The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-08-11
FRUIT CULTURE
HERE In OREGON

Following is the article on fruit cult
ure, occupying prominent place in thu
recent edition Of the o. RIA MS. book
let on Oregon, Washington, Idaho ant
their Resources. The data was pre-
pared,by Rinaldo NJ. Hall, the adver
Using agent Of this enterprising rail
road:
Oreyon's fame as fruit producing
state has already spread to the ends o.
the earth. The carrying and ke plnt
qualities OF Oregon apilcs, together with
their beauty, fragrance and flavor. are
unsurpassable, and they are sold In
all the leading cities OF the United States
and Canada, in London, Liverpool,
Hamburg, Berlin, Paris, ST. Petersburg,
HOnalulu, Japan, China, Australia, New
Zealand, Siberia, Manila, and the min
ing camps of Alaska. 1t Is no uncom-
mon thing TO see the dealers from the
Atlantic slates, England and France in
Oregon markets, and the cream OF the
states fruit is bought for these sections,
for Oregon apples once introduced are
always in demand and command the
highest price in every market. Oregon
Yellow Newtown Fppinsiselliip London
during the holidays for $3 65 per bushel /,
netting the producers t2.25 per bushel,
while the finest apples from other re-
eions were only bringing from ~ to 20;
and what is true OF Oregon apples In
London il equally true OF fruit from the
state in other foreign cities. When a
Flora or Winter Banana apple--yellow,
medium sized and good keepeF-~was
shown to the manager sof the Waldorf
Astoria hotel, New York City, he quickly
offered "a bushel for oil that he could
obtain. Scores OF sneh citations, show
ing tho great favor Of Oregon fruit,
could be made.
Eruit raising can be successfully car
ried on in every section OF Oregon, and
and apple trees often begin 40 hear, at
four and five years Of age. A tree ten
years old often bears ten bushels OF
marketable fruit, and this same fruit is
frequently sold incar lotsat sl.50 and
q bushel. Among the varieties
raised are Yellow Newtown Pippins,
Spitzenberg, Jonathan, Northern Spy,
Swaar, Greening, Winesap, Wolf River.
Ben Davie, and Flora or Winter Bana.
ma. From a single l60-acre orchard In
the Rogue River valley, Western Oregon,
every year about $25, 600 is netted, and
smaller tracts make proportionate yields.
The Hood River apple crop In 1908
amounted TO over 5O,000 boxes, which
brought nearly 100000, and the In
dustTy at Hood River is but in its in.
fancy. w. A. Slingerland OF Hood Riv-
er, who realizes'fvom $500 TO $500 each
year onlevery acre of applee, makes the
statement that the am 9uat Of profit per
acre at Hood River Is limited only by
the amount OF work put on, the care taken
growing trees and the attention given
the datails of the industry. And what
IL true Of the Hood River district in
this respect Is largely true Of other APP
ple-growing sections OF the state. In
the Grande Ronde valley, where fruit
raising is fast spripging into prominence
orchards produce annually from $l75
per acre up. G.. F.Hornby, OF Colfax,
Washington, states that there has been
only one partial failure OF fruit In the
10 years that he has been there. The
total fruit shipments from Union county
in 1903 were about 200 ears. At the
town Of Union, the dryerin 3O-days
run in the fall Of 1908 showed total
output OF I26 tons ot dried fruit. The
total shipment OF fruit from the Cove
distrlctin 1908 was abunt 100 cars. Over
200 cars OF alter apples were shipped
from Rogue River valley, Southern Ore
gon, in 1903. From S-aere tract, con.
tanning $40 trees, on the farm OF q. X.
Castner, three miles southwest OF Hood
River, last fall, 4S6 boxes Of 4-tier yell
low Newtowns which sold for tI.8O a
box, and l57 boxes OF 4lS and tier OF
the same variety which brought ti.25
box, were picked, making total OF
81 OH .06 for the 64S boxes, In addition
there were at least $50 worth of eull APP
pies. A. ID. Helms, seven miles south
Of Ashland 5000 boxes OF Newtown
Pippin from hia S-acre orchard, receiv-
$l,50 box gross, ~ 500; net, $1,000.
From 8-aere orchard II. W. Crowson
OF Ashland, cleared $3.50 81.
The industry 10 carried on most in
telligently in oil parts OF the state. The
orchards are guarded zealously, and
spraying Ia carefully looked after. The
results and benefits from spraying are
well illustrated in the case OF j. p. Car.
roll OF M0sier, six miles east OF Hood
River, who did not spray one year and
85 per cent of his apples were wormy.
The next year he sprayed carefully and
less than three per cent OF his apples
were wormy. The growers stand almost
us u unit on the question OF spraying,
declaring that il is the only means Of
protection IL flrst.class apples are to be
grown. The state board OF horticulture
10 carrying on q campaign Of education
In this line, and there IL q constant de-
mand for the literature II issues. So
thorough is the matter prepared that
there is a big demand for 1t, not only by
Oregon people, but in every state in
the Union, Canada, England, Germany
and Australia. Fifth aud sixth biennial
reports are used ut Cornell and the uni.
versity Of Minnesota as text book in
classes OF forestry and horticulture
The came reports received the highest
award at the Buffalo exposition in COM
petition with many other states.
There 10 scarcely town between the
Pacific ocean and the Missouri river,
north of Arkansas and Colorado, that
10 not q consumer Of Oregon strawberries
while many shipments go to Chicago,
New York and other eastern points, as
well az TO the far North. Many sections
Of Oregon grow Strawberries very profit
ably, but up 10 the present time Hood
River valley has carried off the honors.
for long distance shipments
From this rich valley in 1908 nearly 90,-
900 2l-pound crates we're shipped, bring
ing into the valley over tl50,0O0. The
The great care taken in picking, packing,
aud shipping these berries, together
with their wonderful preservative quail
ties, has made the fruit famous. From
five TO 20 acres is the size II the ranches
or farms. An average acre of straw.
berries yields l50 crates each year, and
the land can be kept in berries irom
four to seven consecutive years, which,
at an average income OF $l.S5 per crate,
gives the grower an income of $27750
an acre. The cost Of picking and pack
ing is 65 cents crate, or $97 go an acre,
leaving $3.50 for the land and cost OF cul-
tivation. As much as s700 and $500 an
acre has been realized from an acre OF
Strawberries, but $500 is common.
Mulching is not necessary, as the
ground does not freeze hard enough
to do the plants injury. A few yields;
+. q. Church, AS crates from II acres;
& q Matcnlf lAb cratps a. of an acra