The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-09-08
BERRY OUTLOOK IS
DARK IN MISSOURI

+. L. Beal, writing from Republic,
Mo-, to the Practical Frnit Grower, tells
as follows Of the unfavOrable strawberry
outlook for the Missouri growers:
"The future for the commercial stray
berry grower of Southwest Missouri
looks gloomy. With a production OF
about 600 cars this year, the report Of
most points indicate that very little
money has been made, especially If rent
and the cost OF cultivation last year is
considered. Some points have scarcely
received sufficient money to pay for cost
OF crates and picking, leaving the mat
ter OF last years cultivation entirely out
OF the question. Some one has said
that a strawberry crop was open to
more different kinds OF accidents than
any other crop grown. This may not
be altogether true, but the experience OF
the past three years with the drouth,
then the freeze and rains OF last year,
and the frosts and rains Of this year,
and the disappointments OF 1925 or
81 so markets, which net the grower 40
TO 20 cents per crate, the grower eer-
tainly has his share Of trouble. One Of
the wrongs rests with the grower him
self. Most growers and most associa-
tons are not careful enough as to the
quality of berries packed, One source
Of damage to berries, think, is fre.
quently overlooked. II Is the grading
done at the packing shed. When ber-
ries are handled at all they receive q
certain amount Of damage. This dam
age Is usually not apparent just at the
h.,A aft fa.,y hos. the haPrV
looks as il hot water had touched it in
spots, or all over. This one mistake OF
the grower, made with the most praise
worthy motive OF trying to send only
fancy stock, probably accounts for
great many crates at the other end
which chow mold and decay.
Another wrong rests with the trans
portatiOn companies, both freight and
express. We as growers are simply
charged to death--not OF ourselves, but
death Of the industry. To be convinced
that we are grossly Overcharged we have
only to observe that the same refrig-
orator cars for which we pay about $500
TO haul load of strawberries to the
northern markets are used the other
seasons OF the year for the regular mile
age rates, which is little more than
one-iourth Of this amount. And to fur
ther illustrate the truth OF the over
charge we have only to look at points
where parallel lines and competing re-
frigerator companies do business, and
haul even strawberries year after year
for the simple mileage rate, plus the
icing charges at cost. II there was not
satisfactory profit TO the refrigerator
companies in the regular mileage
charges they would certainly stop using
them at that price. But as they are
even more solicitous Of the business in
territory where the regular mileage is
charged, and when they continue to
work so hard for this business year after
year, we are forced TO the conclusion
that we in Southwest Missouri (and
many other points as to that matter)
are paying almost four times as much
to get our berries TO market as we
should.
Another wrong is located with the dis
honest commission man. do not say
they are all dishonest, but there seems
to be a great temptation in that busi'
ness to "get rich quick and at the ex-
pense OF the grower. At shipping time
the quotations usually are attractive
and the grower figures up cost OF mar
keting, transportation, commission, and
then adds Is to 80 cents additional for
the commission mans family, and he
still sees a net rrice to him of some
thing over 81 per crate. lie sends them
in and they usually get to destination
-, nf nnnHitinn Az
least that is the report, and finally after
more or less delay the returns come in,
and as a simple explanation OF the ex-
tremely small amount of the account
sale, the one word "rotten" is often
written across the paper, 1t doesn't
seem to make much difference whether
they were on the road two days or six
days, They seem TO get rotten just as
easily on short as on long distances. At
least the returns are rotten enough, and
have noticed that the longer the check
was delayed the more rotten it seemed
TO get.
Another wrong which is partly in the
power OF the grower to correct is proper
distribution. There is too much of a
disposition among growers to become
suspicious of each other. This is espe-
cially true OF different associations. |
make this broad statement. Every car
of berries shipped from Southwest Mis-.
souri shonld be cent out by one central
organization, and competent men should
be- present in each market to report &C
curately and truthfully on every arrival
and see that the grower receives what
was left after all charges are paid. | do
not believe we as growers will realize
the true measure of satisfaction and
profit until we get closer together, trust
each other more and the other fellow
less, and act on more concerted plan.