The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1893-10-28
The Hood River Fair,
Rural Northwest.


A few weeks ago the enterprising cit
liens of the Hood River district deter
mined to hold local fair this year and
carried out their determination in a
very successful way. Thefir was held
at Hood River, Saturday. September
S0th. By fortunate coincidence that
was the day fixed upon by the Oregon
Editorial Association for taking an eX-
,curSion, and Hood River at once eX-
tended an invitation to visit that place,
which was accepted. The excursion of
about $50 members of the Oregon and
Washington press associations, includ-
ing ladies, not only had the pleasure of
witnessing the beautiful fruit display,
but were most pleasantly entertained
in the hospitable homes of the citizens of
Hood River, who deeply regretted the
short stay of their visitors. A special
train was furnished for the excursion
by the Union Pacific railway company,
and General Passenger Agent lIurl-
burt accompanied the excursion to see
that everything went right. Secretary
Sargent of the state board of horticul-
ture and Fred c. Smith, agent of the
South Australian government and spe-
cial correspondent of number of Lead
ing papers of Australia and New Zea-
land,w special guests upon this occa.
sion.
The great attraction of the fair was
the display of apples. There was a
creditable showing of other fruits, both
fresh and canned, and of vegetables,
etc, but the apple exhibit was the best
probably that was ever made in the
state, and was pronounced by recent
visitors to the Columbia exposition as
fine as could be seen there. More than
100 varieties Of apples were shown, and
as competition was keen, the leading
varieties were each represented by a
large number of plates. Some criticism
has been made upon the fact that so
many varieties of apples have been
planted at Hood River, but it is to be
remembered that the era of commercial
fruit growing is but just commencing
there, and this experimental work
which the fruit growers are engaged in
is likely to result in benefit in demon
strating what varieties will prove most
profitable for raising on large scale.
AT present strawberries are the lead
ing fruit at Hood River. The ship
ments from that station the present
year amounted in value to S30,0OO The
strawberry business will grow, but
there can be no doubt that in time it
will be exceeded in importance by the
apple growing industry. The fact
must be accepted that the soil and eli
mate of the Hood river valley is pecu-
liarly favorable for raising apples, and
particularly winter apples. While the
majority of the residents of the valley
have not had much experience in fruit
growing, there appears to be a good
deal of disposition to learn, and the
hearty spirit of emulation shown by
she large number of exhibitors at the
fair augurs well for future success.
One very pleasing feature at this fair
was the fact that, so far as a cursory eX-
animation could determine, there was
not among the great number of apples
and pears upon the tables single spe-
cimen which showed signs of either
worm or scab. 1t is sincerely to be
hoped that every fruit grower in that
valley will be impressed with the i'm
portanee of Keeping in suhjection the
insect and fungus foes which are al
lowed TO ruin for shipping purposes the
great Fart of the apples and pears
grown in most Of the older orchards Of
the state.
1t seems to be the general impression
that irrigation is Necessary in raising
fruit at Hood River. 1t is true that ir-
Tigation is necessary for straw berries
and other small fruits, but the greater
part of the apples and other tree fruits
sre grown without irrigation. No ir-