In May the costermonger’s profit is greater. He vends fresh fish--of which there is a greater supply and a greater demand, and the fine and often not very hot weather insures its freshness--and he sells dried herrings and “roots” (as they are called) such as wall-flowers and stocks. The average earnings then are from 10_s._ to 12_s._ a week.
In June, new potatoes, peas, and beans tempt the costermongers’ customers, and then his earnings rise to 1_l._ a week. In addition to this 1_l._, if the season allow, a costermonger at the end of the week, I was told by an experienced hand, “will earn an extra 10_s._ if he has anything of a round.” “Why, I’ve cleared thirty shillings myself,” he added, “on a Saturday night.”
In July cherries are the principal article of traffic, and then the profit varies from 4_s._ to 8_s._ a day, weather permitting, or 30_s._ a week on a low average. On my inquiry if they did not sell fish in that month, the answer was, “No, sir; we pitch fish to the ----; we stick to cherries, strawberries, raspberries, and ripe currants and gooseberries. Potatoes is getting good and cheap then, and so is peas. Many a round’s worth a crown every day of the week.”
In August, the chief trading is in Orleans plums, green-gages, apples and pears, and in this month the earnings are from 5_s._ to 6_s._ a day. [I may here remark that the costermongers care little to deal in either vegetables or fish, “when the fruit’s in,” but they usually carry a certain supply of vegetables all the year round, for those customers who require them.]
In September apples are vended, and about 2_s._ 6_d._ a day made.
In October “the weather gets cold,” I was told, “and the apples gets fewer, and the day’s work’s over at four; we then deals most in fish, such as soles; there’s a good bit done in oysters, and we may make 1_s._ or 1_s._ 6_d._ a day, but it’s uncertain.”
In November fish and vegetables are the chief commodities, and then from 1_s._ to 1_s._ 6_d._ a day is made; but in the latter part of the month an extra 6_d._ or 1_s._ a day may be cleared, as sprats come in and sell well when newly introduced.
In December the trade is still principally in fish, and 12_d._ or 18_d._ a day is the costermonger’s earnings. Towards the close of the month he makes rather more, as he deals in new oranges and lemons, holly, ivy, &c., and in Christmas week he makes 3_s._ or 4_s._ a day.