Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933 | View Entire Issue (July 26, 1906)
T..V. j. . WILSON F. E. STRANG Electric SRd Irons THE ODEL NURSERIES DEALERS IN w atch this N ext W pace eek for ARGA L. H. MUGGINS & CO. PICKING THE STRAWBERRY (( untlDiied from Nrat page) WHHbad, tent In order sod all la read IneM to go a field. So wbh every one liia. but, hIm, It rained jimt a pro voking, hesitating, intermittent raiu, bat enongb to keep the beiriee wet and antit to pack. We bung around the entire duy in a etute of nuoer taint. Xbe nun might oowa out, the 'foreman awnred us. and the wind eome up and dry things off, and if it did, there would be picking In a oou ple of hour. But tbU did not bap pen. The un would peep out for a tew momenta and theu the oloiula would olow over and in the diatxnue we oould ace the stoi m sweeping down the mountains and presently it would te upon us a pelting ft In and cold wind. It would last, perhaps, but a few moments aud then Journoy on down the valley. The sun would eome out again canning our spirits to rise, ouly to be dashed by another storm. The sun was up tbe next morning, and bright end early smoke was as cending at the various tents, aud the odor of cooking prevailed. ISy 7 o'clock sun aud wind bad inudo tne vine dry enough that we oould liegiu work. We all tiled np to the packing house to get our carrier, which is a sort of tray with a deep handle, and carries six boxes or "ballooks." as tbey are called. Tbe foreman led the way to the Held aud assigned to eaob ''row," giving a few directions as to bow to pick to avoid green ones, and to leave about a bait-inch stem. Home may find reason to ohjeot to the pluokiug of the berry with the stem, instead of snapping It off next tbe bery, which is much the easier way on tbe ground that It leaves more room in the box for berries but when it comes to tbe packing the wisdom of tbe stem will be evident. We all set to work most ambitiously, ' men and women, old and young folks, and tbe ohlldien, too, some of them quite small. Any one nan pick straw berries, aud If tbe little ones do not pick very last, what tbey do helps to swell the showing when the account Is taken at the clone of the day The family parties would keep together, tbe old folks watching aud directing tbe work of the small fry, and help ing out the slow ouea, so that all eome to tbe end of the row about even. It was surprising to see how the experienced ones and experts forged ahead. Their oarrieis would be toll and tbey would be rushing ott to the packing shed almost whlli we were making ud our minds whether a berry was ripe enough to pick or not. They are tbe ones who earn the ti anil (42.90 a day. You oaa pick bending over or stooping, or clear down on your haunches like an Indian; or on one knee and theu on the other and then on both knees. You will prob ably try them all before your llrst morning's picking is over, and fer vently wish there were various other ways to try. Hy tbe time you have bad your first day's experionoe, you are initiated. If you have never be fore ridden the goat, you certainly feel an if you had. No secret cere monies, however sacred, could be more rigorous than the initial day in tbe berry patch. Hut that wears oil, the experienced ones oherfully assure you. Healthy? Nothing could be more so. The ooiiHtaut buudug and unbend lug, reaching as far as possitilo up aud dowu the row, in order to avoid so much bending and unbending, lilt ing tbe cairier, growing heavier eaob time with tbe weight of tho fruit, aad all out in the clear, warm sunshine with the uir blowing freali otf the mountains. Tbe inventor of the hundred yean: idea must certainly have gntteu his inspiration in a straw berry Held. Tbe patch which comprised several acres, soon been mo dotted with pick ersthose of average sped advancing at about the same pace down the rjvvx, tho fast ones way abend, aud the slow ouee keeping up a brave front in tlie rear. There was no time wasted, not a stop foi chat or comment. When your carrier is full, mark the place on your row, hurry down vour row at the end and then on to the packing-house to deliver your carrier, get credit for it and au empty carrier, then hurry back. If you forgot to mark your row when you went out, you are liable to lose much time liud iug it when you go back, for the rows look just alike, aud you will wander around and porhnps light on someone else's row. Tbe foreman, the only one puvileged to walk acorss rows, moves around among the pickers to see that tbe berries are properly gath ered and assign each to a new row wben be is ready. It was niaivelou bow soon one large tract would be finished and tbe attack made upon another one. Tbe Holds are laid out and rows run according to slope in Older to admit of irrigation, aud no sooner Is one Held II n Is tied thtn tba Jap boys come, open the sluice boxes and let a Hood of water down eaob row of berries. Tbe grjwer in Hood Hir er valley takes no account of the rain fall; in fact, he much prefers to regu late the supply of moisture himself. Aud so the day wears on. Ibe fast er the fast pickers pick, tbe faster tbey seem to lie able to do, and in the same ratio the noseasoued ones, who are just beginning to Hud out how many different sets ot muscles they possess, lose time, the rows stretch out longer and lorger and the carriers grow heavier. Ktili you keep at it with a great show of enthusiasm. If you cannot make t'l a day you are liouud to make II, and when your carrier is full you bike for tbe pack ing house at what seems to you a pretty good clip, but soon an expert scouts by you, triumphantly baering a loaded carrier, theu another and another, and bet ore you have finally avrrlve with yours tbey are snooting back with thoir emty ones. "This is my thirteenth today," proclaimed a piotty girl, looking as fresh as a daisy as she paaaed me wltb her emp ly carrier aa 1 wns going iu with my sixth. Hue did not wait for reply, but she must have noticed the look of dismay upon my faoo, for when tbe picking wus over she was kind enough to stop and tell me not, to be discour aged, for on her first day she earned ouly 40 cents, and then rested foi two whole days. The small children often prove veiy useful iu carrying the loaded fillers, leaving tbe older ones to keep on picking, aud, considering the size of the fields, tbe time con sumed going aud coming is no small Item, lint if groweis keep on system atizing the berry industry it is not at all unlikely we ahull some day see the earners sailing across tbe field on electrlo wires, like the change baskets in the dry goods stores. We had just arrived at the state of miud aud body wheie there was doubt whether we would finish tbe seveutb carrier or If it would Huish us when we came upon a stretch where the berries were particularly large and grew plentifully, so that we held out until the carrier was heaped up. For tmintoiy for our prido, also, tbe mist that bad been gathering up tbe valley blew down upon us in a pelting ruin, and picking had to be abandouod for the day, tor the berries were thor oughly wet and would sour easily. It was still early enough iu the af ternoon that after a rest we all weut dowu in a Held aud gatherod wild strawberries enough for supper. How delicious the wild berry Is, aud what a rival It would make for Its culti vated sister were It uot so perishable. They grow so abundantly here thai really it it an easy task to gather them. Tbey are exceptionally lurge for wild berries, too. It was pleas ant, too, for yea are not thinking of your II cents per carrier, and can pause to watch the blue hills in tbe distance, aud Mount Hood aud Mount Adams, the presiding goniusea of the valley, who, after loitering liehind their veils all day, have finally emerged iu their gleaming, suowy vestments. We could bear the boom, boom of the blunting over across the Columbia ou the Washiugtou sldo, whero the new railroad is being built. There wore lively times at the ciimp that night, and much talk and jesting i from tent to tent. Alter it had growu I dark u pack of bowling Indians and yelping coyotes seemed to be bearing I down upon us through tbe brush, but when they came into the open they I prove to be only tbe men from lluoh j elms' Kow. And after eyelids were I ail supposed to be closed In sleep, and, in, fact convincing snores were Hung from some tents, many were brought wide awake by the mowing ot a cock ; another cock answered, and then the II rot cock crowed loud er, (i ood ileus gracious I Wns it time to get up already, when tbe ache had uot near gone out of the muscles? I hen some one Inuughed, and a woman's voice admonished her boy to keep (julet, and all was stll, or it was only 10 p. m. Tim next morning we sought and sec u ie. I employment in the packing house, having concluded to pOHtpono making our record iu tbe Held for a few days. l'ackers are supplied with a frame about a foot square, over which is thinly tacked a piece of light niin-lin; a carrier full of berries and an emp ty crate. Kacb box id hemes is turned gently Into tbe frame, which i so deep that the muslin prevents the berries from becomiug bruised on the haul counter at which the work Is done, and also allows dust aud grit to sift through. Then tho box is refilled, all leaves, long stems, green and over ripe berries, also all lliDe without the half inch stem, be ing discarded, for this stem, while it keeps the lierty fresh, also serves as a sort of spring and keeps the ben lee from packing down becoming bruised while traveling, l'ackers get but half a cent a box, and yet they earn as much as ti aud more a day. Their Bngera fly, aud yet the berries me bandied so lightly that tbsy nre not bruised at all. The boxes aie filled evenly and compactly to withiu about half an inch of tbe top, and then tier riea of a uniform size are selected and ot in regular rows aaroa tbe top of the baltock Thoy are what are known aa four-tier berries and five tier berrries. These are berries which will tit either tour or Ave to a tier in a hallook measuring four uud three-eighths inches. In the Hood UWer valley thoy get about one crate of the five-tier to twenty of the fcur tior. One need only try to even up a hallock of berries so that tbe top tier will rest even and firm at. a unifoim neigbt to realixe what it Is to tm n good packer. Hut the packers do it, electing tho right berry for tbe right plaLe with' ut apparently trying to, all the time ks-ping up a running fire of conversation and badinage. The filled crates are then turned over to tbe nailers, who fatten the tops ou, and tbe Hood liier berry is then ready to begiu its jouruuy of perhaps thousands of uiihvs. The nailers get three-quarters ot a cent a box. It ousts :t( oenta for tbe picking of orate of -4 hallocks, 12 ceuts to pack it, and ci ate and liallocky costs 1:") rents, so that the cost of harvest lug the berry is about (ill ceuts. 'lliis does not take iu to account the fore mau of the Held, the forewoman of the packing house, the time keepni, the men who tend the iriigating il itches and the teamster who doos the hauling, to say nothing of the cost oi cultivation during the year, ao it is small wonder we are asked to pay two. bita foi two boxes, Tbe strawberry season for the grow ers really begins iu March, for then, when the berries are just beglning to bloom, force of bands are put to work making ballooks and mates for tbe coming harvest, aud they are kept hard at It until the picking season opens, and wben the yield is particu larly clear through the entire picking. The picking season at Hood Kiver lasts about two luontsh, the first ones that ripen low iu the valley bringing tbe highest price. There is now under cultivation in this district over 11(H) acres of strawlieriea. Home of the most progressive fruitgrowers are beginning to plant their denies in the young peach and apple orenrds, that have uot yet oomo iato bearing. It is objected by some that, in order to properly cultivate the strawberry, it 1b nacesiury to over-cultivate the fruit trees. Hut the experience of those who have tried it has been that hy ouly cultivating the berry sutllciently to properly cultivate tbe trees euough bai been realized from tbe first crop to entirely pay for the seven yeata of cultivation of the trees, so that ensu ing crops are all profit. As we rode through the country many comfort able homes were pointed out to us thst had been made with the si raw berry. Men had come there with their taHiilies and practically uothing else, had secured a little laud by mortgaging, mado a little rlenriug, built a temporary home, planted lier rirs, and before It was time to edna cate their children had their place nil paid for and comfortable, even fie queutly a pretentious dwelling. From 10 to 20 acres properly cultivated will bring a very generous income. Irri gation and the prevalence of denied land Is causing the price to constantly advance. Theio aro now two Irriga tion companies iu the valley, ami iu some (list i lets lirrigatiuu is so sys tematized that each farmer Is assessed water, the same as ho is school taxes. This naturally compels him to use his water to good purpose in order to meet his taxes, and insures uo pi or or shiftless farming in the district, so that the standard of excellence of the fruit crop Is certain to be mnin tainep. We were sorry to leave tbe lovely valley, the picking, the outdoor, caie free life, and tbe pleasant company. The night before wo left there was music In the camp, a violin, singing and au accordion. And there was to be a dance the next night in town. The announcement was tacked up all around camp. It was evidently to I be a swell att'alr, for It was 1.2ii lor gentlemen, which included supper. I I he ladies were admitted free. It was j tbe leading topic of conversation, ami the first question you were asked whs: "Are you gairig to the dance?" We! could not go this year, but if theie is 1 one next season we are going to try j to go. ' lor ittnt. j For a long term of years, Mouth half j of Mock 8, l'arkhurst, and three nerval east of I'urkburst. W.J. linker A I'o. I Old Chronic Sores. As a dressing for old Chronic mrcs there is nothing so good as Chamber-! Iain's sahe. While it is not advisable! to heal old sores entirely, tbey sli nlil U' kept in a p)d condition, for which! this salve is eseciallv valuble. For sore : nipples t'hamhfrlnin'a Salve bus no mi-I penor. For sale by kier ,t Ca?s. Now is the time While the weather is hot to get the real benefit of an Electric Sad Iron Do not swelter in a hot room made ho by heating irons when you can have a cool room and the finest heated iron in the world at practically the name price as wood. . . Do not Lay Awake these hot nights when by the use of An Electric Fan you can get a good nights rest and be ready for the business of the next day Hood River Electric Light, Power and Water Co SNOW & UPSON Blacksmiths and Wagon flak ers Special attention given to making and repairing Grubbing Tools and Loggers Tools EXPERT H0RSESH0ERS ... Apple Trees All standard varieties grown from selected scions of the best bearing orchards in Ifood Itiver valley. Guaranteed tr;ie to name and free from disease. DEALER IN- Staple and Fancy Groceries AND HARDWARE. SOLE AGENTS FOR Majestic & Mesaba Ranges and Stiletto Cutlery. HOOD RIVER HEIGHTS, - - OREGON. IT IS BETTER TO BUY :OF PIANO HOUSE THE HOUSE OF HIGH QUALITY THAN TO WISH YOU HAD THE WORLD'S BEST PIANOS SOLD ONLY BY THE HOUSE OF The Chickering, Pianola Pianos The Weber Pianola Agency The Kimball and Thirty-five others Pipe Organs, Vocal ions Orchestrions, Electric Pianos, Etc. Eiler's Piano House has rented half of Itooth's store room and has a car load of these high grade instruments to be sold at extremely low prices .and terms. Leslie Bctlkr, President J. W. Thai,, N ice 1 resident. Truman Bi'Ti.KK, Cashier KSTABLISHED 1900 INCORPORATED 1905 Capital Fully Paid, $50,000 We nre too modest to advertise that we are the oldest find liir;vst Rank in Hood River valley, and we would not want to say that ours is the best bank, but we do not hesitate to say that we are right good people. Our business is growing all the time, and we want to keep it growing, so strangers are welcome when prop erly identified The same courteous treatment is ex tended to the customer with a small account as is accorded to his neighbor with a large balance, for you can never tell how large a small account will grow. BUTLER BACKING CO. fc itf 'jlYi-'ifMrriiViaaV-ri? C-fcfr&fc.Ja fcla4"-db.J mm y IS THE TIME FOR 1 iNG REMEDIES So why not use one that is guaranteed. ASK US ABOUT IT, G30 CLARKE THE DRUGGIST I 6 3QCDO O. T. RA.WBON, F. H. STANTON HOOD RIVER NURSERY. Stock Grown on Full Roots. We desire to let our friends and patrons know that for the fall planting we will hare and can sup ply in any number Cherry, Pea r,Apricot, Peach Plum Trees, GRAPES, CURRANTS, BERRY PLANTS, Shade and Ornamental Trees. Also, all the standard varieties of apple trees. Can supply the trade with plenty of Newtown, Spitren berg and Jonathan apple trees. RAWSON & STANTON, Hood River. Or. DAVIDSON FRUIT CO FRUIT DEALERS and Manufacturers of all kinds of Highest Prices Raid for High Grade Fruit. SfflRTS NEW SPRING STYLES RENOWN BRAND flftS 50c, 60c, 75c, $1.00, $1.50 Men's 50c. Mount Hood Brand A L. CARM1CHAEL noon kivkr nullum I NOW IS THE TIME to trade your old Stove in, on A NEW RANGE The Big New and Secondhand Store is the place. We buy, sell and exchange anything in Furniture, Stoves, Carpets, Tin and Graniteware, Crockery, and in fact EVERYTHING salable. Come In and be convinced that we can SAVE YOU AlONEYr O. P. DABNEY & CO., Proprietors. Phone 1053 1'