Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-02
FOR FARM
PRODUCTS LOWER
Increase in Shipments Re-
suits in Decrease
of Values.

Price changes in most Of the farm
products were moderate near the first
Of the month but the general tenden-
cy was downward under the usual in
crease in supplies at the time Of year,
says the United States Department Of
Agriculture, Bureau of Agricultural
Economics, Market News Service. Fruits
nearly the whole list sold at lower
prices. Cabbage was one of the few
exceptions and held its price level well
owing to limited supplies. especially
those from Western producing sections.
Cantaloupes also maintained values
fairly well. Peaches were a weak fea-
ture In the market. Dairy markets were
nervous and unsettled. Eggs brought
fairly steady prices. Light to medium
weight chickens we're in oversupply and
lower. Grain markets are irregular
ness in Winter wheat Mill feeds are
still inclined downward, but demand is
rather light The live stock market
lately has been a matter Of shifts in
supply, resulting In slight declines Cor
cattle and hogs and correspondingly
small advances In prices OF market
lambs.
Green Produce Lower.
Nearly the whole list OF fruits and
vegetables tended downward in price
around the first of the month owing
to a combination: of heavy receipts and
slack demand. Declines Of S to 10
cents per bushel or per 100 pounds
were fairly general. Carlot shipments
of potatoes are moderate for the sea-
son. but nearly all of the markets re-
ported slow demand and prices lower
by to 10 cents per 100 pounds. Onions
declined to about the same extent in
some markets. while other cities re-
ported fairly steady prices Apple sales
felt the competition of extremely
heavy supplies of peaches. Prices
ranged mostly so cents to 81 per
bushel in consuming markets and
peaches sold about 9 low as apples,
bushel. Grapes were slightly lower
on the Eastern and Western varieties
Cantaloupes were one Of the few steady
features, supplies of good stock being
moderate. Melons continued to sell
close to recent low prices, with sales
on unit or carlot basis indicating prices
of 10 to Is cents each on small to me-
dunn sizes. Cabbage was one Of the
few vegetables holding prices well at
iobbing range of S18 to $25 per ton.
Sweet potatoes advanced in Chicago,
but tended downward under increas-
ing supplies in most Of the leading
markets.
Butter Market Unsettled.
The outstanding feature in the nerv-
GUS. unsettled condition Of the butter
market around the first Of September
was the liberal use of storage butter,
resulting in some lack Of demand for
fresh receipts and tendency OF sup
plies to accumulate Trade on most
markets was slow and unsatisfactory.
Production. Of butter as usual at this
time Is decreasing, but not so rapidly
as before the recent rains LoW-priced
grain and feed will tend to keep up the
milk flow If prices Oil dairy products
are fairly well maintained.
Poultry Shipments Liberal.
In view of the liberal receipts of
GUS demand at prevailing prices, deal
ers show evidence of an inclination to
operate cautiously. Prices on light to
medium weight chickens are to 4 cents
below the highest Of August and the
present range Is not far from the level
of a year ago. in general, poultry has
been making q better market showing
than most other. farm products The
light holding in storage is still the
strongest feature Of the year.
In the egg market the price trend
is still slightly upward as usual at the
time Of year. although recent progress
has been slow. The weak point seems
to be the limited consuming demand,
only partly Offset by moderate produc-
ton and the storage holdings less than
average.
Cattle and Hogs Lower.
Cattle markets declined unevenly
near the end of August under excess
sive supplies. Most weighty bullocks
were fully SO cents lower. The under
tone on strictly choice cattle was
still healthy at the end of the north,
although the bulk Of steers were un-
evenly lower.
The declines in the hog market at
Chicago were also irregular, although
action of the heavier weights was more
satisfactory to sellers. The increasing
scarcity of heavy butcher grades has
strengthened the price position Of such
kinds. Top of the hog market was
about S6.75 at the end Of the month.
The weeks average OF 1851 compares