Evening star., 1943-02-27
Vegetables
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quently, the vegetables are carried
there for sale and the local market
is faced with a shortage.
AS an example. cabbage price CELL
ings here on Thursday were $3.50 to
S2.75 basket, while in Baltimore
at the same time the ceiling was
from SO to 1925.
But this situation is reversible,
grocers admitted. Other items have
higher ceilings here than elsewhere,
thus causing shortages in other
cities.
On the effect Of climatic condi-
tions, grocers pointed to the present
high price Of string beans. Ceilings
on this product were stabilized on
a basis of prices during the period
between February 1922. When bad
Florida weather cut the crop sharp
ly, some of the smaller stores were
caught with low ceilings and, conse-
quently, are unable to sell the vege-
table now, because they cannot COM
pete with more fortunate retailers.
One Dealer Not Disturbed.
One veteran vegetable counter
manager refused to be perturbed by
the ceilings. explaining that prices
frequently got too high for the pub
lie, but that always heretofore con-
sumers were satisfied to resort to
canned goods. Now, however, the
freeze on canned food leaves the
householder no alternative.
This dealer named string beans,
peas and lima beans as danger items
for the grocer at present because
they are highly perishable and sea-
.sonably short. Prices, on other, Yege-
tables are lower now than they were
at this season last year or at even
more recent. periods. >.4 .4a
To discount fears over prices still
further, he recalled that cabbage
during the World War sold for l8
to 20 cents a pound, while now it
is 10 cents.
Some grocers agreed generally
that certain fresh vegetables were
SO high at present that they did
not stock them. but they explained
that this occurred even in normal
times. One of them placed In this
category broccoli, which recently
was selling for Is cents a bunch
and now is selling for 80 cents, a
price he described as too high for
his store.
The Prince Georges County agent,
discussing the nearby farm prob
lem, said dairymen are suffering
more than any one else. OF the
1000 farmers in the county, about
100, who are dairy farmers, have
had to sell many of their cows.
"You can get some unskilled men
to cut corn and other crops" he ex-
planned, but you have to employ
skilled labor for dairies."
He blamed the lack of skilled labor
on the high wages offered in indus
try. II higher prices were set for
farm commodities, he said, farmers
would be able to make living and
compete WIFI I1OuSCry,
He emphasized that draft boards
are cooperating 100 per cent" with
farmers by deferring all essential
farm workers.
In Montgomery County, where ap-
proximately 500 of the $500 farmers
are dairymen, the labor problem,
combined with higher production
costs and low milk prices has caused
dairy farmers to dispose of more
than $500 cows during the last six
weeks, according to County Agent
o. w. Anderson.
Almost 1000 Of those sold had
mastitis or diseased udders, it was
said, due to unskilled handling of
the cattle
Mr.. Anderson pointed out that this
represents a threat to the Washing
ton milk supply, since practically all
OF the Montgomery dairymen ship
milk here.
w. Lawson King, one of the dairy
men forced to sell some of his COWS.
said so Of the so he disposed of had
diseased udders due to faulty han
ding.
Another dairy farmer is putting
his 81 head of cattle and all his
farm equipment up for sale, while
third has offered his 80 COWS for
sale.
Another problem facing dairy
farmers, Mr.. Anderson asserted, is