Evening star., 1945-04-05

The nrSt SOFT shell crabs OF the
season. little bigger than silver dol
lars, are arriving in Washington
but at price! No frog legs to speak
of are-coming in from Florida; deal
ers report that these epicurean de-
lights are hardly being shipped at
all this year. Shad Is vending its
way up the coast in hurry-every-
things seems infected with Gen.
Pstton's spirit these days! They will
be coming in from Jersey waters for
the week end, but will be scarcer
than heretofore. In the plentiful
lineup we find rockflsh, sea bass,
trout, mackerel, butterfish, cod and
haddock flllet, porgies and croakers.
Shrimp will be in limited supply,
but crab meat is more plentiful and
little less expensive.
Meats will be much as they have
been in recent weeks, with beef and
veal the easiest to obtain, very
little lamb, and hardly any pork
available. Poultry shows little
change, although squads are becom-
ing more plentiful. Eggs continue
good buys.
There is butter to burn" as one
dealer puts it, in most Washington
markets, but who can afford the
points? Plenty of margarine Is
around, too, but all shortcomings
continue on the light side. Salad oils
are adequate to meet demand, and
some of the speciality shops have
new shipments of the expensive
very high grade olive oil so beloved
by real salad addicts.
Produce is a little less lavish than
last week-the hot weather and
changing sources of supply have
slowed up shipments or harmed
quality in several items. Greens, for
instance, from down Norfolk way;
there are plenty of them, including
collards. rape salad, dandellons,
turnip tops, field cress, and so on,
but they are slightly on the Wllted
side. California asparagus Will be
cheaper this week end, and will be
augmented by shipments from South
Carolina and the first crop from
New Jersey-weeks ahead of sched-
ule. THAT Patton influence agalnO
Plenty of old potatoes and onions
are to be had. Peas from South
Carolina are good, but supplies of
snap beans and limas are lighter
than they have been. Eggplant and
escarole, too, are on the scarce list.
Plenty of cabbage, cauliflower and
broccoli are about-but the last is
getting towards the end of its sea-
son and seems bit woody to me.
Tomatoes are plentiful, and very
good, but lettuce of nice quality has
been hard to find Dealers hope
that by weeks end the general prod
uce situation will improve some
what What the predicted cold snap
will do is anybody's guess.
The Louisiana strawberries have
had an extremely short season. and
the first shipments from South
Carolina are already starting to
come In. Lines lemons, oranges
and grapefruit continue recommend
ed buys. Pineapples from Cuba, ap-
pies and some Oregon pears exc out
a rather scanty fruit picture. New
conner of the week is the first
homegrown" rhubarb, which sup
plements the hothouse variety sent
in from Michigan.
X x X
Here and There: AS you've.
seen in the papers, there is to be-
an intensified clothing drive this
month to ease the plight of the
liberated millions that war has left
in rags and tatters. Included in the
list of Wearable articles wanted are
infants, mems and boys clothing
wonen's and girls garments, caps
and knitte e d headgear, bedding |
blankets and afghans, sheets, quilts
piece goods. shoes and usable rem
nants. Bundle up your contribution
tie it with string (but don't wrap it
in paper, and take it to the nearest
Official collection depot. These will
be located in apartment houses, gas
filling stations, Government build
ings, post Offices, police precincts
fire departments and established
United War Relief stations. If you
want more information about the
clothing collection. call Republic
2a2S IF you'yP given good