Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-25
PRICE
TREND IRREGULAR
Watermelon and CantaIoupe
Quotations Advance on
Better Demand.

The active demand for watermelons
and cantaloupes toward the close OF
July strengthened prices slightly, says
the United States Department Of Agri-
culture, Bureau of Agricultural Eco
Monies, Market News Service. Lettuce
also sold higher, largely because OF the
scarcity of good quality stock. Prices
were much lower for such produce as
potatoes, onions and peaches. Part of
the decline m peach prices was due to
the rapidly increasing carlot movement.
Generally slow demand tended to de-
press onion prices.
Carlot shipments Of some 81 leading
fruits and vegetables are somewhat
greater than a year ago. Potatoes leo
the carlot output with $3.50 cars, the
third week of July, followed by water
melons with ALSO and peaches with
2,9l5. Tomato shipments continued
rather heavy with total OF nearly
1000 cars.
Potato Shipments Heavy.
Potato markets were reported rather
weak after the middle Of July under
continued heavy supplies. Nearly two
thirds of the carlot movement was
coming from the Eastern Shore OF VIZ
ginia. Total output from that section
at the close of the third week OF the
month had reached approximately
IS 900 cars, which is about 1000 less
than at the same time last season;
Local shippers estimated that from ~
to 90 per cent of the crop had been
moved and predicted total movement
of between IA 900 and 10000 cars. The
crop in Maryland has been variously
estimated at 500 to 1000 cars. MoSt
of the standard grade stock remaining
in Virginia and Maryland Is likely 10
be shipped by the end of the month, as
New Jersey potatoes are expected 70
offer considerable competition in early
August. The prospect of lighter ship
ments, together with continued salts
factory demand, tended to strengthen
prices slightly. Most growers who have
been holding for higher prices seem to
see few indications of any great I'M
provement in the potato market tnls
season and have decided TO harvest
| their crop. Distribution OF shipments
| continues good Nearly one-third OF
the current movement has been billed
west of Pittsburgh. A few cars have
gone to Southern points and the re-
mainder to the Atlantic and New Eng
land States.
Even at the extremely low price OF
SIPS a barrel for potatoes from the
Eastern Shore OF Virginia and Mary
land. trading in the Baltimore market
|
City paid from 81 to $2.25, and IN Pitts
burgh and Boston sales were reported
as high as $240 to $3.50 per barrel.
Opening prices Of the season on New
| Jersey Cobblers was 81 so per l00-pound
sack in New York City.
Onion Prices Decline.
In spite of the fact that onion move
ment is only about half as heavy as
year ago at this time, prices continued
to slant downward. Rather limited de-
mand in many OF the leading city mar
kets was a depressing factor. New
Jersey yellow onions in bushel hampers
| and 50-pound sacks sold at a range OF
! 90 cents to 81 in Boston and washington.
Stock from Orange County, N. Y,
brought SIPS to $l.75 per hundred
pounds in New York City.
, Lettuce Selling Higher.
Prices of lettuce advanced quite gen.
orally in late July wide range Of
prices was recorded on sales of New
York Big Boston type, covering ex-
tremes of IS cents to $l.75 crate OF
two dozen heads. The low point of
| the range was in New York City, and
| top price was recorded at Chicago.
New York was forwarding fully one
1 third of the entire carlot output the
third week Of July. shipping as many
! as 81 cars some days.
| The Eastern Shore cucumber season
| is practically finished. Many growers
abandoned their fields when the cash
price dropped as low as Is cents to Is
cents a bushel. Shipments to date are
about one-fourth heavier than to the
same time year ago.
CantaIoupe Markets Firm.
| A sharp decrease in the carlot move
| ment of cantaloupeS. as well as i'm
proved demand, tended to strengthen
the city market prices of cantaloupes.
California Salmon Tints sold at a gen.
eral range of 81 to 50 per standard
| crate at distributing centers. Eastern
cities quoted North Carolina melons at
rs cents to SITS per crate. Flat crates
of Maryland and Delaware stock,
brought into New York City by motor
truck, sold at so cents to SIPS, accord
ing to the number of melons in the
| container. Moderate shipments were eX-
pected from the section around Sails
bury, Md, the last week Of July, and
peak movement is likely to occur near
the 10th of August.
Peach Shipments Heavy.
About three times as many peaches
moved to market the third week of July
as during the previous week. Georgia
forwarded 2,040 cars, slightly more than
two-thirdS Of the weeks output. Limited
trading was reported at Southern ship
ping points, and generally weaker mar
kets. Medium size liberia peaches sold
at 10 to rs cents per six-basket carrier
in the Macon district Of Georgia. job
bling sales in eastern consuming centers
we're reported at 81 to 50 per ix-basket
carrier and 80 cents to $3.50 per bushel.
Pennsylvania Red Birds, standard
grade and size, brought top prices of So
to So per bushel in New York City.
A wide price range of IS cents to
SITS bushel covered sales of Summer
apples in Eastern markets. Delaware
and New Jersey Yellow Transparents
were mostly at rs cents to $125 a
bushel in the East. Delaware was ship
ping about 20 cars Of apples daily the
latter part Of July and few cars each
were reported from Maryland, Pennsyl-
vania, New Jersey, Virginia and West
Virginia.