THE CITY MARKETS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1378, 2 March 1912, Page 8

THE CITY MARKETS.

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES PLENTIFUL. The present week has been a very dull one at tho Allen and Blair Streets markets as far as prices are concerned. The markets have been full to overflowing with peaches, tomatoes, pears, and apples, for which lines very low rates have had to be accepted. Yesterday, however, there was a slight improvement in the demand for most lines. The most important arrival during the week was the Fiji banana steamer, which landed about 2000 eases, of which a considerable proportion showed ripe. Good green fruit sold from 10s. up to as high as 15s. per case, but most of the offering sold at lower rates on account of the ripeness of the fr'uit. A direct shipment from Rarotonga is due to-day, and on this account a good many fruiterers held olf buying the Fiji consignments. A few Melbourne pears came forward yesterday, but owing to the glutted state of the market they only realised from Bs. to9s. This is slightly under ruling Mclbourns prices, so it is not likely that any further supplies will come to hand from/that source. South Australian grapes in good order sold from 10s. to 14s. per box of about 211b., but only a very small shipment cams forward. Fruit ex the Sydney steamer realised payable rates last Thursday. Pineapples sold at about 14s. per caso, and New South Wales grapes at Gs. to 9s. per half gin case. Passion fruit met with good demand at Ss. to 10s. per box, and water melons brought Gd. to 25., according to size. The market is quite inundated with local pears. Choice W.B.C.'s are selling at 3s. Gd. to ss. per bushel case. Apples from Motucka met with poor competition. Cooking sorts ouittcd at 3s. Gd. to 4s.' for choice samples, and best dessert sorts mnde 45.-to 7s. Lower Eutt tomatoes are now coming in freely. About 500 boxes were sold yesterday at prices ranging from 3s. to 4s. Island oranges, re-packed in Auckland, realised 12s. to lGs. per 9-inch case. Messeua lemons are in good demand at 15s. to 16s. per half-case. Local grown grapes aro very plentiful. Hothouse sorts command 7d. to Bd. per lb. The demand for quinces is only moderate, bushel cases selling at 3s. to 3s. Gd. Peaches aro still fairly plentiful, extra choice sorts realising up to 3s. The bulk of the supplies, however, remain steady at Is. Gd. to 2s. Gd. per case. The season for plums is almost over. Large black are worth 3s. to ss. per case. Southern apricots are selling at ss. Gd. to Gs. Gd. per half-case. Theso are being shipped from Teviot. Mushrooms aro worth 2s. to 3s. per packer case. Hawke's Bay and local grown cucumbers realised 2s. to 3s. per half-case. There is n good demand for local grown onions at. 9s. to 10s. per cwt. Southern potatoes.arc now coming forward in fairly large supplies, and 4s. Gd. per cwt. is being obtained. Local potatoes aro worth 4s. to Gs. per cwt., according to sample. Oth'jr lines of vegetables are very plentiful, and prices extremely low. Cabbages have been selling during tho whole of the week at from Is. to 2s. per sack. Cauliflowers are worth Gs. to Bs. per sack, and green peas ss. to 10s. per 12-peck sack. The present value of French beans is 4s. to ss. per sack. Parsnips are selling at ss. Gd. to Gs. per sack; carrots, 3s. to is.; and white turnips, 2s. to 3s. Lettuce sold yesterday at 3s. to ss. per case, and vegetable marrows are in moderate request at Is. Gd. to 2s. per sack. Beet is worth 3s. to 4s. per sack, swedes 3s. per cwt., and rhubarb 2s. to 3s. per dozen "bundles. Fresh eggs are not in heavy supply, and consignments to hand during tho week sold at Is. 3d. to Is. Id. per dozen.

Fortune awaits tho Dairy Farmer who throws old-fashioned methods aside and adopts modern money-saving contrivances. Any sensible farmer knows that cooled milk is far and away superior to milk that is allowed (o cool itself. Tho former secures bigger money than the latter. Cool your milk in ono of our copper coolers, whioh are 24 inches wide ana have- 4ft. cooling surface. Price, 85s.—and olieup tX that. Albert J. Parton, Cartartou,—Adtii