The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, January 19, 1905, Image 3

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HOOD EIVER, GLACIER, THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 1905.
HOOD RIVER AND
HER FINE FRUITS
Hood River is represented at the meet
ing of the Northwest Fruitgrowers' as
sociation at Boise this week by E. L.
Smith, president of the association,
A. I. Mason, G. R. Castner, E. H.
Shepard, and A. P. Bateham of Mos
ier. The Hood River delegation left
here Saturday night.
This meeting gives promise to be
one of the moet successful the as
sociatiou has held. Among the
noted visitors will be Hon. Silas
Wilson of Iowa. Mr. Wilson has
been for many years, not only prom
inent in his own state in matters per
taining to horticulture, both as pres
ident of the Iowa State society, and in
other capacities, but has a national
reputation as a horticulturist and porno
loglst. Another distinguished expert, who
will be present, is Professor W. D.
Carlisle of Spokane, superintendent of
the Evergreen State Fruit Csmpany.
Professor Carliele was formerly editor
of the Packer of Chicago.
Mr. Smith recpouded to the address
of welcome by Governor Gooding of
Idaho. A. I. Mason delivered an ad
dress on "Hood River's Reputation for
Pine Fruits, and How it wi!s Acquir
ed." Mr. Mason spoke in part as fol
lows :
Our worthy secretary C. J. Sinsel,
in Belectiift my subject and reqesting
me to write upon it, has placed me
in a very embarrasing position. To
toll you of the entire reputation of
Hood River fruits would cause me to
be looked upou as a bombastic writer.
It would have been totter for some
non-resident to have told of our repu
tation and thon lot me have told how
it was acquired. I shall throw off my
timidity and endeavor to fulfill Bro.
Sinsel's request to the best of my
ability. And I sincerely desire to ex
press no exaggerated statements, nor
convey any thoughts of praise, other
than those to which we are entitled.
In speaking of the reputation of
our fruits I desire to withdraw any
claim for great honors on any vari
eties such as grapes, peaches, prunes,
plums, etc., and while we have won
many prizes and gold medals on near
ly all of those and many other vari
eties of fruit adapted to our climatic
conditions, yet 1 only desire at this
time to call your attention to the re
putation of our exceptionally high
grade of berries and apples. In
speaking of Hood River fruits, both at
home and abroad, it generally means
its berries and apples. In fact our
valley has won its fame with its flue
luscious strawberries and big red ap
ples. I do not desire to be egotistic
or to arouse any enmity from other
fruit districts, yet I do not believe
that our success with, and reputation
for growing these two classes of
fruits is unsurpassed and worthy of
caroful consideration.
For- several past seasons our straw
berries have been shipped successful
ly to Skagway' Alaska, and Dawson,
Canada.
A trial order for 100 crates was re
ceived last season from New York
state, and so successful was the first
shipment that renewed orders were
received until a total of two carloads
was shipped to that state alone. Three
carloads of our strawborres last sea
son found their way into the markets
of Pittsfield, Mass., Our berries
have boon shipped successfully in
open express cars as far south as Palo
Alto, Cal., and Reno, Nev., the lat
ter place receiving daily shipments
during our last season. A few years
ago, a crate of our berries was served
at a banquet in Hong Kong, China.
Thoy were shipped in an iced box and
arrived thore in good condition.
Fellow fruit growers, only you who
know the tenderness of a strawberry
can realize what it means to ship ber
ries from Hood Rver, Or., to Daw
sou, Canada. Reno, Nev., Pittfield,
Mass., and Hong Kong, China.
We asked for houors on our berries
at the world's fair at St. Louis. Our
distance prevontel us from being an
equal competitor. But the greatest
houors that can b'e bestowed upon
any fruit is the price paid for it by
a satisfied public. Our berries in
every market whore they meet berries
from other districts in competitou,
retail from 25 to 100 per cent per box
higher than any other berries. Par
don mo for a personal montion to
illustrate this fact. While passing
through Denver three years ago, 1
stepped into one of the best retail
grocory stores, and while there I no
ticed somo strawberries marked 10
and 12' cents per box. I asked the
proprietor, who was a stanger to mo,
what caused the differnce in price.
Ho replied : "One is from Missouri, the
other fromArkansas. " I asked him if
these were the best berries they re
ceived in that markot. He replied :
"No. we get our pest perries from
Hood River, Or. There will be a car
in tomorrow. We will have some
of them, but they will retail for 15
cents per box. " This was during our
season's heaviest shipment. I asked
him why the Hood River berries
were the bast. Stooping aown ana
nicking up a berry and'cuttiug it
openi he replied, "Do you see that
core? It is sotteuiug now. ine nooa
River berrv does not do that and be
sides it has a brighter color and a
tougher skin that it is not suscepti
ble to decay."
I thanked him for his information,
told him I was from Hood River. A
trood laugh and an introduction fol
lowed with more questions asked of
me than 1 had asked or Him. Uur
reputation from the strawberry grow
res'credit side ofthe ledger, conserva
tively speaking, shows the net annual
gains to be irom eiw to e-uu per acre,
and often times much more.
Let us now look toward our apple
record. The reputation of, and mar
kets for Hood River apples, belts the
clone. While we concede that many
districts can grow some very good ap
ples, yet it remains for Hood River
valley to grow still better, or at least
other people have told us so until
we are led to beleive it.
Oue of the best retaiil dealears in
New York city wrote me a year ago
that our Newtowus were retailng for
60 cents per dozen and Spitzenbergs
for ?1 per dozen. He said they were
received in flue condition; quality
was delicious and they were the acme
for toauty and size. Those apples
were packed in Hood River valley No
vember 3; shipped over 30U0 miles and
opened January 20 in New York city.
A former prominent fruit grower
of Palo Alto, Cal., writes:
"I received a box of Hood River ap
ples the other day, the bet I ever ate.
I have seen what I thought were good
apples but nothing equal to thete. "
The Palo Altaua, a daily pa-
pt published In oue of California's
best fruit districts,commeuts on them
as roiiows :
"The apples are very large, richly
colored and finely flavored and the
vrletles re liydes King, Spitzonberg,
delicious, Arkansas Black, and Mam
moth Black Twig from Hood River
valley. They surpassed all other dig
plays at the St. Louis fair and the
strawberries grown there are equally
famous. "
"A resident of Portland, Or., while
in Hamburg, Germany, last winter,
had the following experience: He
stepped into a fruit stand and asked
the dealer to give him some good ap
ples. "Here are some of the best ap
pies in the world, "replied the dealer
as be banded out a sample of the big,
red Spitzenberg, so familiar to an
Oregouian. "These apples are raised
in America. They call them Hood
River apples, and I can truthfully say
they are the best apples in Europe. " f,
A resident of St. Louis wrote me
a few days ago: "How did you Hood
Kiver people make it with your ap-
pies at ur fair? I cannot find out
whether you won the gold medal or
not, but you people had the finest
fruit display on the grounds. "
The chief clerk of the governor of
the Samoan islands wrote me as fol
lows: "I shall take a run to your dis
trict with a view to pitching my tent
there. After careful consideration I
am persuaded that Hood River will
suit me. 1 think it admirably located
as far as markets are concerned.
Let us not forget our reputations in
the markets of the world. So eager
are foreign shippers to buy our fruit
that for the-past two seasons the ap-
pie growers union of Hood River have
sold their entire crop of Spitzenburgs
and Newtowng as early as the month
of August. Our apples are shipped
oKna In 41al, U, i n 1,.,,., M
nilla, Honolulu, Mexico, and the
greater part of Europe.
It seems as If the qualities, upou
which they won first honors at the
Buffalo and Omaha expositions,
texture, flavor and keeping qual
ities, have made them a reputation
wherever shipped.
I want to repeat a former statement :
The greatest honors that can be be
stowed upon any fruit Js the price
paid for it by a satisfied public. Our
entire crop of 1-tier Spitzenburgs and
Newtowns have been sold for the past
two seasons at from $1. 75. to . 2. 10
per box, f. o. b. cars Hood River.
These prices are 25 to 75 cents per
box more than was received in any
other apple district in the United
States. We shipped apples at these
prices this season into New York
city in competition with the largest
crop of apples ever grown in the state
of New York, and we received more,
net to the grower, for a box of our
apples than they did for a barrel of
their best winter varieties.
Gentlemen we must have some very
good apples or a wonderful reputa
tion. We may have a good suply of
both and each may play its part in
obtaining such prices. Our reputa
tion for net profits to the apple grow
er is from 8200 to $500 per ere. This
estimate is very conservative after
trees have had eight years' growth.
Much higher returns have been re
ported in some instances.
At the liutlalo Expositon in 1901,
Hood River wou the Wilder gold
medal for their fine display of fruit.
and at the world's fair recently held
in be. Louis, the Apple Grower's un
ion of Hood River, Or. , was awarded
the gold medal for the tost display
of apples,aud oue of our private citi
zens received the gold medal for his
nine display of cherries. .... ....
And listen! Wasco county, Or., re
ceived the only grand prize given to
any county in the United States for
the best display of fruits., and this
prize was won mainly through the
exhibition of a car load of Hood Riv
er's choicest applos.
Professor H.K vanDeinau,late chief
pomolgist of the United States, a man
of whom none of you need an intro
duction, -nationally speaking, and a
man whose ability to judge has no
superior, tells us in the December
number of Greene's Fruit Grower:
I saw at St. Louis the largest display of
apples that has ever been made.
There were applos from almost every
section of our own country and also
from other parts of the world. Two
acres of floor space were occupied by
this display from the Hood River
country such as was never before dis
played at any apple show in America.
Horo the Baldwin was so smoth and
glossy red that it could not be recog
nized by the best apple experts. Bso
pns Spitzenberg has Its character
istic shape, but its color and general
perfection were a n arvel. Roxbury
Russet showed scarcely a trace of rus
set. Grimes Golden looked as though
it had been made of wax ; Jonathan
was crimson red and Ben Davis equal
ly handsome." Professor Van Deman
his told all that cloud be said. It
was the largest apple show on earth.
The finest applos -ever shown and
t ley were grown at Hood luver., Ur
e :on.
Gentlemen, I am at a loss to know
wuere to stop telling you of our repu
tation on apples. It is like trying to
find the end of the rainbow. The
farther you go it still remains ahead
of you shining brighter and brighter.
I have now told you of a small por
tion of our reputation, but suffice to
say it is enough for this occasion.
How we have acquired this roputa
tion may to more interesting, more
instructive and more beneficial to all
of you. Our reputation has been ac
quired through two chanuels. The
gifts of nature and individual efforts.
Nature has given us a volcanic ash
soil which seems to contain all those
elements necessary for the growing
of first class fruit. Our continual
sunshine during our summer days and
our proximity to perpetual snow, giv
ing us very cool nights, makes our
climatic -conditions unsurpassed for
giving our fruits color, flavor and keep
ing qualities. It wnuld seem that
Mount Hro 1 and Mount Adams were
two grand old sentinels standing guard
over our fair valley, seeing that noth
ing should to given us by mother
nature except that of the very best.
Let us now examine the record of
or individual efforts which has helped
to make our reputation known in
every clime.
The first duty for a successful hor
ticulturist, after he has selcted his
location for growing a certain class of
fruit, is to determine what varieties
are tost adapted to that locality, con
sidering soil, climate and markets.
This has been well considered by
the fruit growers' of Hood River val
ley. They .have "passed the experi
mental stage. They know that the
Clark Seedling strawberry and the
Spitzenberg and Newtown apples are
varieties that can be grown in our
valley so far superior in quality to
like varieties in other districts, that
it is no longer a question of dispute.
Other localities can grow an imita
tion of these varieties but it remains
for Hood River to grow them to per
fection. Our strawberry growers have .learn
ed ito grow only the Clark Seedling
hnnmiKA it stands loner shinmeuts tot-
j ter than any other. They have given
their berry flefds clean and thorough
late fall. After the crop of berries is
nicked they remove all the vines and
band rake all trash and haul it off
the ground and burn it.
cultivation from early spring until
It would make any man who admires
the beauty of nature feel as If be had
peen well paid for having made a 'trip
through any of our berry districts in
the spring after the new leaves have
come forth with their dark green fo
liage intermingled with a million
snow white blossoms. Fll submit ; 1
can't describe or word-paint this pit
ture.
2 Our berry growers do not use any
mulching but use irrigation during
our berry season.
The cultivation of our apple orch
ards is a matter of pride to all of
Hood River's progressive aud success'
ful orchardists. Before a tree is plant
ed the soil is cultivated in the tost
possible condition. You can't dig a
tree hole- too deep or too broad
Twenty inches deep and three feet
across is about the average size of
holes dug before planting trees in
our valley, lou can t plow your or
chards too deep while young. I have
plowed my 20-acre commercial apple
orchard twice: while trees were small.
to a depth of 16 inches while trees
were small, by using a subsoil plow
and I have every reason to believe
that it was a paying investment of
time and labor.
Our climate is a very dry one dur
ing the summer season aud we must
give our orchards clean and thorough
cultivation in order to retain moisture
without irrigation. So well do our
orchardists cultivate their orchards
that oftentimes you can look over a
largo orchard and And scarcely a weed
in it and the top of soil will be a
blanket of dust from two to four feet
deep.
Our orchardists have learned that
it pays to prune their trees and thin
thoir fruit intelligently in order to
secure excellency in color and size.
They have also learned that it pays
to keep the spray pump in actiou aud
oftentimes the reward for their labors
are so great that from 95 to 99 per
cent of their apples are free from cod
lin moth worm, San Jose scale or any
fungus growth. We spray from one
to two Mines with the winter spray
and, sulpher and lime; from six to
eight times during the summer with
arsenite of soda aud lime. The yel
low Newtown aud Esopus Spitzeu
burg are the greatest favorites and
most successful varieties of apples
grown iu our valley. I would not ad
vise you to plant these varieties ex
tensively until you have given them
a fair test ; for the locality to which
these two varieties can be successful
ly grown Is very rare. I know an or
chardist in the Willamette valley who
grew a young Newtown orchard until
it was six years old and then dug
out every tree. They were an absolute
failure in that soil aud climate.
Plant those varieties tost adapted
to your soil and climatic conditions.
Boise valley may grow the Rome
Beauty and Jonathan as successfully
as Hood River can grow the Newtown
aud Spitzeuburg. We must not for
get an important factor in building
up a reputation for our Hood River
fruits has been the making of fruit
growing a specialty with us. There
is no side issue business about it.
Every fruit grower is making his vo
cation a study aud improving his
methods at every opportunity. Our
efforts are greatly benefitted by our
excellent transportation facilities.
We have the Columpia River and a
railroad along its bank competing for
the hauling of our fruits. This .gives
a chaap rata at &va aoutu par box intn
.Portland, Ore., and rrom there we
have access to four transcontinental
railroads and the entire system, di
reclty or indirectly, of all the Pacific
coast and oriental steamship lines.
Fellow fruit growers, most of us can
understand how to grow fruit ; but af
ter it has been grown wo are compelled
to face the hardest problem of the
whole business and that is how to
perpare it for and get it to the tost
markets aud return its net cash value
to the grower.
This has been and is today the par
abiont study of the Hood River fruit
growers. They have met in fruit
growers' meetings, have held horti
cultural institutes and have banded
themselves into co-operative bodies
in ordor to solve the problem and
thoy have thoroughly demonstrated
that it requires all these tactics to ac
complish the greatest results. We,
as fruit growers, do not meet in our
respective localities as often as we
should. At these meetings we can
talk over local conditions and greatly
benefit each other. Our successful
Hood River fruit growers are wide
awake to the importance of such
meetings. Only a few days ago we
hold a mass meeting of fruit growers
aud instructed our county representa
tive to our stato legislature now in
session, what now horticulture legisla
tion wo desired.
Our strawberry growers and oui
a.pl growers are both well organ
ized, each having a special separate
organization working in perfect har
mony with each othor and I firmly
believe were it not for our fruit or
ganizations our strawberry interoit
would perish and our apple industry
would to reduced to a deplorable
condition.
Our strawberry growers union
through its school or experience
has given its members such valuable
advice as this: "Berries must not be
picked while moist Berries must lie
pink all over, or red-lserries should
be picked riper in cool weather than
in warm f lckers must not hold sev
eral berries in hand at the same time
Filled boxes must not stand in the
sun Berries should to picked with
the stems 14 of an inch long Put no
culls in the box, put in only fair
sized berries Face top layer with
the stems down in rows of four or
five Allow no berries to project over
the edge or the boxes use clean
crates and when filled place in a cool
place, and haul your berries in spring
wagons with covers over them. "
Our Apple Growers' union last sea
son gave its gowers equal'y as good
advice and instructions iu a print
ed letter sent to each of its members,
a part of which reads as follows :
"Pick all apples as soon as they
have attained their proper size, color
and maturity; and save loss from
dropping In picking be careful not
to pull off the fruit spurs and see
that you pickers do not bruise your
apples The packing house should be
arranged to let in plenty on light aud
keep out as much wind as possible.
If you do not know how to build a
packing table ask gome grower who
does Each grower should have ta
bles for two or four packers accord
ing to size of crop See that you
have plenty of paper for your crop
carload for sale at union prices, laid
down Have sufficient number of tox
es on hand, keep them clean and do
not pack fancy fruit in dirty boxes
Cull out all wormy, scabby, scaley,
bruised, misshaped or otherwise im
perfect apples See that apples are
properly wiped for the packers tju'.h
packer will be required to put on
the lower left hand corner of the box
with a rubber stamp his packing
umber Each packer will stamp
Locate your home where the best improvements are going.
Sewers, Spring Water and Sidewalks, fine view and good drainage.
All these are found in
verview
Park A
ddition
Which will he included in the First Sewer District, and which is beyond question the most
desirable residence section in Hood River. Buy now before the prices advance.
ooo raver
GEORGE T. P RATHER,
Selling Agent.
eveiopmen
A. A. JAYNE,
Secretary.
on end of box the number of apples
and the name of the variety in each
box Each grower will to required to
put on his shipping number with a
rubiwr stamp iu the upper right
hand corner of the boxAll stamping
must to done on the same end of the
box.
Pile your boxes after being packed
on the sides and load on the wagon
in the sameway Haul on springs
and use a wagon cover to keep off the
dust and rain Each packer, before
he is permitted to pack for the Apple
Growers' union must have his name
registered at the office of the union ;
he will then to given official packers'
stamp Each packer shall be re
quired to put up a first class pack
Each box o apples shall to packed
with about a 34 -inch swell 111 the
middle of top and bottom but no box
must'to packed so high that it will be
necessary to cleat the box pefore nail
ing on the lid.
"Monitors, our reputation and prices
this year and iu the future depends
upou our pack; assist the packer and
remember that he is following in
structions given by the boardof direc
tors who are acting as directors for
you and with your interests at heart.
Fellow fruit growors any language
that I might use, would fail to ex
press the importance of, and the ton
oflts derived from our two fruit
growers' organizations in Hood
River valley. They are solving the
problem of how to pick, pack and
market our fruits. Thev are horticul
tural aud business schools for their
members aud have returned to the
growors many times the cost of their
rinaintenance. They are placing our
fruits upou the markets in a more un
iform aud attractive manner, they
are in touch with the tost methods
and markets of the world. They meet
in council with all transportation
companies through which They do bus-
siuess. They are preventing the grow
ers from being competitors with each
ther. lhey are reducing the unnec
essary middlo commission men .
They are returning more money to
the grower for their fruit. They are
driving out joaJo isy and suspicion
irom their members and are establish
ing confidence and esteem.
And they a;o today tho foundation
upon which ro ts the commercial rep
utation of Hood River.
Follow fruit growers,! do not desire
to tiro you much longer. I hope
I have sat islied you that the reputa
tion of Hood River fruits is about all
we could ask.
it might iio summed up in this one
grand thoguht THE WORLD IS OUR
MARKKT, ITS PEOPLE OUR
FRIEND.
Wo have acquired this distinction,
briefly told, by: First through natur
al advantages of location, soil aud cli
matic condition; second by practic
ing scientific, up-to-date mothods of
cultivation; third by placing our
fruit upon tho markets iu good condi
tion with an honest pack and an
attractive appearance. ; fourth by
being favored by special markot facil
ities; tilth and last, but not least
through the educational and financial
benefits derived from two well organ
ized and incorporated fruit unions.
Something You
Should Know
Your health or that of your family should be
a groat object to you, ami when 3-011 need any
medicine, ymi hUo.uJ d . iimketm re t hat you get
the purest and freshest DRUGS.
That i.s the kind sold by
CLA
RKE,
The Druggist
Smoke a Good Cigar
FEW AS G00D--N0NE BETTER
3 Sizes:
FIVE CENTS
TEN CENTS
TWO FOR A QUARTER
For Bale at all Cigar and Grocery Stores in Hood River
ASK FOR THEM
We Can Save You Money
And also a good many hard knocks and inconven
iences. You cannot afford to be bothered with your
laundry at home while we are in the field to do your
work. If you have a large washing inquire of u.s
what wo can do it for, as we will be glad to take the
matter up with you. We do all kinds of laundry
work, including the washing and cleaning of lace
curtains, cotton and woolen blankets, ladies' dresses
gents' suits, carpets, rugs, etc. Our prices are stand
ard laundry prices and the work is guaranteed to be
satisfactory. We are prepared to give the domestic
finish to all gents' starch work and give our special
attention to cotton and woolen underwear. Rough
edges you usually find on collars and cuffs, we ex
tract without pain. If the work we do pleases you,
tell your friends; if not, tell us.
THE PARADISE LAUNDRY.
Hood River.
J
SNOW & UPSON
For All Kinds of
Grubbing Supplies, Wood
Choppers and Loggers Tools
A full line of stock always oh hand.
Does your horse interfere? Bring him in. No cure no pay
WHOLESALE
THE DJjLEE JjrjJBSERIES .
, THE DALLES, OREGON.
GROWER AND DEALER IN
ItETAIL
FRUIT, SHADE
AND
TREES
GRAPE VINES
AND
SMALL FRUITS
ORNAMENTAL
Evergreen, Roses and Shrubbery.
Remember, Our Trees are Grown Strictly Withaut Irrigation.
GO TO
bone & Mcdonald
For Flour, Feed, & Groceries
Look at our prices on Rubbers: Child's Rubbers, 200
Ladies' Rubbers, 500 Men's Rolled Edge " 750
Ladies' and Children's Kubber Boots at propor
tionately low prices.
Underwear at prices that cannot be duplicated in town.
Call and see us. Free delivery.
bone & Mcdonald
Clearance
Sale.
WE HAVE JUST RECEIVED
Carload of
For 30 days we will give from 20 to 30 discount
on all goods except school books.
Toys and Games at Actual Cost.
Now is your time to stock up with Tablets, etc. We
can give you some bargains.
Don't forget the place.
Call, and call again.
GEO. F. COE & SON
AND CAN MAKE YOU
PRICES THAT ARE RIGHT.
NORTON & SMITH
J. R. NICKELSEN
DEALER IN
Farm Machinery & Vehicles
SPRAY PUMPS
"Sentinel, Jr."
"Bean,"
"Pomona,"
"Rochester,"
"Fruitall."
Nozzles, Connections, Hose Supplies
Now is the t inie to begin
Winter Spraying.
j