The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1894-05-17
ORCHARD and HOP Yard.
Interesting Meeting Of The Yakima Hortl-
cultural Association.
SUCCESS BY SHIPPERS COOPERATING
Ezra Meeker submits 20 an Inter-
View Regarding Our Hop. He
Doesn't Fully Realize that yski-
mn Is King Nee.

lists at the club rooms, last Saturday
afternoon, wasn't very largely attended. 1t
certainly was full Of interest to those
present. Mr.. G. l.. Martin, formerly sec
rotary Of the Snake River Fruit Growers
association, was in attendance and gave
the meeting the benefit OF his experience.
He has recently purchased ten acres Of
land beyond the power house, which will
be devoted to orchard and garden. He
is very well informed man and has all
Of the data regarding shipments, prices
and eastern buyers, which will prove OF
much advantage to the local society and
to the recently incorporated Yakima
Shippers Association. He believes that
the success of the producers can only
come through cooperative work and
strongly advocated the obtaining OF COM
plete information regarding the acre
age of the various products, stating that
the Snake River Fruit Growers associa-
ton secured this data by the first of May
and found 1t OF great benefit in controll-
ing shipments aud keeping the markets
from being glutted in any particular pro-
duct.
This called forth discussion as TO the
means OF obtaining the desired informa-
ton, and the newspapers were requested
to publish a call for acreage data on
melons, vegetables and fruits. II the
producers will send this information to
THE HERALD they may be certain that it
will be directed into the most useful and
beneficial channels.
Mr. Martin said that in 1892 the Snake
River association sold the larger part OF
its crop Of peaches, plums and prunes,
delivered on boat, for 20 cents per box,
but that in '93 several car loads OF fruit
shipped to st. Peul Melted rs cents per
box. Great care was used in packing
and sorting and thorough and compe-
tent man was employed to visit the vari
Gus orchards to instruct and see that this
work was properly done. The Yakima
Shipping association will pursue very
much similar plan and no doubt Mr.. &.
c. Mitchell, who has had extended exper
fence as shipper in California, will be
employed to manage the active affairs Of
the association. lie is now in the lower
Yakima overseeing the planting OF several
large orchards and upon his return will
undertake to make personal visit to
various producers in the interest OF the
association.
James NJ. Gilbert reported that last
year, with thirty acres OF cantaloupes
grown in the vicinity of North Yakima,
the market was glutted in ten DAYS,
and that for this year one scotsman had
assured him that he had sold twenty
pounds of seed OF "Miller's cream"
sufficient to plant fifteen a res. If this is
fair indication of the acreage, co-opera-
ton in shipping is of vital importance,
and unless followed the markets would
be ruined and the growers loose money
All speakers agreed that apricots yielded
politically in Yakima, and it was Mr.
Mitchell's opinion that they were more
sure and harder than peaches. The
acreage is not large, but the trees are
loaded down this year. Mr.. Mitchell in
tended to plant fifteen acres to apricots
this year, but could not get the trees, 81
he will make his arrangements for this
work next spring. AS to varieties, the
Moorpark seemed to have the most advo-
Gates on account OF Its shipping qualities,
although the peach was given recogni-
ton as the best for table use. Between
these two came the royal. Mr.. Martin
claimed that if any fruit was to be dried
it should be apricots, as in dried state
there was always demand and at a good
price. Apricots will probably receive
more attention in the future on account
of the trees being rapid growers and early
and heavy bearers.
An effort will be made to secure large
attendance at the next meeting of the
Horticultural society, dne notice Of the
date of which will be given in the city
papers.
PUYALLUP's HOP KING IN YAKIMA.
Ezra Meeker, who has been growing
hops in the state for twenty odd years ar
rived here on Saturday last and spent
Jour days in going over the various dis
tricts and through many hop yards. He
had much to say in favor and something's
against Yakima as hop-producing coun-
try, but underneath it all the writer was
impressed with the feeling that there was
touch of local prejudice. He had seen
the Yakima yards increased in number
and acreage from an insignificant few to
the formation of the greatest hop district
in the state. He has seen the rapid
changes whereby Puyallup, formerly the
hop emporium of the northwest, is now
second to Yakima, having shipped less
than 5000 bales last year to II 900 by
Yakima, and an estimated 10000 for
1894. He had been one OF the pioneers
of Puyallup, had introduced the hop
business there, and now to have this
young stripping from east of the noun
tains puff and blow and assert its claim
Of being the banner hop district of the
northwest, and that North Yakima was
the largest hop shipping point north Of
California was calculated TO induce a
touch of local jealousy, and fair.minded
man that he is, Mr.. Meeker could no,
quite keep it down. He thought Mr.
Barker was trying to produce the enlarge
ment of our craniums when he said that
the Yakima hop was meeting with much
favor in the London market and that his
firm considered it the equal of any
grown in the United States. Mr.. Meekel