THE CITY MARKETS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22864, 20 October 1937, Page 11

THE CITY MARKETS

PEAKS IN SLOW DEMAND GOOD SUPPLIES OF POTATOES The demand for choice quality lines of fruit was fair at the City Markets yesterday, but inferior grade lines were slow of sale. Choice quality apples had a fair inquiry, but pears were not keenly sought. New Zealand grapefruit and lemons were still hard to quit, but oranges were in good demand. Hothouse tomatoes and tree tomatoes brought medium inquiry. A few crates of strawberries were 011 the market yesterday, these selling up to 3s a chip. Cabbages and cauliflowers were in j much heavier supply, with prices a little lower. More peas were available | at lower prices than last week. New ! potatoes were in good supply, with ; prices firm, while Canadian onions were } more plentiful and of excellent quality, j The quantity of poultry.was medium ! with a fair amount of young cockerels, ; and the demand was generally fairly j keen. Prices paid were slightly lower ! for prime cockerels. , Values were: FRUIT Apples, Delicious, Os Gd to 10s a case; Dougherty, r>s to 7s; Granny Smith, Or to lis; Rome Beauty, Os to 10s; Statesman, 1 "is to Os (3d; Sturmer, 6s Od to lis; pears. Peter Barry, 7s Gd to Ss; Winter Nelis, Winter Coles, Os to 12s Od; tomatoes, hot- j house, Is 3d to Is Od per lh; tree tomatoes, New Black, Os to 10s (3d; Yellow, 4s : to 7s (id; oranges. Australian, 20s (3d to 235; Cook Islands, 225; grapefruit, Xew Zealand, extra choice, 7s to 8s; others, 4s to Os; lemons, choice, cured, 7s to 8s; others, 3s to ."»s; bananas, ripe, l(3s to 235; orie- j inals, 20s to 225; pines, Queensland, 12s to 10s; grapes, Californian, white, 21* a chest; , black, 20s to 30s a chest; strawberries, Cap- ■ tain Cook. 2s 3d to 3s a chip; coconuts. I 1-ls Od a sack. i FIELD PRODUCE Asparagus, 5d to Od a bundle; beet. Is to Is Od a dozen; broad beans, 3d to "id per lb; celery, cooking; 3d to (id a bundle; dessert, Od to is (id a bundle; carrots, Od to Is (id a dozen; cauliflowers, Is to 7s a sack; on benches, 2s to Is a dozen; cabbages, 2s fid to 7s a sack; on benches. Is lid to 3s a dozen; cucumbers, hothouse. 5s to Os (id a dozen; French beans, hothouse. Oil to Is (id per lb; green peas, 3d to (id per lb; kumaras, Island, 10s to lis a cwt; Tauranga, 3s to 4s (id a bag: leeks, 3d to (id a bundle; lettuce, 2s (id to Os (id a case; mushrooms, 2s Od to 3s per lb; onions. Canadian, 10s to 20s a bag; potatoes. Southern, 10s to lis a cwt, Ohakune, 7s to Os (id a bag; new, No. 1, 2d to 2Vjd per lb; Xo. 2, 2s (id to 5s (id a bag: pumpkins, choice Triumble, 30s to 30s a cwt; parsnips, Is to Is Od a dozen; radish, Od to Is 3d a dozen; rhubarb, 2s to Is a dozen; spinach, SXI to Is 3d a dozen; spring onions, Od to Is Od a bundle; swedes. 3s to •Is 3d a bag; turnips, Od to Od a dozen. POULTRY Cockerels, heavy breeds, prime, 5s to Os; not prime, 2s (id to 3s Od; light breeds, prime, 3s to 4s; not prime, 2s (3d to 3s (Id; fat roosters, heavy breeds, prime. 2s (3d to 3s fid; light breeds, Is Od up; fat hens, heavy breeds, 3s (id to 5s (id; iieht breeds, 2s Od to 4s; pullets, heavy breeds, best. 3s (id to 5s (id; smaller, 3s up; light breeds, best, 3s (id to 4s Od; smaller, 2s up; drakes, young, prime, 2s Od to 3s Od; smaller, 2s up; old, 2s Gd to 3s; ducks, young. 3s to Is; old, 2s up; turkey hens, (is to 7s; cobblers, 12s to 17s Gd; cockerel chicks, heavv breeds. Od to 1« Sd; light breeds. 2d to Is 4(1; day-old chicks, Black Orpington cockerels, 2d; Leghorn cockerels, Id. BUTTER AND EGGS Eggs, hen, A grade. Is 4K-d a dozen; B grade, 1s HV/I; C grade, Is l'4d; duck. A grade, 1s 4* id; B grade, 1s 3Vid; C trrade. Is l!Id; .farmers* butter. lOd to Is per lb. POTATO CROPS INCREASE IN YIELDS USE OF CERTIFIED SEED The superior yielding capacity of ' certified potato seed as against uncertified is shown by figures analysed by the Government Statistician relating to the Dominion's potato crop last season. Particulars covering 58 per cent of the total area in the Dominion have been •obtained, but as these cover all districts and conditions of soil, climate, cultivation and manuring, they may be taken as truly representative. The yield an acre according to varieties is as follows: Certified Uncertified tons tons Auckland Short Top .. 0.23 4,»6 Dakota . . . . . . 0.43 4.73 Arran Chief . . . . 0.84 7.03 Gamekeeper and Northern Star .. 5.78 6.11 King Edward VII. .. 4.53 4.44 Iron Duke • • • • 3.06 5.93 Arran Banner . . . . 12.00 5.21 Mixed and minor varieties - . • • 6.51. 4.57 Totals ■ . • G.S4 5.08 The relatively substantial advantage of 1.7 tons an acre in favour of crops from certified seed represents a yield superiority of 32 per cent. Over all varieties, the corresponding advantages amount to 1.75 tons and 35 per cent respectively. Between them, the three principal varieties. Auckland Short Top, Dakota and Arran Chief, for which separate figures are available, averaged seven tons an acre from certified seed and 5.3 tons an acre from ! uncertified seed.

DAIRY PRODUCTION PAYMENTS FOR SEPTEMBER WHANGAREI AND HIKURANGI [from our own correspondent] WHANGAREI, Tuesday The Whangarei Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, will to-morrow make an advance payment to suppliers for September butter-fat at the rate of 12id per lb. for superfine, 12d per lb. for first grade, and lid per lb. for second grade, which will absorb the sum of £"21.068. compared with* £20,773 for the corresponding month last year, when the advance was at the rate of 12d, 11.Jd and IOJd per II). respectively. The manager, Mr. . H. Millington, said that production was down about 15 tons last month, due to alterations in zoning by the Executive Commission of Agriculture, but he anticipated a considerable reduction in production this month, due to the extremely dry weather. Uain was urgenly needed,, as the pastures were very dry, and in parts the ground was becoming cracked. The Hikurangi Dairy Company, Limited, is making advance payments to-morrow for September butter-tat at the rate of 13d for superfine, 12Jd for first grade, and Hid for second grade, tlic total payments amounting to £14,227. For tiie same period last year advances were made at the rate of 12Jd for superfine, 12d for first grade and lid for second grade, the total payments amounting to £13.152. The production of butter for the season from June 1 to September 30 is 285 tons, compared with 271 tons for the same period last year. The increase in production is considered very satisfactory, in view of the fact that the company lost several suppliers as tho result of the recent zoning of areas. Reports from suppliers indicate that feed is short, compared with this time last year. There has been practically lio rain for three weeks, and the nights have been cold.

BAY OF ISLANDS COMPANY RATE OF BUTTER-FAT ADVANCES The directors of the Bay of Islands Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, have decided to continue the rate of advances on butter-fat at 12Jd for linest grade, 12d for first grade and lid for second grade*