The foregoing Table, however, relates chiefly to “home grown” supplies. Concerning the quantity of foreign fruit and vegetables imported into this country, the proportion consumed in London, and the relative amount sold by the costers, I have obtained the following returns:—
Table, showing the Quantity or Measure of the undermentioned Foreign Green Fruits and Vegetables sold Wholesale throughout the Year in London, with the Proportion sold Retail in the Streets.
| Description. | Quantity sold wholesale in London. | Proportion sold retail in the streets. |
|---|---|---|
| FRUIT. | ||
| Apples | 39,561 bush. | seven-eighths. |
| Pears | 19,742 „ | seven-eighths. |
| Cherries | 264,240 lbs. | two-thirds. |
| Grapes | 1,328,190 „ | one-fiftieth. |
| Pine-apples | 200,000 fruit | one-tenth. |
| Oranges | 61,635,146 „ | one-fourth. |
| Lemons | 15,408,789 „ | one-hundredth. |
| NUTS. | ||
| Spanish Nuts | } 72,509 bush. | one-third. |
| Barcelona „ | ||
| Brazil „ | 11,700 „ | one-fourth. |
| Chestnuts | 26,250 „ | one-fourth. |
| Walnuts | 36,088 „ | two-thirds. |
| “Coker”-nuts | 1,255,000 nuts | one-third. |
| VEGETABLES. | ||
| Potatoes | 79,654,400 lbs. | one-half. |
Here, then, we have the entire metropolitan supply of the principal vegetables and green fruit (both home grown and foreign), as well as the relative quantity “distributed” throughout London by the costermongers; it now but remains for me, in order to complete the account, to do the same for “the dry fruit.”
Table, showing the Quantity of “Dry” Fruit sold wholesale in London throughout the Year, with the proportion Sold retail in the Streets.
| Description. | Quantity sold wholesale in London. | Proportion sold retail in the streets. |
|---|---|---|
| Shell Almonds | 12,500 cwt. | half per cent. |
| Raisins | 135,000 „ | quarter per cent. |
| Currants | 250,000 „ | none. |
| Figs | 21,700 „ | one per cent. |
| Prunes | 15,000 „ | quarter per cent. |
Of the Fruit and Vegetable Season of the Costermongers.
The strawberry season begins about June, and continues till about the middle of July. From the middle to the end of July the costers “work” raspberries. During July cherries are “in” as well as raspberries; but many costers prefer working raspberries, because “they’re a quicker sixpence.” After the cherries, they go to work upon plums, which they have about the end of August. Apples and pears come in after the plums in the month of September, and the apples last them all through the winter till the month of May. The pears last only till Christmas. Currants they work about the latter end of July, or beginning of August.
Concerning the costermonger’s vegetable season, it may be said that he “works” greens during the winter months, up to about March; from that time they are getting “leathery,” the leaves become foxy, I was told, and they eat tough when boiled. The costers generally do not like dealing either in greens or turnips, “they are such heavy luggage,” they say. They would sooner “work” green peas and new potatoes.