r 
The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
887 
M a r k e 
Countrywide Produce Situation 
OLD CROPS CLOSING OUT AND NEW PRODUCE 
MOVING-PRICES GENERALLY STRONG 
While the remnants of the apple, 
potato and onion crops are still matters 
of some interest, the new produce is com¬ 
ing more and more to the front. Few 
farmers have anything to sell now of last 
year’s growth except perhaps a few 
bushels of surplus potatoes. 
GOOD SEED POTATOES SCARCE 
He is a lucky planter who had hie 
seed stock ready. Southern potato grow¬ 
ers, and as far north as New Jersey, have 
had no end of truble getting supplies 
from Maine and other Northern seed 
shipping sections, owing to the recent tie- 
up of the freight lines, and the local prices 
seem outrageously high. The instance is 
one of many which have tended to pre¬ 
vent over-planting. Accounts from many 
potato sections East, South and West 
mention the seed situation, along with 
the cost of other supplies, as checking 
the plans of farmers for a liberal acreage 
of this and other crops. The late Spring 
has made matters worse. Labor probably 
was never so searce, high and poor, owing 
to the extreme wages paid in some of the 
city industries. Prices of farm products 
seem high when they reach the cities, but 
the farmers’ percentage is less than ever, 
because of larger rake-offs by all hands, 
from the railroads to the retailers. Pota¬ 
toes at $1.50 per peck in the cities mean 
about half that price to distant producers. 
New Florida and Texas spuds at $20 
to $24 per bbl. wholesale in Northern 
cities correspond with figures that do not 
show, under present conditions of pro¬ 
duction. any such wonderful farm profits 
as might be supposed. Texas growers, 
who have contracted their potatoes at 
over $8 per 100 lbs., ought to be doing 
pretty well and should feel quite satis¬ 
fied, everything considered, as the neigh¬ 
boring onion growers getting $3.50 per 
bushel. No great amounts of Southern 
potatoes are moving yet. 
Prices of potatoes in the North have 
been so high that consumers have felt 
the pinch severely and are resorting once 
more to rice and other wartime substi¬ 
tutes. Consequently the cost of rice is 
going up, and at close to 20c per lb. it is 
not such a cheap substitute. Sweet pota¬ 
toes have not fully shared the advance of 
white potatoes, although they have 
reached levels higher than usual. South¬ 
ern producers find them profitable and are 
planting an acreage even larger than the 
usually extensive plantings of last year. 
MUST PAY MORE FOR FOOD 
The food question is surely a problem 
for the city man, be his wages high or 
low. Remarked a farm economist, whose 
opinion has some weight: “I do not 
know whether food prices and wages will 
go up or down, but I am convinced that 
the wage earner in future must pay a 
larger percentage of his wages for food 
than he has been doing in the past. Per¬ 
haps some of the highly paid steel workers 
will have to give up riding to work in a 
limousine and pay more of their income 
for potatoes and such things.” This 
view seems logical enough. City popu¬ 
lation is growing fast, as the new census 
figures show, and the gain is mostly from 
the country districts. With more con¬ 
sumers, fewer producers, higher cost of 
marketing, and no more land to be had, 
it seems plain that farm produce is not 
likely to go back to old levels for any 
great length of time, although it wiil 
follow to some, extent the ups and downs 
of general business conditions. 
SOUTHERN TRUCK IS HIGH 
As for onions, they are late in tin 
8outh and not yet abundant in Northern 
markets. Old onions went as high as $! 
per 100 lbs. in some cities during th< 
strikes.. Best stock reached $7 in mos 
large cities. The railway troubles cause< 
peculiar conditions. Some cities wer< 
nearly out of potatoes, onions and cab 
bage, and prices went ridiculously high 
V mle in other places, especially junctioi 
points, many perishable commoditie: 
could not be forwarded and had to b< 
closed out at prices absurdly low, sucl 
2L 8 u? nanas selling for 50c per bunch ii 
Baltimore, or cabbage at 25c per crate ii 
ftt. Louis, and not salable at all in sonn 
lexas producing sections. Some greatli 
needed Southern produce went to waste 
because nobody dared take the risk ol 
snipping it under the circumstances, ant 
,ome (ruck that did go forward sold foi 
about the cost of freight, because it hac 
been delayed too long on the way. 
"'ithern farmers sometimes get bi< 
i A g , roui) of Louisiana growers 
mi,, l’ e( t * ho< $ of OVPr * 4 - 000 >» th< 
str^vK 0f - A \ )nl f ! ,r their first car ol 
aw berries, but all sections shipping tc 
distant markets have their bad spells, anc 
in! oan ,litch UP or era ill 
p and take his produce into town has 
far lessorilk ge many ways and incur; 
eoiffi!? h<dd UP in price remarkably 
cold in 111K * lat , tw, ce as many are ir 
situaHnn JL* Sprint- The freighl 
holding , latller helped clear up thes< 
the "ton L se they were already or 
to buvnt therp was not so much els* 
audvoernf oL\ m0 f .Shipments of all fruit; 
getables fell off about one-half dur 
t New 
ing the third week in April and are just 
getting back toward normal volume. 
Potatoes are coming from Maine, Min¬ 
nesota and the Great Lakes region, and 
a few from the extreme South, but con¬ 
sumers will have to go lightly until the 
Virginia crop starts, and even that is 
reported reduced in acreage. Onions are 
coming from New York, Massachusetts 
and Texas. They will start soon from 
Louisiana and California. Texas has 
been shipping most, of the cabbage, with 
Florida second. Alabama and States as 
far North as Virginia are shipping mod¬ 
erate amounts of early stuff, but the 
season appear to be late everywhere. 
G. B. F. 
Local Up-State Markets 
ROCHESTER 
Wheat, bu.. $2.45 to $2.50; corn, 
shelled, bu.. $1.00 to $1.92; oats, bu., 
$1.17 to $1.18; rye. bu., $1.80 to $1.85. 
Hay, $27 to $32; straw, loose, oat, 
$12 to $14 • wheat, $15; rye. $14. 
Dressed beef, forequarters, 14 to lSe; 
hindquarters, 18 to 24c; dressed hogs, 
light, lb.. 21c; heavy, 18% to 19c; Spring 
lambs, 32 to 35c; yearling lambs, 25 to 
28c; mutton, 16 to 23c; veal. 25 to 2Sc. 
Seeds, retail, large clover, bu.. $40; 
medium. $38 to 40; Timothy. $7 to $7.50; 
Alsike, $35 to $40; Alfalfa, $25 to $28. 
Fowls, live, lb., 48c; broilers, 35 to 
37c; ducks, 35 to 36c; geese, 25c; tur¬ 
keys, 40 to 45c; eggs, per doz., 48 to 60c. 
Beets, 14-qt. basket, 48 to 50c; South¬ 
ern cabbage, lb., %c; carrots, 14-qt. bas¬ 
ket, 50 to 60c.: celery, per doz., $1115 to 
$1.50; horseradish, lb., 20 to 23c; let¬ 
tuce, head, doz.. 90c to $1; onions, green, 
doz. bunches, 20 to 25c; onions, No. 1, 
bu., $2.75 to $3; ordinary$2 to $2.50 ; 
pieplant, doz. bunches. $1.75 to $2; pota¬ 
toes, bu.. $3.90 to $4.10; parsnips, bu., 
$1.50 to $1.75. 
Apples, bbl.. Baldwin, $6 to $8; King, 
$7.50 to $8; Greenings, $9 to $10; fancy, 
per bu.. $2.75 to $3; ordinary, bu., $1.25 
to $1.75. 
Beans, per 100 lbs., hand-picked, me¬ 
dium. $5.50 ; white marrow, $9 ; red mar¬ 
row, $10; red and white kidney, $13; 
pea. $5; yellow eye, $7.50. 
Hides, No. 1, steers. 18c; No. 2. 17c; 
cows and heifers. No. 1. 18c; No. 2, 17c; 
%ulls and stags, lb., 15c; horse hides, each. 
$9 to $10; sheep skins, each. $2 to $3; 
calf skins. No. 1, 40c; No. 2, 38c; calf 
skins, over 14 lbs., No. 1 25c; No. 2. 
23c; wool, unwashed, medium, 40 to 45c; 
fine fleeced, 50 to 55c. 
SYRACUSE PUBLIC MARKET 
Ducks, live, lb.. 50c; dressed, 60c; 
geese, live, lb., 35c; dressed, 55c; fowis, 
live, lb.. 45 to 55c: dressed. 55 to 60c; 
live rabbits, each. $1: dressed, lb., 40c. 
Butter, dairy, lb., 65 to 70c; eggs, 45 
to 50c. 
Beef, price, sides, 16 to 17c; medium. 
12 to 14c; lamb. lb.. 26c: pork, lb.. 22 to 
23c; live pigs, each, $5 to $6; veal, 
prime. 23c; common. 15c. 
Alfalfa, extra, ton. $35; hay. No. 1. 
$35; No. 2. $30 to $33; No. 3. $25 to 28; 
Timothy, ton, $35; straw, rye. ton, $18; 
oat. $20. 
Beans, dried, bu., $5; beets, bu.. $1.50; 
cabbage, lb., 4 to oc; per head, 15c; 
honey, No. 1, per cap. 35c; extracted, 
light, pt., 55c; horseradish, grated, bot¬ 
tle, 15c; maple syrup, gal., $3.50; onions, 
green, bu., 45c; dry. per bu., $3.25 to 
83.75; parsnips, bu.. $1.35; potatoes, bu., 
$2 to $3.75; popcorn, bu., $2; turnips, 
bu., $1 to $1.30; apples, bu., $2 to $4. 
BINGHAMTON 
Fowls, live, lb., 38c; dressed, 44c; tur¬ 
keys, live, 48c.: dressed, 5Sc.; squabs, per 
pair, 80c; broilers, live, lb., 60c; ducks, 
dressed, lb., 42c. 
Cabbage, lb.. 7c; carrots, bu.. $1.50; 
potatoes, _ bu., $2.75 to $3: lettuce, rad¬ 
ishes. onions, per doz.. 80c: onions, per 
bu.. $2.75 to $3: parsnips, bu., $1.50 to 
$2; turnips, bu., $1 to $1.25; apples, bu., 
$3.50 to $4. 
JOHNSON CITY PUBLIC MARKET 
Beef, per lb.. 12 to 33c; pork, lb., IS 
to 25c; live pigs. each. $3.50 to $6; bacon, 
lb.. 35c; ham, lb., 38 to 40c; veal, lb., 
18 to 35c. 
Chickens, live, 34c ; dressed. 40c ; fowls, 
live. 35c; dressed, 38c; butter, lb.. 69e; 
milk, qt.. 10c; cream, qt., 90c; butter¬ 
milk. qt.. 6c; cottage cheese, lb., 5c; eggs, 
48c; duck eggs. 65c. 
Apples, bu.. $1.50 to $3.50; beets, bu., 
$1.10; beans, lb.. 10c: buckwheat flour, 
lb.. 6c; carrots, bu., $1.10; cabbage, lb., 
6c; hickory nuts, qt., 23c; honey, lb., 
30c; lettuce, per head, 6c; onions, peck, 
75c; potatoes. $2.50; maple syrup, gal., 
$3.25; vinegar, gal., 40c. 
Boston Wholesale Markets 
BETTER 
Northern creamery, extra. 71 to 71V.c; 
Western creamery, extras, 70% to 71c; 
Western firsts, 65 to 69c; renovated. 53 
to 54c: ladles, 44 to 45c; storage firsts, 
63 to 66e. 
EGGS 
Fancy hennery and near-by. 54 to 55c; 
Eastern extras, 51 to 53c; Western ex¬ 
tras. 49 to 50c: Western extra firsts, 46V> 
to 47%c; Western firsts, 44 to 46c; stor¬ 
s and 
» 
age packed, extra firsts, 47% to 4Sc; 
storage firsts, 46 to 47c. 
DRESSED POULTRY 
Fresh-killed poultry, none offered ; na¬ 
tive squabs, $8 to $10 per doz.; pigeons, 
$3.50 to $4 per doz. 
LIVE POULTRY 
Fowl, 50 to 53c; cocks, 27 to 30c. 
ONIONS 
Connecticut Valley, fancy, $6.50 to 
$7.50 per 100-lb. bag; Spanish, $2 to $4 
crate. 
VEGETABLES 
Cabbage, $5.50 to $6.50 bbl.; celery, 
white. $2 to $2.25 doz.; cucumbers, $6 to 
$12 bu. bx.; lettuce. $2 to $2.50 bu. bx.; 
peppers, $8 to $9 crt. ; radishes, 75 to 90c 
doz. bxs.; spinach. Norfolks, $1.25 to $2 
bbl.; squash, 6 to 7%c lb.; tomatoes, hot¬ 
house, 50 to 60c lb.; beets, $1 to $1.50 bu. 
bx.; white turnips, $1.50 to $2 bu. bx.; 
carrots, $1.50 to $2 bu. bx.; parsnips, 
$1 to $1.50 bu. bx.; yellow turnips, $2.75 
to $3.25 bg.; white cape turnips, $3 to $4 
per 10O-lb. bg.; rhubarb. 10 to 20 lb.; as¬ 
paragus, California. $7.50 to $8.50 doz.; 
North Carolina, $5 to $6.50. 
APPLES 
Baldwins. No. 1, $6.50 to $9.50; No. 2, 
$4 to $5 : Northern Spy. $5 to $8; rus¬ 
sets, $4.50 to $8; Ben Davis, $3.50 to $5; 
bu. bx., Baldwins, extra fancy. $3.25 to 
$3.50; ordinary, $1.50 to $3; Western, 
bx., $2.50 to $4. 
BEANS 
Car lots, per 100 lbs., New York and 
Michigan pea beans, $7 to $7.50; Califor¬ 
nia small white, $7 to $7.25; yellow eyes, 
extras, $9.75 to $10; fair to good, $S to 
$9; red kidneys, choice. $14.50 to $15; 
fair to good, $12 to $14 ; California dried 
limas. $12 to $13; Madagascar, $10.50 to 
$11; native green peas, $6.50 to $7; yel¬ 
low peas, $6 to $6.50; jobbing prices,' 25 
to 50c above car lots. 
FRUITS 
Oranges. California, navels, $4 to $7.75 
bx.; Florida, $4 to $7; cranberries, $1.50 
to $2.75 crt., $5 to $8 bbl.; grapefruit, 
$2.50 to $5 bx.; strawberries. Louisiana, 
45 to 55c bx.; pineapples, $6.50 to $S.40 
cwt. 
HAY 
Per ton : No. 1 Timothy, $4S to $49; 
No. 2 Timothy. $43 to $45; No. 2 East¬ 
ern. $40 to $43; No. 3 hay. $34 to $39; 
clover mixed, $3S to $42 ; fine hay, $36 to 
$39; rye straw, $28 to $30; oat straw, 
$23 to $25. 
MAPLE PRODUCTS 
Syrups, $2.75 to $3.25 gal.; sugar, 
pails, 30 to 35c lb.: bricks, 37 to 3Sc lb.; 
2-oz. cakes, 42 to 45c. 
MILLFEED 
Ter ton: Spring bran. $57.50; Winter 
bran. $58; middlings. $61.50 to $68; 
mixed feed. $59 to $65; red dog. $71; 
second clears. $74; gluten feed. $75.12: 
hominy feed. $65.40: stock feed. $65; 
oat hulls, reground, $41; cottonseed meal, 
$73.50 to $74.50. 
Buffalo Markets 
Still not much Spring yet. though it 
begins to appear now and then a day. 
Prices remain about the same, though po¬ 
tatoes are higher, farmers being reported 
to get over $4 per bushel off their wagons. 
Butter is easing off and eggs are pretty 
plenty. A big advance has been made in 
hay. Strawberries arc back, having boon 
cut off by the strike. 
BUTTER-CHEESE—EGGS 
Butter, weaker. Creamery, lb.. 65 to 
72c; dairy. 53 to 64c; crocks. 50 to 62c; 
common. 40 to 42c; oleomargarine, 29 to 
33c. Cheese, dull. Daisies, lb., 30 to 
32c; flats, 30 to 31c; long horns. 33 to 
34c; Swiss, 40 to 60c. Eggs, overstock. 
Hennery, doz.. 44 to 48c; State and 
Southern, fresh, 43 to 4Sc; storage, 42 
to 43c. 
Poultry, weak for dressed. Turkey, 
lb.. 53 to 55c; fowl. 40 to 45c; chickens. 
3S to 42c; roosters. 29 to 30c; ducks. 40c 
to 42e; geese, 32 to 33c. Live poultry, 
scarce, but not strong. Fowl. 43 to 46c; 
chickens. 39 to 49c; roosters, 26c; ducks, 
4S to 50c; geese, 32 to 33c. 
APPLES—POTATOES 
Apples, steady. Choice, all colors, bu.. 
$2.75 to $3.25: common. $1 to $1.25: 
named sorts, bbl.. $7 to $9.50; North¬ 
western, bu. bx., $3.50 to $4. Potatoes, 
becoming overstocked. White, bu.. $3.50 
to 84.10: Jersey sweets, hamper, $2.85 
to $3. No Bermudas. 
BE A N S-O N IONS 
Beans, firm. Kidneys, cwt.. $11 to 
$13; marrows, $10.50 to $11.50; pea and 
medium, $7.50 to $7.75. Onions higher. 
Yellow, cwt.. $8.50 to $9.50; home-grown, 
bu.. $3.50 to $5; Spanish, crate. $2 to 
$2.75. 
FANCY AND SOUTHERN FRUITS 
Strawberries, quiet. Crate. 24 qts.. $9 
to $9.75: oranges, steady : California, box, 
$5 to $7.50; Florida. $6.50 to $7.50: 
lemons, $4.50 to $5.50; grapefruit. $8.50 
to $5 ; pineapples, crate. $10 to $11; ba¬ 
nanas. bunch. $4 to $7.50; Malaga grapes, 
keg. $9 to $15. 
VEGETABLES 
Vegetables, unsteady. Asparagus, doz., 
$6 to $9; cucumbers, $2 to $2.50; car¬ 
Prices 
rots, bu., $1 to $2.50; parsnips, $1.50 to 
$2.50; spinach, $1.25 to $2.25; white tur¬ 
nips, $2 to $2.50; cabbage. Florida, cwt., 
$5 to $6; cauliflower, crate, $3.50 to $4; 
celery, 50c to $1.25; lettuce. 2-doz. box, 
$1.50 to $2.50; endive, California, crate, 
$3.50 to $5.75; pieplant, California, box, 
$4 to $5; raisins, doz. bunches, 40 to 50c; 
watercress, 50 to 60c; tomatoes, Florida, 
crate, $3 to $4; yellow turnips, bbl., $2.50 
to $3. 
SWEETS 
Honey, dull. White, lb.. 35 to 40c; 
dark, 30 to 33c; maple sugar, lb., 30 to 
35c; syrup, gal., $2.75. 
FEED 
Hay, higheff Baled. Timothy, ton, $38 
to $42; clover mix, $36 to $38; wheat 
bran, ton, car lots, $55.50: middlings. 
$59.50; red dog, $69.50: cottonseed meal, 
$73.50; oilmeal, $62; hominy. $64.50; 
gluten. $72.25; oat feed. $42; rye mid¬ 
dlings, $60. j. w. c. 
Philadelphia Wholesale Markets 
BUTTER 
Fresh, solid-packed, creamery, fancy, 
high-scoring goods, 75 to 77c; the latter 
for jobbing .sales; extras, 74c; extra firsts, 
71 to 73c; firsts, 65 to 70c; seconds, 5S 
to 63c; sweet creamery choice to fancy, 
76 to 78c; fair to good, 59 to 75c; ladle- 
packed. as to quality. 42 to 45c; packing 
stock, 3S to 41c; fancy brands of near-by 
prints were jobbing at 82 to S4c; good 
to choice, 74 to Sic; fair 71 to 73c. 
LIVE POULTRY 
Fowls, fancy, 45 to 46c; medium, 42 
to 44c; inferior, 40 to 41c; broiling 
chickens, fancy, soft-meated. weighing 1 
to 1% lbs. apiece, 60 to 75c; roosters, 
soft-meated, 44 to 45c; staggy. 40 to 42c; 
old roosters. 28 to 30c; ducks. White 
Pekings. 43 to 45c; Indian Runner. 42 to 
43c; Muscovy, 30 to 32c; pigeons, old, 
per pair, 55 to 65c; young, 40 to 45c. 
DRESSED POULTRY 
Fowls, fresh-killed, dry-picked, in boxes 
Weighing 4 lbs. and over apiece, 43% ; 
weighing 3% lbs. apiece 40 to 41c; weigh¬ 
ing 3 lbs., 36 to 38c. Fowls, fresh-killed, 
in barrels, dry-picked, weighing 4 lbs. and 
over apiece, 43c; weighing 3% lbs., 39 to 
40c; weighing 3 lbs., 35 to 37e. Old 
roosters, dry-picked, 30c. 
EGGS 
Near-by firsts, $13.05 per case; current 
receipts, $12.90 per case; Western, extra 
firsts, $12.90 per case; firsts. $12.75 per 
case; inferior lots lower; Southern, $12 
per case; fancy, carefully selected candled 
eggs were jobbing at 49 to 51c per dozen. 
CHEESE 
New York whole milk flats, held fancy, 
81 to 32c; specials higher; ordinary to 
good, 25 to 30c; current make, nominal; 
jobbing sales of fancy held goods, 33 to 
o4c. 
GREEN FRUITS 
Apples, per barrel, as to quality, $4 to 
89; per box, $1.50 to $4.75; oranges, Flor¬ 
ida, per box. $4.25 to $8.55; California, 
per box. $3.10 to $7.70; grapefruit, Flor¬ 
ida, per box, $l.lo to $4.45; strawber¬ 
ries, Florida, per quart. 15 to 35c. 
VEGETABLES 
White potatoes, per 100 lbs.. 87 25 to 
$Sj per 150-lb. bag. $11.25 to $12; per 
165-lb. bag, $13; sweet potatoes. South¬ 
ern, per hamper, $1.50 to $2.75; Jersey, 
per basket, $1 to $2.25; cabbage, Florida, 
per hamper. $1.25 to $1.75; per barrel 
crate, $3 to $3.50; onions, per 100-lb. 
sack, yellow. No. 1, $7 to $8.25; No 2 
and defective, $3.50 to $4.50. » 
BEANS 
Beans, per 100 lbs., in car lots: Mar¬ 
row. II. P., 1919. $10.50 to $11; medium, 
1919. choice, $7.60; red kidney, $14.50; 
pea beans. New York and Michigan. 1919, 
$7.50 to $7.60; Japanese, 1919, $6 to 
$6.25: lima, California. 1919. choice, 
$11.50; baby, 1919. choice, $11.50; Mad¬ 
agascar. choice, $9.75. 
BALED HAY AND STRAW 
There _ was very little stock arriving, 
and business in hay was chiefly within 
the range of $39 to $45 per ton. 
BRAN 
Ca riots, to arrive, including sacks. 
Western soft Winter bran, $61.50 to $62; 
Spring bran, in 100-lb. sacks. $61 to 
$61.50. 
New York Wholesale Quotations 
NEW YORK. APRIL 23, 1920 
A little more produce has been moved 
during the past week, as the railroad sit¬ 
uation has improved slightly. But things 
are still far from normal, and the mar¬ 
ket in many lines decidedly unsettled. 
MILK PRICES 
New York, for April. $2.55 per 10(1 lbs. 
for 3 per cent milk at points 200 to 210 
miles from the city, with 4c per 100 addi¬ 
tional for every tenth of 1 per cent but- 
terfat over 3. 
LIVE POULTRY 
Supplies in most lines light. Business 
is reported at: fowls. 45c; roosters, 30c; 
ducks, 80 to 40c; geese. 22 to 25c; broil¬ 
ers, lb., 80 to $1.00. 
(Continued ou page SS9) 
