The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-12-29
FRUIT VALUE
HALF MILLION
WASCO COUNTY'S BANNER CROP
Hood River Farmers Get S275,00O
-MOsier Country Makes Splendid
ShOWing-Dalles' Fine Prunes.

From the forthcoming report of X. II.
Weber, horticultural commissioner of
the fourth district, the total value of the
districts fruit crop for 1904 is placed at
half million dollars. Wasco county is
the principal fruit producing section OF
this district, and in fact the only sec
ton considered in the estimate. OF
this half-million Hood River is credited
with $275,00O.
The Mosier country to the east of
here is rapidly coming to the front as a
fruit-producing section. Commissioner
Weber speaks in high praise OF the eff
forts of the Mosier fruit growers, and
finds their total fruit shipments the last
summer and fall brought over $20,000
into that prosperous little valley.
Following is a portion of Commission
er Weber's report, prepared for the an
nual report of the state board, which f.
l., Smith is preparing for the state
printer.
The setting of new orchards has been
very extensive in this district during the
last planting season, apples predominant
ing, particularly in Hood River and Mo-
sier, while at The Dalles and other Sec
tions of the district cherries and peaches
were very largely set out.
"Hood River valley leads in the pro-
duction of apples in this district and
has at this time about 5000 acres in APP
pie orchards, which is about ten per cent
of the available land suitable for fruit
in the valley. This years apple crop
amounts to practically 100000 boxes,
and is valued at $l25, 900. Strawberries
yielded heavier than ever before, and
and fully 100, 900 crates of this luscious
fruit were shipped, which brought the
growers about $l3500O. About 1900
acres are now devoted are now devoted
to strawberry culture in the valley.
Pears do exceptionally well here,
though as yet they receive but scant at
tention, only about four carload were
put on the market from here this year.
am convinced, however, that pear cul-
ture in the near future will receive more
attention, as particularly the heavier
soils are sylendidly adapted to the pro-
duCtion OF high grade fruit Of this va
riety Besides the above cherries and
blackberries are quite extensively
grown here. The approximate value Of
the Hood River fruit crop this year will
reach the magnificent sum of $275,OOO.
"Mosier is steadily forging ahead as a
fruit center, and is fast making repu-
tation as shipping point for fancy APP
Piles, cherries, prunes and strawberries.
This year about Sl2, 900 will be shipped
from here. Further we find 1000 crates
of straw berries were marketed at an av-
erage price OF S2.25 a crate, or 81 ,25O
for the crop; 5000 crates OF cherries, at
80 cents per crate, 81 800; 259 tons OF
prunes, $3.50; 80 tons Of plums, $500
There are at present about 800 acres de.
voted to apples and ten acres to straw
berries, which is about ten per cent Of
the available area suitable for fruit
culture in the territory comprising the
Mosier country.
"The fruit crop at The Dalles was ex
ceptionally heavy this year, and all tn,
numerous varieties of fruit grown here
yielded abundantly. In point OF quantit!
prunes are in the lead, the yield OF thes
was about 1000 tons; value $4,000 FIJI
ty carloads of the above have fount
their way in the green state, to Easter
markets, principally New York. Fur
ther, we have $50 tons OF plums, valu
$2,250; 10000 boxes of apples, value $S0
900. will state here that the apparen
disparity in the value of Hood Rive
apples and those grown at Mosier ant
The Dalles is attributed to the large pc
cent of Yellow Newtowns and Spitzer
bergs grown at the former place, which
selling at higher price than othe
varieties, naturally increases the avel
age.
: Easily 50 tons of cherries found