1890 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
693 
AMONG THE MARKETMEN. 
WHAT I SAW AND HEARD. 
Many people are inquiring about the market for 
turnips. Receivers say that, at present, the market 
is full, and prices are low. Whether there will be 
any improvement in the immediate future, is a ques¬ 
tion, as the crop is, undoubtedly, large. The Swedes 
or ruta-bagas are preferred. Some of the best that 
come to this market are from Canada. 
t X X 
I have been much interested, each year, for several 
years back, in watching the declining price of chest¬ 
nuts, after the first early shipments are sold. For in¬ 
stance, this year, the first shipments of choice ones, 
sold for about $10 per bushel, although earlier re¬ 
ceipts of poor quality, brought $3. As few came in 
for some time, this price was maintained for seveval 
days. Then, as receipts increased, the price dropped 
to $8, next day to $6. then to $4, until now the aver¬ 
age price is about $3, ranging from $1 up to about 
$2 75. A bushel is calculated to weigh 60 pounds, 
though dry nuts will not weigh that. The first south¬ 
ern are usually as good as the northern, though later 
receipts get wormy and sell for lower prices. Some¬ 
times, when prices are low, many nuts are put in cold 
storage and held until later. Quite a profit is some¬ 
times made in this way, but such stock must be used 
at once when taken from cold storage. Sometimes, 
it becomes wormy. 
X X X 
Apple exporters tell me that, although the foreign 
apple market has been badly crowded with poor 
fruit, at no time has really choice fruit been in exces¬ 
sive supply, or sold for an unremunerative price. 
They state in the strongest possible terms, that ship¬ 
pers must send only the finest selected fruit, and in 
good sized lots, not less than 35 to 50 barrels in a lot 
(car load lots would be better); lower freight rates 
are thus secured. They also advise shippers to with¬ 
hold part of their winter fruit until later, and not to 
ship it all at once. Some of the exporters also advise 
packing some of the finest fruit in half barrels to be 
held until the Christmas market. Many growers are 
so situated that they must get rid of their apples be¬ 
fore cold weather, and these are likely to keep the 
market fully supplied. Red apples are preferred, 
though good, green cooking varieties sell well, as do 
Newtown Pippins. Many have lost by shipping over¬ 
ripe fruit, which arrived in bad condition. Freight 
rates are high, because of the extra demand for space. 
Exports are away ahead of those of last year. 
X X X 
The R. N.-Y. has heretofore had considerable to say 
condemnatory of the business methods of the Hajts, 
father and son, who have done considerable in the 
way of soliciting consignments of farm produce. I 
have been informed, on what seems undoubted 
authority, that the son is now doing a good business 
under the name of the Goodwin Produce Company. 
Honest men don’t have occasion to make such changes. 
X X X 
Recently, I have answered several letters every 
day, asuing for the names of reliable commission men. 
I believe that all those now advertising in The R.N.-Y. 
come under that head. Why not write to them ? Rut 
be sure to tell them that you saw their advertisement 
in The R. N.-Y., for tney are all anxious to please 
our readers. f. h. v. 
KEIFFER PEARS FOR THE ENGLISH MARKET. 
Would it be advisable to ship Keiffer pears to England ? Would 
they carry across the oceau all right if packed and shipped as 
soon as picked ? Could they be packed better tnau to wrap each 
in paper and put them in bushel boxes ? I can get boxes for about 
12 or 13 cents bound with hoop iron. Or would barrels bi best? 
What would it cost to send them ? For how much would they, 
probably, sell? Can you recommend any reliable merchants in 
England ? Is there any other market that would be better ? 
O. W. F. 
We have shipped these to England several times, 
and we cannot say that it has been a success. From 
our experience, so far, we would not advise shipping 
them. . Pears are scarce in our local market. We 
think that the best disposition that can be made of 
them this year, is to put them up nicely in bushel boxes 
and send to this maiket. If shipped to England, 
barrels would be the best packages. The cost of 
shipping at present, would be about 85 cents a barrel, 
including all expenses after they arrive in Boston 
until they are sold in the foreign markets. 
Boston, Mass. lawkence 4 co. 
Some of the questions which G. W. F. asks are 
impossible to answer. If he can ship Keiffer pears 
in boxes such as he describes, they will undoubtedly 
sell in Liverpool, London and Glasgow ; but in view 
of the immense quantity of apples now being sold in 
these markets, it would be only guess-work to name a 
probable price. The freight would not be heavy for 
one of those boxes. The freight across the water 
would not be over 30 or 40 cents at present rates ; 
maybe less. Of course, everything depends upon the 
condition in which the fruit arrives. If it should 
arrive sound, it would meet with a ready sale ; but if 
ripe when shipped it would arrive in bad order with¬ 
out doubt, and there would be losses. Barrels would 
be undesirable packages, as they are too large for the 
small dealers abroad to handle. Later in the season 
there is a large business done in exporting California 
pears in such boxes. otto g. mayer & co. 
New York. 
Last season, as there was a heavy crop of pears 
and a poor market for them here, I sent over some 
30 odd lots from different shippers in various parts of 
New York State, with the object of learning what 
could be done to relieve the market here. These were 
chiefly Bartletts. My advice then was to pack the 
pears green in kegs, and those shippers who followed 
that advice, and packed green, did pretty well. The 
merchant to whom 1 sent them wrote me, suggesting 
that, in the future, they should be packed in boxes 
similar to the California boxes, which can be seen 
anywhere. I do not quite agree with this, as some 
years previous I sent over some Clairgeau pears, and 
took a lot of trouble as regards boxes, without any 
better result. The best package, to my mind, is a 
bushel keg, and the pears should be packed green. 
As regards packing in paper, I don’t think that it 
makes any difference. I sent over, last October, 
about 50 kegs of the Keiffer pears, and I received, 
after deducting all expenses, $1.20 per keg. The 
reason that I suggest kegs is that they are easier to 
get, the fruit can be more easily packed in them, and 
they stand the handling better. This year it is diffi¬ 
cult to say what could be done with pears ; there 
have been shipped 0u3,0G0 barrels of apples this sea¬ 
son, as against 35 000 last season, with the result that 
apples are selling very cheaply, which will, of course, 
reduce the price of pears. kenyon parsons. 
New York. 
These pears usually carry very well. It is not neces¬ 
sary to wrap each in paper, as, if one or more should 
become decayed, the juice runs on the others and 
generally gives a bad appearance to the whole box. 
Shipping in boxes is preferable. The freigfit from 
New York to London, which is always the best mar¬ 
ket for pears, is about 40s per ton, of 40 cubic feet; 
this would be about 35 cents per box. 
New York. john ellice 4 co. 
THE GREAT INTERSTATE FAIR. 
AN IMMENSE COLLECTION OF FARM PRODUCTS. 
One of the largest and best managed fairs in the 
East, at least, is the Interstate, at Trenton, N. J. 
Every detail is systematically arranged, every facility 
is furnished, and every care taken for the conveni¬ 
ence, comfort and entertainment of both exhioitors 
and visitors. Much and, in fact, most, of this is due 
to the business tact and level-headedness of the secre¬ 
tary, Jno. Guild Muirheid. He says that he is far 
from satisfied with the present status of the fair, and 
hopes to make still further improvements. The ex¬ 
hibits this year were large and varied, the quality 
good, as a rule, and the attendance larger than that 
for any other year except 1891, which was the banner 
year. 
One good feature of this fair is Children’s Day; 
this is a day set apart during the week when children 
are admitted free, and tiiousands of them avail them¬ 
selves of the privilege. A feature in one of the build¬ 
ings is a large exhibit of drawing, penmanship, etc., 
from the schools, which were very creditable indeed. 
No gambling is permitted on the ground ; many of 
the objectionable side shows of former years are miss¬ 
ing, though there are yet a few which would much 
better be abolished. 
In horses, the chief exhibits were Standard bred, 
French Coach, Percheron and Hackney, and a single 
animal each of the Cleveland Bay and Clydesdale, be¬ 
sides a collection of roadsters, carriage horses, saddle 
horses, ponies and mules. 
In cattle, the largest in numbers of exhibits, proba¬ 
bly, were the Jerseys, though these were crowded 
hard by their near relatives, the Guernseys. Both of 
these breeds were represented by the leading herds 
from several different States. Aberdeen-Angus came 
next in point of numbers, and made a grand showing. 
These cattle, judging from those shown and the at¬ 
tention they receive, are gaining in popularity. They 
are an attractive breed, and well worthy the attention 
of those who wish general-purpose animals. Next 
came A^rshires, and those shown were worthy speci¬ 
mens of the breed. Holstein-Friesians were not in 
large numbers, but those shown were of superior 
quality. The hardy Devons were well represented, 
and their appearance bears out their reputation as 
hustlers. A single herd of the oddly marked Dutch 
Belted cattle attracted much attention. Some French 
Canadian cattle were shown. These are new to this 
country, last year being the first they were shown 
here, and this shortly after their importation. They 
are recommended as a general purpose breed. Of the 
distinctively beef breeds, the Herefords led the Short¬ 
horns somewhat in numbers, and both breeds made a 
magnificent showing. There were several fat cattle, 
many of which were veritable mountains of flesh, and 
of no earthly use as breeding stock. 
In sheep, the preponderance of the mutton breeds 
shows the tendency among breeders. There were 
Merinos, and other allied breeds, but the different 
Down breeds, the Shropshires and Leicestershires, 
were largely in the majority, while the Dorsets filled 
a large place in the pens. The latter seem to be stead¬ 
ily gaining in popular favor. Taken together, the 
exhibition of sheep was an uncommonly good one, a 
credit to breeders, and an evidence that the sheep 
business has not yet died out. 
Swine made a most excellent showing, both white 
and black; the latter color seems to be gaining in favor 
from year to year. Of the blacks, the Berkshires 
seem to lead, though there were many Poland-Chinas. 
Breeders all make a great mistake in not availing 
themselves to a greater extent of the opportunities 
afforded by these exhibitions for advertising their 
stock. 
The poultry buildings were, as usual, well filled. 
There are two of these, most admirably arranged for 
the exhibition of the birds. But one of them was 
filled with a miscellaneous assortment of cage birds, 
pigeons, pets, etc., and the other was so crowded in 
consequence, that a tent had to be provided for the 
overflow. On account of the moulting season, this is 
a poor time to show fowls, and many of them pre¬ 
sented anything but a pretty appearance. 
In machinery, one cannot fail to notice the large 
number of machines designed for the making of en¬ 
silage, the husking and shredding of corn, etc. There 
have been great developments along this line in 
recent years. 
Horticultural Hall made a great showing of fruits 
and vegetables. New Jersey is not an apple-growing 
State, still there was a goodly number of entries. 
Grapes were a fine lot. Few peaches were shown, as 
this is an off year for peaches. There were a good 
many pears, but not many plums. In watermelons, 
the display was immense. Nearly all the products 
of a distinctly truck-growing State were shown. 
Several lots of broom corn betoken another industry. 
The firm of J. & YVm. Parry made a large display of 
the different kinds of nuts, comprising not less than 
18 different varieties of chestnuts alone. 
A new feature of this fair was an auction sale of 
live stock on the closing day. The question of having 
an extensive sale, comprising all kinds of stock, had 
been agitated, but not in time to make it practicable 
at this fair. But as an entering wedge, Wills A. 
Seward advertised about 30 animals of various ages 
from his herd of Berkshires. The results were not 
encouraging, to say the least. Some animals from 
winners of the highest premiums in this country and 
England, went for about what they were worth as 
pork. It was evident that appreciative buyers were 
not present. This is a feature that should be com¬ 
mon to all fairs, and thus afford an opportunity 
for buyers and sellers to meet to their common ad¬ 
vantage. f. H. V. 
BUSINESS BITS. 
The Granite State Evaporator Co., 203 Main Street, Marlow, 
N. H., has prepared an interesting and valuable pamphlet on 
the advantages of cooking foods for stock, which is bent fr«e 
to any one applying for it The object is, of course, to advertise 
their feed cookers; but the information is gathered from reliable 
sources. The cooker is a simple, practical and economical means 
of cooking food, heating water, etc. 
This is about the time of the year when people are thinking of 
sawing up their season’s wood. A good way to saw it is to use 
the Folding Sawing Machine, made by the Folding SawiDg Ma¬ 
chine Co., Chicago, ill. One man can operate it aud accomplish 
the work of two. It saws down trees aud can be instantly ad¬ 
justed to five different positions. Those who are interested should 
investigate its merits before sawing their wood. 
It may not be so important in the city, where supply stores are 
hanuy, but a bottle of good liniment is almost a necessity in the 
farmhouse or barn, wuere accidents will happen and where 
prompt application saves much suffering and loss of time. 
Tuttle’s elixir is one of the best liniments. A sample bottle will 
be sent free for three two-cent stamps to pay postage. Send to 
Dr. S. A. Tuttle, 27 R Beverly Street, Boston, Mass. 
There is a large crop of corn in the country this year, as every 
weil-inlormed person knows. Many farmers in the West have tueir 
cribs full of the old crop. They will not feel like building per¬ 
manent cribs for this new supply, neither will they desire to sell 
it at present prices. Some five years ago, W. J. Adam, of Joliet, 
III., brought out a portable corn crib. He has, from year to yeur, 
improved this crib, aud this year has added a No. 2 crib, wnich, 
while not as good as his No. 1 crib, is cheaper, and will answer 
the purpose of very many farmers aud feeders. It will pay to in¬ 
vestigate these cribs, for when corn can be cribbed for from one 
to two cents per bushel, it is a shame to waste it either by dump¬ 
ing it on the grouud or rushing it into market at the present de¬ 
pressed prices. If you wish further information about these 
cribs, write Mr. Adam for it. 
