150 
American Agriculturist, September 1,1923 
Reviewing the Latest 
Eastern Markets and Prices 
PREMIUM PRICES FOR LIVE 
POULTRY 
HERSCHEL H. JONES 
I N the New York wholesale live poul¬ 
try market at this time of year it is 
customary for dealers to attempt to get 
premiums of lc per pound or more 
above published quotations for heavy 
fowls. From early August on until 
after the Hebrew holidays in Septem¬ 
ber and October the demand for heavy 
fowls is strong. At certain holiday 
periods the orthodox Jewish housewife 
uses only the fat from fowls for cook¬ 
ing, so that fat fowls are wanted in 
great quantities. This custom of 
charging buyers premiums for them 
has become so fixed that whatever quo¬ 
tations are given in the recognized 
trade market report, the dealers ask 
that much more. The buyers are quite 
stirred up over it. They claim that 
the wholesalers are demanding pre¬ 
miums for average heavy fowls, not 
only for fancy selected stock. The dif¬ 
ficulty comes from the fact that a large 
portion of New York’s weekly supply 
of live poultry is bought on the basis 
of quotations published a day or more 
after the sale. The buyers are very 
thoroughly organized, whereas the 
wholesale* dealers are not, and in the 
last year the buyers have had domi¬ 
nant control. 
This controversy relates primarily, 
of course, to the larger supplies of 
poultry that come to New York by 
freight from the middle west. It is of 
interest to the nearby express shippers, 
too, however. The live poultry busi¬ 
ness at New York has grown to huge 
proportions in recent years, a very 
large part of the poultry going to 
the special poultry slaughter houses 
for the Jewish trade. The Italians also 
consume a considerable quantity of 
fresh-killed poultry, but they have been 
more or less driven out of certain chan¬ 
nels of the business by the well-organ¬ 
ized Jewish dealers. The Health De¬ 
partment has made an effort to stop 
street peddling of live poultry, which 
was popular with the Italians, and has 
shut down on killing of poultry in other 
than licensed slaughter houses. 
The total value of New York’s week¬ 
ly supply of live poultry is estimated 
at around $1,500,000. 
The accompanying table of wholesale 
prices of express fowls and broilers in 
1922 and this year may be of value in 
gauging the possible trend of prices in 
the next few weeks. (Prices taken 
from Department of Farms and Mar¬ 
kets reports.) 
Express receipts of live poultry sold 
well last week when of good quality, 
but there was a large proportion of 
poor stock which was offered at inside 
prices. Wholesale prices August 23 
as follows: Fowls, 25 @ 29c; Broilers, 
colored, 30 @ 31c; Leghorn, large, 29 @ 
30c; average, 27 @28c; small, 23 @ 26c. 
FEW FANCY NEARBY EGGS 
The market held steady last week for 
fancy and extra fancy nearby white 
eggs and the top quotation on New 
Jersey hennery whites, closely selected, 
extras, was advanced to 57c. The bulk 
of the receipts from nearby sections, 
however, were of medium quality, and 
sold within a range of 39 @ 48c, with 
undergrades down as low as 32c. 
Buyers became very critical and were 
willing to pay highest prices for only 
very fancy eggs. The medium and 
lower qualities moved slowly. The bulk 
of the supply of Pacific Coast eggs 
toward the end of last week was offered 
at 43 @ 46c. There was a tendency, 
however, for buyers to turn from Pa¬ 
cific Coast to nearby eggs of fuller and 
better quality. Cold storage eggs 
moved out of storage at New York 
last week at the rate of from 3,000 
to 6,000 cases per day, whereas the 
movement into storage averaged less 
than 2,000 cases per day. The best 
qualities of storage eggs undoubtedly 
tend to hold down the market of fresh 
receipts. 
The final Government report of cold 
storage egg stocks in the United States 
shows 10,503,000 cases, or 113,000 
cases more than indicated by the pre¬ 
liminary report. This is in excess over 
last year of 342,000 cases, or a little 
less than 3.4 per cent. There was also 
an excess of frozen eggs in storage of 
8,348,000 pounds, equivalent to about 
260,000 cases of eggs in the shell. 
In the four large markets a total of 
5,935,746 cases of eggs have been re¬ 
ceived January 1, which is about 100,- 
000 cases more than the same period 
in 1922. Wholesale dealers were com¬ 
plaining last week over the irregularity 
in the volume of Pacific Coast egg re¬ 
ceipts, due to the occasional shipments 
to feel that a peak had been reached 
temporarily, at least, and declined to 
buy further except for immediate 
needs. Toward the end of the week 
creamery extras (92 score) dropped 
from 4414 @ 45c per lb. down to 44c. 
There was some uncertainty as to fur¬ 
ther changes, but it is unlikely that 
this weakness will continue. The re¬ 
ports are, however, that the extreme of 
WHOLESALE PRICES OF EXPRESS FOWLS AND BROILERS 
FOWLS 
Colored 
Leghorn 
1922 Prices 
Aug. 3. 
24@25c 
26 @ 28c 
25 @ 26c 
27 @ 29c 
25 @27c 
27 @ 29c 
28 @ 32c 
20 @ 25c 
23 @ 24c 
21@26c 
27c 
28 @ 30c 
21 @23o 
22 @ 25c 
18 @ 22c 
20@23c 
20 @ 22c 
24 @ 26c 
25@26c 
Auer. 17.... .......... 
Aug. 24.. . 
Aug. 31... 
Fcpt.. 7.. 
Sept. 14. 
Sept. 21... 
Sept. 27. 
1923 Prices 
Aug. 2... 
21c 
19 @ 20c 
23 @ 24c 
20 @ 24c 
Aug. 9... 
Aug. 16... 
Aug. 23. 
BROILERS 
Colored 
Leghorn— 
Large 
Average 
Small 
28 @ 30c 
24@25c 
23a 
21c 
31 @ 33c 
26 @ 28c 
26 @ 28c 
30@31c 
25c 
30c 
28c 
26c 
24c 
24 @ 27c 
25c 
24o 
22c 
27 @29c 
27c 
25c 
27 @28c 
22c 
26c 
18c 
25c 
33@38c 
31 @ 33c 
26 @ 32o 
26 @ 30c 
32@33c 
30c 
29c 
24 @ 28c 
27 @ 29c 
28c 
27%c 
26c 
28@30c 
29c 
27 @ 29c 
of large quantities by steamer. These 
heavy irregular shipments tend to de¬ 
press the market not only for Pacific 
Coast eggs but for all other classes. 
THE HONEY MARKET 
Activity is increasing in the honey 
market. The demand for buckwheat 
extracted for delivery around Septem¬ 
ber 1 is good. Country buyers, how¬ 
ever, are offering only 8 and 9c a pound. 
There is no stability to the market at 
New York City, prices quoted by dealers 
ranging from 7 @ 11c f.o.b. New York. 
The New York Journal of Commerce 
August 24 quoted honey as follows: 
Clover, comb case, $3.50 @ 4, extracted 
per lb. 9 @ 11c; Buckwheat, comb crate, 
$3 @ 3.50, extracted per lb. 7 @ 9c. 
CHEESE ADVANCE 
Because of larger speculative de¬ 
mand, and less favorable reports as 
to producing conditions, the cheese mar¬ 
ket advanced last week. On August 
23, State whole milk flats, fresh, aver¬ 
age run, were quoted at 25% @ 25 %c 
lb., an increase of %c over the previous 
week. Some dealers were asking 26c. 
The following is the final August 1 
Federal cold storage report on Ameri¬ 
can cheese holdings: 
U. S. COLD STORAGE HOLDINGS 
Aug. 1 Aug. 1 Aug. 1 
5-Yr. Av. 1922 1923 
Cheese, American.. 50,165 46,580 55,768 
BUTTER REACTS SLIGHTLY 
After climbing up rather steadily 
for some time, butter prices came to 
a standstill last week. Buyers seemed 
low production has been passed. Many 
sections that suffered from drouth 
have recently had sufficient showers to 
bring them back into condition. 
The demand for unsalted creamery 
is usually dull at this time of year 
and supplies are liberal. Creamery 
unsalted extras were quoted August 
23 at 45 @ 45 %c. 
POTATO MARKET FIRM 
Prices in the potato growing sections 
last week were firm, due largely to a 
good demand on Long Island for 
“shippers,” field run, for export and 
for table stock outside of New York 
City. A few cars from the Island 
moved as far west as Pittsburgh, Pa. 
Shippers were loaded for $1.46 per bu. 
in bulk; U. S. No. 1 stock for $1.56 
per bu.; sacked ones sold for $4.50 per 
150-lb. bag, f.o.b. loading station. 
South Jersey quotations touched $4.50 
per 150-lb sack f.o.b.; Robbinsville sec¬ 
tion quoted 150-lb sack from $4.35 @ 
4.50 f.o.b. 
Jersey U. S. No. 2 machine graded 
dragged at quotation from $1.35 per 
150-lb sack to $1.50 f.o.b. loading point. 
APPLE DEMAND LIMITED 
Supplies of barreled and basket ap¬ 
ples were light from Hudson River 
Valley sections last week, but heavy 
from New Jersey and Delaware. The 
demand was limited and market in¬ 
active, with highest prices realized on 
comparatively few sales. Large size, 
uniform fruit, of course, sold much 
more readily and bushel baskets were 
preferred to barrels. Following were 
Quotations From Eastern Markets 
The following are the prices at which farm products of special 
eastern farmers sold on August 24: 
Eggs, Nearbys (cents per dozen) New York Buffalo 
New Jersey hennery whites uncandled, extras.., 55@57 . 
Other hennery whites, extras. . 52@55 . 
Extra firsts. 44 @48 42 @44 
Firsts.. 39 @43 . 
Gathered, whites, first to extra firsts. 39 @47 . 
Lower grades. 32 @38 .j 
Hennery browns, extras. 38 @46 . 
Gathered browns and mixed colors, extras. 37 @39 38 @40 
Pullets No. 1.... 35@38 ., 
Butter (cents per pound) 
Creamery (salted) high score. 44% @45 48@49 
Extra (92 score).... 44 46@47 
State dairy (salted), finest.■ 43@43% 44@43 
Good to prime. 40%@42% 36@42 
interest to 
Phila. 
33 
29 % 
Hay and Straw, Large Bales (per ton) 
U. S. Grades 
Timothy No. 2. 
Timothy No. 3. 
Timothy Sample. 
Fancy light clover mixed. 
Alfalfa, second cutting. 
Oat straw No. 1. 
$27 @29 
23 @25 
16 @19 
30 
30@ 31 
14 @15 
Live Poultry, Express Lots (cents per lb.) 
Fowls, colored fancy, heavy.. 
Fowls, leghorns and poor. 
Broilers, colored fancy. 
Broilers, leghorn... 
25 @29 
23 @25 
30 @31 
27 @30 
Live Stock (cents per pound) 
11 @14 
4@4% 
10 @12 
3@5 
9%@9y2 
Calves, good to medium.... 
Bulls, common to good.. 
Lambs, common to good... 
Sheep, common to good ewes.> 
Old Grade Standards 
$17 @ 18 $26@27 
. 22 @23 
!!!!!!! " 26@27 
26 @28 29 @ 30 
21 @ 23 21 @24 
34 36 
22 35 
wholesale prices August 23 on Hudson 
Valley apples in bushel baskets: 
DUCHESS, 75c @$1.50; WEALTHY, 
75c @ $2; WILLIAMS, $2 @2.75; 
MAIDEN BLUSH, $1 @ 1.25; 
GRAVENSTEIN, $1.25 @ 1.75; WOLF 
RIVER and ALEXANDER, $1.50 @ 
2; TRANSPARENT, 75 @ 1.50. 
DUCHESS, in barrels, best, brought 
$4.50 @5; WEALTHY, best, $4 @ 
4.50. 
Crab apples are coming in from Hud¬ 
son Valley sections, but there is very 
little demand for them now. Some re¬ 
ceivers are putting them into storage 
until after Labor Day, when people 
will have returned from summer vaca¬ 
tions and take more interest in jelly¬ 
making and canning. It is a, mistake 
to ship crab apples in barrels. They 
should be packed in bushel baskets, or 
12 and 14 qt. baskets. Wholesale 
prices on crab apples August 23 fol¬ 
lows: Per bu. basket, different va¬ 
rieties, best, small, $3 @3.50; large, 
$2 @ 2.50; poor to ordinary, $1 @ 1.50; 
per 12 and 14 qt. basket, 50 @ 75c. 
California shipped over 2,000 car¬ 
loads of apples from the middle of 
June to August 18 this season, out of 
a total of only 5,148 for the whole 
country. This compares with 55 cars 
from New York State in the same 
period. It is no wonder California 
Gravensteins have been flooding our 
New York market. 
DULL MARKET FOR PEARS 
California has taken all the edge 
off the pear market for eastern grow¬ 
ers lately. Out of total of 233 car¬ 
loads of pears received at New York 
in the week ending August 18, 199 
came from California and only 32 from 
New York State. The California boxed 
Bartletts have absorbed most of the 
fruit stand demand. 
Clapp’s Favorites, Bartletts, and 
Flemish Beauty are the varieties now 
in the market from New York State 
sections. Some Seckels from New 
Jersey and other sections. Clapp 
Favorites sold August 23, per bu. 
basket at $2 @ 3.25, with the best 
mostly at $2.50 @ 2.75. Bartletts $1.75 
@ 3, with best ranging from $2.50 
@ 2.75. 
GOOD HAY IN DEMAND 
Good hay was in active demand last 
week and the available supplies cleaned 
up fairly well. The prevailing price 
for No. 2 Timothy toward end of week 
was $29 per ton. Some No. 1 Timothy 
reached $32 per ton. Brooklyn was 
somewhat firmer than Manhattan. 
CORRECTION OF ERROR 
Owing to haste in getting last-minute 
data on crop estimates into our Mar¬ 
ket Page last week, two stenographic 
errors escaped attention. The total 
commercial apple crop for the entire 
country should have read 32,877,000 
barrels, not bushels, and the apparent 
decrease in the New York State crop 
this year compared with last should 
have read 800,000 barrels and not 
8,000,000 barrels.— Editor of Market 
Page. 
SHIP YOUR EGGS 
WHITE AND BROWN 
To R. BRENNER & SONS 
Bonded Commission Merchants 
358 Greenwich St., New York City 
WHITE EGGS BOUGHT 
THE YEAR AROUND 
No Commission. Fresh, Clean Eggs Wanted 
SHIP TO 
CENTRAL NYACK POULTRY FARM, Nyack, N. Y 
References Upon Application 
Farmers Supplied with 
STEEL WIRE BALE TIES 
FOR HAY AND STRAW BALING, ETC. 
Quality Guaranteed 
H. P. & H. F. WILSON CO. 
520 Washington St. NEW YORK 
