The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1903-02-20
MET AT MOSIER,
Enthusiastic Fruit Growers
Meeting,


80 p. m. The meeting was called to
order by J. P. Carroll. A. P. Bateham
was chosen chairman and he appointed
Chas. R. Stark, secretary.
Mr.. Bateham opened the meeting by
calling attention to the growing i'm
pOrtance of our fruit industry. and es-
pecially. to the growing of apples. He
placed no restrictions whatever upon
the meeting, but he presented some
topics which were taken up and handled
in manner that proved that in the Mo-
sier district live some of the most
aggressive, up-to-date fruit growers
in the country. The meeting was in
tensely interesting from start to finish.
Mr.: Bateham read the following paper
from H. F. Davidson, who was called
to Portland on important business,
consequently was unable to attend the
meeting: t<
VARIETIES TO RAISE FOR PROFIT.
Gentlemen: The Davidson Fruit Co.
has been instrumental in holding this
meeting of apple growers for the reason
that the volume OF business we are able
to handle depends entirely upon the
available quantity of first class fruit
which you gentlemen produce, and for
this reason we are directly interested in
the promotion of the apple growing in
dustry in this section. While we handle
all kinds and qualities in various ways
we desire and much prefer to give our
attention particularly to marketing fruit
of high quality at high prices and as a
tol
matter of u sing culls and lower grades
so as to prevent them from being a loss
on the growers hands and to furnish
employment to our men.
The writer made trip recently cover
ing the principal markets in the United
States, and was extremely gratitied to
find that unquestionably the best apples
seen on the entire trip were from this
section, and an opportunity was had to
see apples from almost every apple pro-
ducing section of this country. There
are great many varieties of apples
as grown in other parts of the United
States that are equal in quality to the
same varieties grown in this section.
Pomologists all agree that it requires a
peculiar soil and climate to produce
certain high grade varieties to perfec-
ton, but that the common varieties do
well on a great variety of soils, great
many different attitudes and under diff
ferent climatic conditions.
There were such varieties as Ben
Davis, Ganos, Missouri Pippins, Rhode
Island Greetings, Northern Spys and
the like on sale in several markets that
f,11l 70 Of hn
rieties raised in this section, and we
saw Jonathans from Colorado, Idaho
and other sections that were convincing
that we cannot excel in the production
of this variety, but the latter variety is
an excellent fruit, good bearer and the
markets will take large quantities of
them when grown perfectly and of good
size.
We are thoroughly convinced that at
present the world does not produce
Spitzenbergs and Newtown Pippins that
can be compared favorably with those
grown in this section, and these are the
wo'varieties for which the pomological
world has been seeking favorable place
in which to grow them for many years
and up to date no spot has been found
equal to Mosier and Hood River valleys
and perhaps some other limited sections
near us. AS this condition actually ex-
lists, we feel warranted in> urging our
friends to push the production of these
two varieties for their main apple crops
and use others merely for fertilization
or on soil.where these two varieties will
not succeed.
We found in all the markets visited,
as far East as Chicago, ordinary varie-
ties selling in January for about the
same that we paid to Hood River and
Mosier growers for the same kinds at
picking time. We have since handled
the stock over, stood large percentage
f'of loss from rot, and are now selling
these apples at an actual loss in addi-
fion to the loss of time and labor con-
nected with caring for and handling the
fruit during the winter.
Newtown Pippins and Spitzenbergs
sell readily at picking time for fancy
prices and at about the same price that
can be OBJ aimed for them in the spring
of the year, which is an exceedingly
strong point in their favor. The supply
of ordinary varieties of applesis increas-
ing faster than the demand except at
considerable reduction in prices as COM
pared with a few years past, and this
grade is gradually but surely getting
harder to sell so far we feel itour duty to
advise you to plant and grow principally
the fruit that will sell readily at picking
time and at good profitable prices.
Ii yon:have good trees trees OF unsatis-
facrory varieties it is possible and often
profitable to the change the variety and
it is also possible to plant more hardy
stock than either Newtown Pippin or
ESpitzenbergs, and after the tree reaches
a certain size the desirable varieties can
be grated or budded on the limbs and a
better tree be grown than if the original
stock is planted.
While growers in other sections are
not able to produce the fancy varieties
for which the people are clamoring the
world over, let Fem supply the ordi-
nary varieties which must necessarily
be sold at lower prices and let us reap
the benefit of our exceptionally favor
able natural surroundings in soil and
climate and put ourselves in position to
cater to the best trade, for there are
enough ptOpIe III tHe WOTlu HOW WnO
are far more particular about the quail
ity than they are about the price, and
this class is rapidly increasing, to con-
sume all of the fine apples we can grow
in this limited section for years to come.
We will always have a market for the
cheaper and more ordinary varieties, ,and
they can be grown with degree of
profit, but with the opportunities for
growing better varieties, one cannot af-
ford to raise the cheaper ones except for
fertilization or where the choice kinds
will not thrive.
Chairman-Now, gentlemen, we will
be glad to hear from each one of you on
this subject.
]. p. CARROLL don't want to do the
a II k,,N 4 l,.ft IL