The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1900-10-26
9Ntood River @lacisr
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2e. 1900.
A Test Of Strawberries.

A meeting was held in Salem, Oct
18th, to witness test Of canned straw
berries as a commercial product. Five
kinds OF the canned fruit were poured
out in glass fruit dishes and sampled by
those present. The Salem Journal gave
full report Of the meeting, from which
we copy as follows:
The canned berries opened were one
can from Salem store, such as are
generally sold by retailers, one can OF
the first and second grade Of berries put
up this year by the Allen Canning Co.
plant at Salem, one can OF the famous
Hood River strawberries, and can Of a
new variety that has been tested at Sa-
lem for several years, called the Oregon
Ideal. The large glass dishes showed
the color OF the canned product. Ordi-
narlly canned Strawberries have mushy
appearance when emptied out Of the can.
ana are bleached out in color. The fruit
Is shapeless mess and has only little
OF the strawberry flavor left. The first
can opened had stood on the shelves a
number OF years and had all these quail
tiles in the highest degree. No one
would want to eat them as q relish or
made into pics on their appearance, and
1T is no wonder people don't buy such an
nninviting article.
The next one tasted were the first and
second grade Wilson berries put up by
the Salem cannery under Mr. Allen.
They we're solder and had fine flavor,
and for color and flavor are far superior
to any canned Strawberries generally
sold. They are superior to any Califor-
MA canned strawberries ever shown in |
this market.
The fourth can tasted was the Justly |
famous Hood River strawberry. This
surpassed the two cans put up by Mr..
Allen in size and color, but Mr.. Aliens
berries surpassed the Hood River berry
IN firmness OF texture and flavor, having
more fruit and acid quality than the
Hood River berry. This may be due to
the fact that the Salem berries we're a
very fine crop this year, and again, are
produced without irrigation. All pro-
nounced the Hood River berry very fine,
and indeed it takes the top market price.
IT has been made great industry at
that place.
The last berry to be tasted by the COM
mittee was new berry that has been
grown for three yearsat Salem in small
way to test it and produce il possible the
ideal berry for commercial canning. All
present sampled it and agreed that in
color, flrmness and flavor it surpassed
oil the others, and that was saving a
good deal. But the berry spoke its own
praises. In the same dish as the others
II had easily 30 per cent more color, be-
ing q beautiful rosy wine red. The ber-
ries all held their shape and color and
had the highest and richest fruit flavor
Of any that we're there, also by about 80
per cent. They we're at least so per cent
more solid than the Hood River berry,
and averaged larger in size. But it
should be said they were picked selected
stock above what they will average in
'ize, but grown in matted bed. They
Will average larger when grown in hiil
culture. MIR. Allen only put up about
iwenty quarts but in the same process
ls his other stock, so that the test might
De made under the same conditions.
The test made on Saturday was fair
me and was not made to detract from
he merits OF other products in this line
5ut 1t has proven that this vicinity can :
'roduce the best strawberry in the world |;
or commercial canning, and it is just as ,
asily produced as corn in Illinois or cot J
on in Mississippi. The strawberry bust !;
less is in its infancy in the Willamette !
alley. Other varieties will no doubt be
ound that may surpass the Oregon Ideal,
mt for the present this berry will be :
'ushed to the front in the cannery trade '.
y MIR. Allen and others interested.