THECUBAREVIEW. 25 



CUBAN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN NEW YORK. 



Supplies of Vegetables Light, with Tomatoes Plentiful, but Low in Price — Improve- 

 ment in Packing Necessary — Cuban Oranges and Grapefruit. 



Especially written for The CUBA REVIEW by the Urner-Barry Company, of New York. 



About April increasing supplies of tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, beans, peas, 

 etc., etc., are sent to New York from Florida and later from other parts of the South. 

 By'the time New Jersey vegetables are in the market, stock is also coming from all 

 other nearby States. After the second and even third southern crops are marketed, 

 about November, there is a shortage for a few months. In this period lies Cuba's 

 opportunity for placing vegetables upon the New York market to best advantage. 

 Receipts from Cuba are usually light during November and December, but in- 

 crease materially during January and February. Tomatoes seem to have been the 

 most profitable vegetables shipped in past seasons, and receipts have been more 

 liberal during the past few weeks than all other Cuban vegetables. Just at this season 

 there are few tomatoes received from Florida, and practically none from California, 

 the season closing there around the first of the year, consequently the supply is so 

 short that high prices could be realized for really fancy stock, and scattering sales 

 of such from Florida have been making of late from $2 to $2.50 per carrier, even higher 

 in instances, though many of the Florida are too poor in quality and range much 

 lower. The liberal arrivals of Cuban tomatoes during the past few weeks have 

 sold low, probably too low to net shippers a reasonable profit. A few of the very 

 best have found buyers at $1.75 to $2 per carrier, but the great bulk of the arrivals 

 have not been attractive enough to exceed $1.25 to $1.50, and many have been too poor 

 to command those figures. 



Grading and Packing. 

 While there has been much improvement in grading and packing tomatoes, 

 there is still room for improvement, and many shippers realize more for their 

 product better packed. This season Cuban tomatoes seem to be running smaller 

 in size than usual, and it is much more important to grade carefully when the stock 

 is less attractive. One of the largest receivers of Cuban tomatoes told the writer 

 that the Cuban shippers had improved so much in their sorting and packing that the 

 stock was received in shape equal to Florida shipments, but other prominent re- 

 ceivers held out different opinions, and upon personal examination of many different 

 marks the writer gained the impression that most shippers were packing too few 

 tomatoes in a basket. The stock is shipped in six-till carriers — carrier crates holding 

 six small baskets and most shippers seem to be packing twenty-four tomatoes to a 

 basket — two layers of twelve. Many of these baskets contain tomatoes of irregular 

 size and of so small an average that it would have been far better to pack thirty 

 or more tomatoes to the basket, which would have made the stock fit more snugly 

 and doubtless carry in better condition during the trip. It would seem that these 

 baskets should be well filled regardless of the number of tomatoes required._ 



Peppers are in moderate supply from Cuba and recent sales have been in range 

 of $2 to $3 per carrier, comparatively few showing size to command the outside figure, 

 and some very small have had to sell still lower. 



Cuban okra is arriving sparingly and sales have ranged from $3 to $5 per carrier, 

 with tone stronger than last week and some business reported up to $6, but this 

 week's steamer brought increased quantities and market fell to $2 to $4, comparatively 

 few ranging higher. 



Eggplants in light supply and worth $2 to $3 per box for average quality, though 

 fancy large have a possible higher value, had to_ range lower. Such vegetables as 

 eggplants if not received in strictly sound condition have to be repacked by the 

 commission house before they can be sold to advantage and this causes considerable 

 shrinkage, three or four boxes making only two strictly sound, but more can be 

 realized in this manner than if the vegetables were sold without rehandling as 

 received. 



Cuban onions are commencing to arrive in large supplies, this week's stearner 

 "Saratoga" bringing 375 crates. These onions have met rather a moderate sale owing 

 to the free offerings of domestic stock, and most sales have been at about $2.50 per 

 crate. There will be no Bermuda onions to speak of for some weeks and outlook 

 seems favorable for Cuban. 



A few Cuban potatoes have appeared, but hardly in quantity to establish reliable 

 quotations. Late crop Bermuda have been selling of late mainly in range of $4 to $5 

 per barrel, and new Cuban should command a substantial premium over the price 

 realized for Bermuda if well graded and of desirable size and appearance. 



