products, and markets were firm at
Georgia shipping points the middle OF
July at SIS to SITS per carload. A
similar range of prices prevailed at
South Carolina shipping points where
market was reported about steady.
Northern markets have moderate to
heavy supplies of melons. The demand
generally is only fair. although Phila-
delphia reports good demand for
melons and an upward turn of prices
lately. Most Northern markets report
steady to firm prices. South Carolina
has a good crop of melons this season,
sizes running heavy to 30-pound aver
age and larger The quality is good
and the demand at shipping points re-
ported satisfactory.
Cantaloupe shipments are still MAIN
" from the West but increasing from
North and South Carolina. Each of
these States shipped half-a-dozen cars
daily near the middle of July. South
Carolina cartaloupes are quoted ct
Sl.25 TO sl.75 per crate in New York,
Baltimore and Philadelphia.
Lettuce in Demand.
Hot weather in July brought good
demand for lettuce and price OF best
stock showed an upward tendency in
New York. Baltimore ard other Eastern
markets. with advances at 10 to IS
cents per crate and a general jobbing
range Of IS cents 10 SIPS. Supplies
L.. =.