43° 



Fruit Trade in July. [august, 1910. 



THE FRUIT TRADE IN JULY. 

 W. W. Glen ny. 



A shortage of fruit amounting to almost famine has been the 

 feature of the past month, retailers reverting to bananas and lemons, 

 simply because their customers could not afford the fancy prices of 

 the hour. 



Apples.- — Australian and Tasmanian apples in London began at 

 good prices, then settled down on May loth to about ios. per box of 

 40 lb., or 3d. per lb. wholesale. This continued with slight variation 

 for about eight weeks, when they rose in mid-July to 125. and 135. per 

 box, which is a very high figure. Sturmer pippins are now quoted at 

 14s. to 155. per box. Colonial apples are now over, and a few of home 

 growth are on sale, but they bear evidence of unreadiness owing to 

 sunless days. Early Julian, Keswick Codlin, Gladstone, and Beauty 

 of Bath appear first, and prices are above their , intrinsic merit, the 

 present value being about 2s. 6d. to 45. 6d. per half-bushel. Early 

 Italian apples are also offered at 2s. to 25. 6d. per pad. 



Currants continue scarce. We have had a quantity of red from 

 abroad in handle baskets, 7 or 8 lb., for 2s. 6d., but some arrived damp 

 and mouldy, and dealers in certain instances lost money on them. Red 

 currants are now 5s. and blacks 85. per half-sieve ; the latter usually 

 realise higher prices because of the demand for preserving and for 

 jelly. 



Plums, half ripe, are arriving in increased quantities, and sell better 

 than usual on account of the general scarcity ; 65. to js. 6d. per half- 

 sieve is a high figure for Early Rivers, only half of them being really 

 coloured. They are only useful for cooking purposes. 



Greengages are a failure at home, and of imported ones Spanish are 

 best quality at 10s. 6d. to 135. half-sieve, while French are worth about 

 85. to 95. 6d. for same measure. In boxes, forty gages fetch is. 

 to is. 6d. when of good mark. 



Peaches are slow to ripen, as sunshine has favoured them but little. 

 Selected ones are worth from 6s. to 125. per dozen, while Nectarines of 

 finest grade realise 75. to 145. per dozen. 



Cherries are nearly finished, and the best picked samples have made 

 high prices. The few remaining selected Napoleons sell easily at 45. 

 to 75. a strike, or quarter-bushel. Common qualities are all the ordinary 

 retailer can touch, and these have made 6s. to 85. per half-bushel. 



Strawberries are virtually over ; a few late parcels arrive from 1 

 Kent, which bring 35. to 35. 6d. a peck, but the season is now past. 



Raspberries are dearer, and are purchased for preserving at 16s. to J 

 185. per cwt. 



There is not much expectation in the market of the stone fruit crop 1 

 in England, and only light consignments are anticipated from the 

 Continent. 



Tomatoes of home growth have fallen to the summer price of 2s. 6d. J 

 to 35. per doz. lb. 



