Evening star., 1931-06-20
OF PRODUCE
IN SMALLER RANGE
Market Movement HEAVY.
Potatoes and Berries Are
Leading Features.

ture, BWeau Of Agricultural Economics
Market News Service. Northern pro.
duce becomes more and more important
in the market after the middle of June
Carlot and motor-truck shipments are
increasing in number and variety alonF
the line from New Jersey westward
Potatoes are the market leader in thu
countrywide sense. They f1ll one ca
in three Of the current output of fresh
produce. Peaches and melons are nov
prominent lines. Early peas, strint
beans and cabbage are coming from
the Middle Atlantic region and early
apples from the South. The straw.
berry season has moved to Northern
shipping areas. Prices of most prod
ucts show the usual downward Summer
trend. Potatoes and cabbage were i'm
portant exceptions at times during the
second and third weeks of June owing
to temporary let-up in shipments.
Strawberry Market Irregular.
Although strawberry shipments have
been decreasing rapidly since the mid
die OF the month, prices have not ad-
vanced in any general way, mainly be-
cause Of the poorer quality of the last
end OF the crop in some important pro-
duc1ng sections. The best berries are
now from Northern States Prices
showed an upward tendency in Balti-
more. ranging to IL cents, quart basis,
on fruit from Delaware, Maryland. New
Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania,
but several other markets quoted un-
changed or lower prices. General range
was TO Is cents, quart basis. Mid
die Western markets showed about the
same general conditions. Supplies are
light to moderate nearly everywhere,
but slow demand has prevented any
nigh range OF prices. ShipmentS are
active in the region from New Jersey
westward to the Great Lakes region,
and some lots are moving from New
York and New England.
Shipments from the Eastern Shore
sections of Virginia, Maryland and
Delaware were little below TOO carlots
and were $50 cars short of last seasons
output. Greatest decrease was in the
Delaware shipments. Maryland sent
354 cars or 10 less than last season, and
Virginia 233, compared with 255 a year
ago. The motor trucks have handled a
larger proportion of the crop this sea-
son as compared with the railroads and
steamships. Truck shipments are re.
ported at SS1 carloSs, compared with
S79 last season, and were estimated at
about Sc per cent Of the market crop
The berry season was profitable to grow
ers in Virginia and IN the section in
cluding Marion and Princess Anne
Counties, Mo. Growers farther North
encountered lower prices.
Peach Supply Increasing.
Shipments Of peaches are increasing
rapidly from Georgia and the CarolinaS.
Early markets do not indicate a season
Of high prices, although there were q
few tops Of "a to S. per bushel in East
ern cities. The great bulk of fruit,
mostly Of the smaller or medium size
early varieties, has been selling around
81. The Georgia peach harvest has
been starting out rather slowly. A
period Of prolonged dry weather in mid
June caused the early varieties to ma
ture slowly and also to run heavily to
small sizes. The small average size Of
the Southern fruit this season accounts
partly for the generally low range of
prices in Northern markets. Quality is
good and the fruit is rather free from
damage by insects and disease Ship.
mentS OF the larger and more desirable
midSeaSon varieties were BEGINNING in
mid-June and the quality of offerings in
Northern city markets will steadily i'm
prove with the progress of the season.
Georgia Melons Due.
The watermelon season is steadily
moving northward. Shipments from
Georgia started the middle Of the
month. Previous supplies of Eastern
markets have been from Florida. Prices
have been rather unsatisfactory to
Florida shippers, ranging somewhat
lower than at the same time last year
Both the cutting and carrying quality
have been good. Most of the melon ter
ritory in that part of the country re-
ceived rather general rains in June,
but the moisture supply was too light
and there was q tendency toward
Small-Slzed melons, just rs happened to
the peach crop in that region
The potato market was in somewhat
unsettled condition the third week Of
June. Prices in some Northern cities
were holding the advance made earlier
in the month, while others showed A
marked downward trend. North Caro-
lima stock, which comprises about half
the total current supply, sells in East
ern cities at $3.50 to $2.75 per barrel
Shipping points in North Carolina re-
port steady prices at SITS to 50, with
moderate demand at this level.
The great producing section Of the
eastern Shore in Virginia and Maryland
Is beginning to play its usual leading
part IN the Midsummer market. The
Eastern Shore supplies about half Of
the countrys early market potato crop
It is likely to ship 10000 carloads this
year. Rains soon after the middle of
the month retarded the early carlot
movement, but early forecasts indicated
possibly 500 carloads during the week
II weather continued fair Digging was
| becoming general in Northampton
County at the end of the week and a
few Maryland growers were expecting to
start digging during the last week of
the month. Yields of the first fields
in the Virginia section range from IS
| to IS barrels per acre, with average
about so. There are prospects of good
yields for the whole Eastern Shore
region. Blight damage did not cause
any general reduction. Eastern Shore
potatoes will rule Eastern markets for
| some time. followed by New Jersey
and Long Island early crops. The early
| crop season reaches Northern limits
varieties from Maine start coming %
market.
Prices Low.
Most Of the green produce is selling
at unusually low prices, but this con.
dition is partly Offset by good Yields
and good quality resulting from the
favorable growing conditions. Marv-
land cabbage brings about 81 Der half
barrel crate in New York. North Caro-
line carrots sold at rs cents to $I.25
per 5-peck hamper in that city. Gu.
cumbers from North Carolina ranged
from 81 to $50 in Eastern cities.
String beans from the Carolinas varied
widely IN price from rs cents to 81 per
crate. Virginia peas sold at so cents
TO 81 per bushel in Eastern cities.
Maryland peas appeared in Detroit at
SIPS for stock Of medium quality.
Prices o. apples from cold storage
declined little toward the end of the
season mainly because of irregular
quality or condition. Holdings Of East
ern apples are extremely light. A few
sales of Baldwins were reported at less
than So per bushel. Supplies of North
western boxed apples are still liberal