Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-11
VEGETABLE SUPPLY
DECLARED LIGHTER
Low Prices, Hot Weather and
Rains Cause Drop in
Shipments.

Teau OF AGRICULTURAL IAoA me-
News Service Low prices, hot weather
and rains explain much Of the falling
off in shipments. The produce move
msnt is still as heavy as it was In July
last year.
Most of the LARGE markets report am
PIE supplies. including active movement
b. motor truck. Carrots of potatoes,
peach1s. melons. onions and tomatoes
we're not so numerous as In some recent
weeks for one reason there was a sea
Sonal gap between several important
producing sections. and the later dis
tricts have been in no hurry to Start
heavy shipments at prevailing prices.
often lower by one-third or one-haI,
compared with last year. Potato mar
kets recovered considerably. Prices OF
good peaches, cantaloup2s and oniofS
make a fair showing. Some otaer lines
were declining in price during the tlrst
part of July. but the lighter shipments
were resulting In few price upturnS.
The shipping season is extending north
ward and most Of the activity now Is In
the belt from Georgia north to New
Jersey and westward.
Potatoes Selling Well.
An increasing demand prevails in
s.me potato sections, especially in Vir-
gStia and Kansas. wnich are July
bsrorueters of the potato market. They
supply the greater part OF seasonal car
lot receipts in the East and Middle
West. The Midwesteln crop for July
market is disappointing this year in
quantity and quality, and Eastern pota-
toes have been prominent in the large
cities OF the Central West. Eastern
Shore OF Virginia is considered likely
to fall behind early expectations In re-
gard to quantity. Yields have been
running Below those of year ago ana
despite the frequent rains most OF the
stock is only of medium size. One
shipper early in July made the state
ment that The Eastern Shore OF Virginia
had shipped one-third of the crop. This
would indicate an output of around
10000 cars for the section, and several
others have estimated the crop at about
that quantity. Accordingly, it seems
likely in LEGAL opinion that shipments
will not exceed the 1850 car-lotS
shipped last season. Movement during
the first full week of July was forecast
locally at over 5000 cars. Middle
Atlantic ard New England States have
been taking a large percentage of the
shipments. but there was a moderate
movement to points in Ohio. Michigan,
Indiana aid Illinois. Several cars have
been billed to points in Iowa and Min
nesota Movement to Canadian points
this season has been extremely light.
PRICES at country shipping points
started at 50 IS per barrel, went as low
as Sl.75 and recovered to $l.90 recently.
Demand was reported rather slow at
the advances.
Shipments have started in a rather
small way from the Maryland section
of the Eastern Shore. Prices in many
city markets. including New York, ad-
vanced about 25 cents recently. and
eastern jobbing range reached $2,lo. to
$275 per barrel Car-lots in Chicago
sold at $285 Similar prices were re-
ported for potatoes from Virginia, North
Carolina and Georgia.
Good Peach Market.
Peaches of good size and quality have
not been so numerous on the markets
as might be supposed in heavy year
for fruit. Early varieties were of small
siza. while the late sorts were delayed
in maturity. The midseason Rose,
Hiley, Carman and others have brought
prices comparing we'll with other sea-
sons, but tendency has been downward
since the first of July. Large Hileys
from Georgia touched recent top price
of SIS per six basket carrier in Boston,
but sales in other Eastern markets
ranged 1925 to $4.25; bushel baskets
sold slightly lower than skies Carmans
brought 1925 to SO. Prices at Georgia
shipping points declined about Is cents
the first full week of July. Northern
markets reported light to moderate
supplies OF peaches and fairly good
demand.
Early apples are supplying only
limited competition in the fruit market.
carlot receipts of good fruit being rather
limited in number, but many of the
markets have liberal receipts from local
sources. The Transparent is the prom
inent early variety. Delaware. Mary
land and Kentucky Transparents bring
70 Shol In 20 CT
cities. A few sales of New York Bald
wins from storage were reported in Bos-
ton from $3.50 to $l.75.
Melons and CantaIoupes.
The large Eastern markets report
moderate to heavy receipts of water
melons. Demand Slackened after the
holiday but is reported improving
Price tendency appears lower in several
Of the large market centers and sales
on unit basis range from 25 TO so
cents on medium sizes Georgia and
Texas country shipping points also re-
port weak markets.
Western cantaloupes still supply the
bulk of receipts in that line, but the
Georgia product is beginning to move
northward Sales in Baltimore, Pitts
burgh and New York were reported at
81 to 1.50 per standard crate. Prices
of Western cantaloupeS are irregular,
with slightly downward trend.
Shipments of cucumbers from around
Salisbury, Md. were fairly active the
first week of July. Sales in this district
are at auction, and early prices ranged
81 so to 81 so per bushel. growers pack.
Under heavy receipts the price dropped
later to rs cents to $l.10. Distribution
of early Maryland cucumbers has been
wide. several cars going to Detroit,
Cleveland and Chicago. 1t is expected
these cucumbers will be shipped heavily
during the first two or three weeks OF
July. and probably the total will be
heavier than that of last season.
Onions and Lettuce.
fairly active in Eastern markets at $l.l0
to $l25 per bushel. Kentucky stock
brought around 81 in Pittsburgh. Con-
necticut Valley japanese set onions
ranged 81 rs to 81 IS for so pounds in
Boston. Onion supplies are moderate
in most markets, but demand is report
ed SLOW
New York lettuce of the Big Boston
type is in fairly large supply, and prices
have tended slightly downward in most
markets so far this month. Jobbing
sales in Eastern cities ranged rs to so
cents New York Romano sold at about
the same price range as lettuce. Prices
of Western lettuce are holding about
steady in producing sections but have
been declining recently In some con-
Stunning markets.
Tomato shipping season has extended
North to Maryland. Price of good East
ern stock has been inclining upward
lately. with recent sales of Maryland
six-basket carriers in New York at 81 so |
to S225 Shipments from Tennessee are
fMi plt