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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (May 31, 1908)
SECTION SIX ; HOOD RIVER SECTION ..' PORTLAND, OREGON, SUNDAY MORNING, ; MAY 31, 1908.' v v ... . y. a ,... - y.. -a. UUM-. - , ! L 1 1 TO H 1 liiLJG 5 o ft" II I H 0 A; Hi "4 v u l' l 'U- z1? ' " ' ' ill J A .- jv ft J I ill District Sets Stariidard for Prices Scientific Method of Packing Wins Mapy Buyere ; By MarionMae Ra. ' fJI -Hood Rlvr , vmlley bas retelvd th j highest prices on certain varieties of iomiiierclal apples ver obtained by any fruit district of.'AmBrlf erEurope 4s cauulny thinking people in all sftcttonis i of h' country t li.quix -the 'roason.-f Go where on will. In the markets of every; large city in America,!, continental Europe, the orient and, even to South Africa,, the Hood River apple U 'in evj denoe. 'It la on the menu of the dining cars, the larger hotels, the frans-Atlantlo liners and always at a prlc in exosa of apples from other districts. And Why? There are two principal reasons for this supremacy, the first being the won derful natural facilities or resources of the Hood River valley In the way iof climate and soil, which produce unK 1 celled fruit; the' other the scientiliu 'methods of cultivation carefully fol lowed by every individual fruit grower : there all believing thai If fruit . Is wmHh-rieiBgrll-4tl -worth -raising IltV, Th Hfuh tftndnrd maintained to unit by the horticulturists of thls j. district is the aominiuon or ins .V", I world and the produet. or mis one time valley-iot much larger in area than a western stockman's ranch has , done ; more to advertise Oregon than any one ( other of her many wonderful . and at j tractive .sections. !.i'!'nv,., ? The thousands of Journnl readers Out side this Immediate vicinity will be in terested In the4 location..' topography, cli mate and soil of this world-famous fruit rfiHtrifif. K,rha Mood river, a wild tnountaln river, ha vlns: 10(KOOO unde veloped horsepower going to waste, takes Its source In . the snows and glaciers of Mount Hood, flows north 26 milos through the heart of the Cascade mountains-to its confluence ., with- the Colum- hla, at a point 6 miles east ot foruana. 'The nroeresslve little t city of the val. ' lev's name, li built on the picturesque terraces alons?tha river and forms the outlet- to thernt beautlf.l-;ad fertile vallev in - .U America, . unoqualod , In s the. productiveness of Its "oil or, tne grandeur of tts scenery. With a width i of six to 10 miles It , has an area . of about 60,000 acres of tillable land. ' less than 16,000 now. being5 under cultivation. Bowl-shaped with a rim of massive mountains, the famous . gorge, of. the ' great Columbia river in-signi irom every Vtll arnarded at the north and south .by the . majestic snow clad peaks of , ". Adams ana.M.000, 11 woiua do, amicus - to imagine ' a more beautiful place, in . which to live. If eastern people will remember that our mountains are Jive or ltt; times larger than theirs; that the Columbia -discharges more . Water than the Mississippi: that an Oregon fir will cut 10 times as much lumber as a Mich igan pine, something of the grand scale on wnlch nature has constructed her -work In this country wllbe. realised. We claim that the climatology of "Hood River Is unsurpassed anywhere, land It 1s found that a majority of new : Y comers fully ajrree with us on this point. r It Is never very -warm" for any: appre ciable time 1 and the winters are Just ' cold - enough to. give sufficient variety in climatic conditions -tonduclve to good health. The mean average temperature ino rsnnr.1 has been KeDt is 61 de grees. There Is some snow In winter a feature WUlfCJl is ei;i;iaiiy mimiBi, to apple and berry production. These ' snowa seldom fall to a depth of two feet and they are- gone within a few days. The fact that they are unaocom- panied by wind storms or hard f reexes - is one forthe prospective settler to re member. For that -matter Hood River 1 valley, is practically exempt, from ,vlo : lent storms of any character, there be . ' lug no cyclones, electrical storms, water spouts, cloud ursta,'- earthquakes or any of the elemental calamities visited upon less favored section We strike a happy medium between the. arid re. ' glons of the middle west and tue ex Tensive moisture, of .coast points where there Is a precipitation of - 65 Inches. The mean annual 'rainfall for the paBt ItO vears is 88.38 Inches.- lea than that of New York or Boston. The altitude - - ranges from-1 01- fet - above . sea JeveL , at the Hood River depot, to 11.225 feet .1. , at the ton of Mount Hood, so it Is pos sible fer-the 'summer visitor to expert- nee any change of climate within one aajvirom a muu summer weainer or tne ( SO , K f ." t :VV 1 i . - ? "j f- 1 ,t i ht ' - ' 4 - II .... .... '...-.if - . 1." ' ."..'('(."t.f! if,- . ir.-.trt!...;. lower valley to the frigid snows and eiaciers 01 old lioo't .... v, " Boll of valley..- .""r ? . The soli of this vallev Is of volcanic origin and of two distinct kinds one being a light ash, the other a'decom- posed lava, colored to a deep f reddish chocolate by the Iron it contains. . Both are -rich in phospliates and abundantly supplied with, nitrogen. They prove their wonderful productive qualities season after season;.-:-- la the ; greatftr-- part- of the tillable area the ton soil Is of .un usual depth and, the perfect-root growth, wt iiuii hcbb .is viireLijiieu.-. xne pe- cuiinr propurnun oi cueminai elements In this soil brlnxs the anole .ami strau.-- berry to a greater de&ree of perfection- man jn any piner Known irult gTowlng Im a A A W la V 1 . . uiuiui, iito iruu iiavin a -sounaness and keeping quality not attained else where, while in color,- Uniformity of else -and flavor " they J are 4inequaled. Other fruits -are most successfully raised, especial attention being given to large varieties of cherries for whicu Ore gon is Justly famous, but the ble force of. the valley; Is directed to the produc tion of large opple and berry- crops of best , commercial - varieties, and the s re sult has been world-wide reputation and woria-recora prices. - . . But while nature has been most nrod- Igal in her rich gifts the progressive, up-to-date cltixen here is the "man be hind the gun,"' -. It is a fact that Hood River - valley as a community has a more Intellie-ent. hls-hlv eduratc-A lau of cltisens than the ordinary rural dis trict can boast. Their nergy Is untir ing arid they have set a high 'standard In fruit growing which It is their pride to maintain. Constant research and the adoption of new methods have put them on a Bcienune acaie in Horticulture and they will never, -fall - back- but forge ahead. A university club has recently been .organized .and it was found that a surprising percentage- of fruit - growers there are college graduates. With In telligence and unbounded enertrv and the full assistance of nature the phenomenal success of Hood River, fruit growers is .not to be wondered at - - ..rionaw i Orokaraists. '.4 The pioneer orchardists expertmented many years with varieties and method and we who have taken up scientific nomcuiiui-e in recent years owe much to them. : The newcomer can learn In one short season what it took the older orchardists a lifetime of work aad great expense to acquire. The man of today knows- through theiriWianv experiments that the best varieties of aDDles. from a commercial standpoint je the f'Dltz- eniierg' ana . y.enow.., isewtown -"ippin; that these reach the greatest degree of berfectlon. brlhir lilrhest Drlces and keen and ship better than any others; he also teams that there is but one strawberry 3 SU raised in Hood Rivci? Clarke's Seed ling. The fame of this berry reaches from coast to coast and 1s alwavs known as the "Hood River Strawberry." A.uu pernasa ine mom vaiuaoie lesson he learns is the secret of keeping out 11 pests through the persistent use of the right kind of .sprays at the right time. -The Hood River e-fnwor rlnoa not wait-until the poBt gets into his or chard to fight it ha uses the ounce of prevention In preference to the pound of cure and the codlin moth and San Joee scale find a warm reception In the shape Of arsenate of lead, Bordeaux mixture, lime and sulphur,- while the 'aphis Is treated to a fatal din. The snravlnr for codlin moth Is begun lust as the blos som petals begin to fall and Is applied several times during the summer. Scale and , all fungus, growth "are- treated In the late.f fall ' and ear ly spring . before blooming and aphis at anytime it ap pears.. The,, -Very m careful attention given tospraylng results In the apple crops 'here running almost entirely first grade; only 2 per cent of the apples run ning culls, . -. Method, of Cultivation. ' The method Of cultivation fnllnwaA has much to do with this blar age of first grade fruit. The careful orchardlst works his soil very thorough-. iy uetore planting trees, generally (put ting In some othse-eFOo for - eeeae-te ?et the ground In perfect condition. In act, greatest ' Importance attaches .to the preparation of the soil and it Is plowed and harrowed until thorouirhlv1 pulveili-ed, wMch aljowg the Joun roou I y j- ml : ri ail -off if (J rwrf"if 1 J' sum P--yw.'rJjt-;'wwl - -.12... TVi i- i i - t r ' ....- Mr t tvmm - let to be unhampered in absorbing nourishment and free growth. The holes for planting are dug two feet deep and about three feet .wide, the top layer of soil being placed next to the roots In filling. No dead roots are. left where the young roots can come In contact with them. As low-headed trees are the most desirable to handle the young stock Is cut off about 20 Inches above the ground after planting. There are two systems of pruning one the so called vase system;; the other that of pruning to a central leader, ah trees are. kept sufflently open to admit the sun and color the fruit on the Inside 01 the tree evenly. - ,-. A uniformity of size Is attained by the systematic thinning t of the apples on the trees, a space of from i to 8 inches being left between-each apple -on a branch, and only one apple from each cluster. . This 'prevents any two apples touching- and forming a hiding place for moth and . also enables the spray s to reach all portions of the fruit. Through out xne growing season me sraii is Kept In a tfclean' state of cultivation, a dost mulch -non tha surface conserving the moisture, In this connection , the. sub ject of Irrigation oomes up.L;i.i,viv.i.y.,. - Trees '. Vot Irrigated. y'Xy. ' ?As-a rule. young trees .are not Irri gated at all, a tar better root system being - attained - If - they - are- allowed to reach for natural moisture. - Many or chardists do not irrigate after the trees are In bearing, maintaining that apples,! nave better iiavor ana Keep oetter with out; iUQ.thers , use the .water once or ---Mr--' " r 1 f. P9 - -i. w n. "-r n - .... ----- i-.,T V- - - irnmr twice In a season. For the production of berries and other small fruits,, as well as for clover and alfalfa. It Is a necessity and forces a wonderful ' pro duction. The water supply is unlimited, being taken from Hood river and smaller streams which rise In the snows of Mount Hood. There are several fine irrigation systems threading the valley nd the visitor is Impressed with the fact that he never gets away from the sound of running water. There are also a great number of fine springs and, the well water is as soft, clear and spark ling as that of springs and,, mountain streams. i;. "-,, T;- I will quote the officers of the Hood River Commercial club and Apple Grow ers union in telling of the wonderful returns from apple orchards in this -valley, and these statements can be vouched for. We are prepared at Hood River to introduce visitors to the growers -who have netted 500 to 11.400 per acre on their orchards and show- on ' the books of the union what amounts of cash have oeea paid these orcnaraists. Klgbt now the trees are so loaded with vounir- f mlt that it would be a physical impossibil ity for the trees to bear Its weight if allowed to mature,, so a vigorous thin ning Is In nrogress and after the fimt drop another thinning -will . be given. From far and wide fruit men come from other districts to learn of Hood River's successful methods, simple as they are,1 declares - the commercial club.. It has been found that the apple grows beat at Hood River under the clean cultiva tion system, which conserves tho moist-1 ure aud allows all .the nutriment of the Of Oregof s ' . . ! 1-4 : 4 vfcC soli to go Into the making of both tree and fruit. Spraying, to kill all Insect life that is injurious to the growing of perfect apples, IS rigidly adhered to, and so careful In this respect are or chardiHts here that less than two per cent of the entire crop Is found to be Imperfect. In this respect the cose of one orchard can be cited, that last year bore 2,000 boxes in which there wore during the whole season but 60 wormy apples. Another feature is thinning or picking off part of the fruit. when It is small in order Jo allow, that which, re mains to get more nourishment, grow to a larger size and not exhaust the life of the tree. . . Twenty acres- is considered all that one orchardlst can properly care for, but from such immense prof its as $300 to SS00 ner acre and more. such a large Income is provided that it pays better returns than several hun dred acres of farming in other branches. Other Apple Sistrie.s. While -other aoDle-Erowinar districts lay great stress on the quantity of ap ples they grow, the slogan of Hood River is not quantity but 'quality.' The courage of Its growers to uphold the standard or perrection nas won lor Its fruit a name for excellence the world over a'rid has brought Its reward. Never1 was tills tact more ruuy demonstrated than in 1906, when one of the bicrcest apple crops ever grown In the United states was piacea on tne market- while huvers were taklnar their choice In nth.. districts at that time for 83 cents and 11 a oox mooo. mver, wnicn marketed the ble'8t crop In Its hlstorv. re.l from 12 to 13.16 a box for Its fruit, sold all It bad and could not supply the demand. '. ' It la tins tnat is making Hood River land double in'value and attracting many Investors. During the season of 1907, when the apple crop was a short .nn and estimated to be but S4 per cent 0 normal, ana was in many districts a total failure,. Hood River had from 60 to 70 ner cent of a full croD. ,n,l wm Its apples for the highest prices the world has ever known. The fact tnat wnen omer uimnriH grei nign prices Hood River gets still higher la rnnrin.. ive evidence that its fruit Is considered me oeai ujai grows, ana tnat ' qual ity" navs. While as high as $S.50 per box was oald for - Hood River 8Ditxenbru- r. pies in 1907. the average price for sev eral years was aoout ia.o. On this basis a 10-acre Bpitsenberg or' Xewtown apple orchard will M net growers from iD.uuv 10 i.uu ana in some instances more. Authorities on the apple produc tion of Hood River rdace the vleld of seven-year-old Spltsenberg trees plant ed so to tne acre at live boxes to the tree, or 32a boxes to the acre. A 20 acre orchard on this basis will produce e.hun ooxes wmcn. at tne averse price of 12.40 a. box, gives a total of Jls,6uu POTS. X &r t ill c J 'S Vi. i, I t I ' .'. J- '. .'V . SPKYtKe THE FftViT Highest Prices Paid for. Apples Obtained byj any fruit District! of the World as the earnings of a 20-acre orchard for one year. ... . At tbe prices obtained for Newtowns the average Is 12.60 but the Newtowr.s being more prolific than the Spltzen' berg produces seven boxes to the tree instead of five at the same afro, giv ing 466 boxes to the acre, or 9,100 boxes for a 20-acre orchard, earning as caa easily be seen, $18,200. ' Expect Good Crops. - ' While It has hot been thought that fir Ices would be as high this year as ast, on account of the Dumper crops la sight, the fact that so many of the ap ple growing districts of the south and middle west have been visited bv dam aging frosts leads to the. hope that the high figures will again be attained. Trie fortunate owner of a fair sited bearing orchard has a fortune awaiting him at harvest. Land ought to be worth what It will pay Interest on, but In the Hood River valley orchards sell for $1,000 to $1,600 per acre which nets 10 per cent on 8,- uotj to ,uu. uonsiaenng-- prices on this basis they" will appear extremely conservative to the thinking man. It 4s -qultejjosBlWe-f otL. ihe poor man to.. get a start nere in xaci xne majority of our richest orchardists started with nothing. Uncleared land In the higher foothills and unDer valley can be had all the way from $30 to $100 pei acre, the cost of clearing ranging between the same figures. In many Instances a tim bered tract will almost pay for Its own clearing with the wood or saw logs. Tlia buyer with a few thousand at his dis posal generally, purchased a small tract having some clearing or young orchard. This, gives him an opportunity to sup port his ."family off the cleared ground while he Is putting "the balanco." Into or chard. The prevailing-custom of rais ing strawberries as a side crop between f'oung trees while orchards are-- grow ng has proven-very - successful and n many cases tnis method. has been matin to Day for the land and cost of raisins an orchard. . There Is always day labor to be had by the man who wants to rum some cash. on the outside, the big lum ber mills paying tine wages and tho. work In orchards always beinr available. At harvest time pickers and packers ar in great ' demand .and good wages -are earned.. ; This ; also holds - good in tin strawberry season. ' V.;-old a. tas Trees. ' The fact that his" apples ere practic ally sold, while en the tree and Unit he Is not responsible for the shipment of them strongly appeals-to the Hood Icivnr orchardlst. If he markets through the union he Is sure of the hlsrhest orlo-.i and only has to deliver his crop at tlm warehouse in town. Corps of expert ckera come to his arDle house and grade and pack bis fruit, the cost of this being S cents per bushel box. Tim entire cost of raising apples. Including every detail of .cultivation, spraying, thinning, picking, packing, boxes and Dor, is ou cents per oox, ami one J;in; orchardlst put his crop out for 4S cents last year. At the prices quoted for first grade apples the net profit will ha seen to be far in excess of that derive ! from any legitimate commercial buslncj-s or the cities. . . As mentioned, cherry culture Is coin ing Into favor here, tue altitude of ti n upper valley seeming to produce ton linest irult or this kind ever uiai k ic.i. All kinds of small fruits grow to . gn-Mt perfection, and - there Is-no -celery or asparagus in the country wnn-ii c;.u beat ours. The strnwoerry cruji from "0,000 to 100,000 crates per s.-. 1 and nets from $150 to $100 t-r -v. This year the berries sppear to tie 1 -and finer than ever before and tli. i ; ; started In at $4 per crate, tmr .''" are carefully culiel and P'S'!. never reach the canneries. U -' care is exercised in handling t'i-m ; In apples and they are In gr.Ht i. ..;.. i all over the country. The lumber industry I. on" "t :f - Importance t this vallev ..v.-r ... . 000 worth havtlig been sold .", t -. 1 four year. It is estnnut-I t t Is enough yet stamlmg 1 ' '' 1 ; ' st the present rate of cuttin;.-. 1 t ' ntt which tills timber H cut f i - excellent fruit land ! "'" very cheap sllhousii tf t ' ' rather, expensive. . Trant'irtat-'oa I " : Trnnej-ortalii"! " r.f beat lu t tui I'Kcific i..- (Cuiitlnu.-1 on l -: T fi .1
