The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-05-12
Annie GroMers Meet.

The Apple Growers Union OF Hood
River held their first annual meeting
Monday, and it was an enthusiastic
gathering OF some OF the best apple
growers Of the valley. The Union or
ganized late last season, almost too late
for effective work. 1t was fortunate in
securing j. A. Wilson for Manager and
Shipping Agent. Joe is a rustler and
accomplished much good for the mem
bers OF the Union and is we'll deserving
Of the vote Of thanks which was so
heartily voted him at the meeting Mon
day night.
Until the Union was organized sl.25
10 81. so was the best offer that could be
obtained for high class Newtowns and
Spitzenberge, and Ben Davis apples
could not be sold at any price whatever.
Az soon as II became known that the
farmers had organized, bids began to
come in and the price was forced up un-
til few days later the entire crop Of
Newtowns and Spitzenbergs uf the
Union were sold TO the Davidson Fruit
Co., for the fancy price Of 81 for New
towns and 81 80 for Spiizenbergs, and
also, 500 boxes Of Ben Davis apple at S5e
per box. In the mean time one or two
cars Of Ben Davis were sold to parties
for Alaska shipment at II per box, and
BaIdwins at 81 so.
The Davidson deal was the largest one
by far ever before made in the apple
market OF Hood River aud reached the
nice figure OF $4,000, Down in the
Rogue river country where they have
no organization of growers they sold
many Of their high grade Newtowns n
85c, and the fact that Hood River apple
growers had organized, demanded and
obtained a fair price for their fruit, was
a revelation 10 apple growers and took
first page place on the big dalies Of the
country. The total number Of boxes
shipped by the Union last year was
IL 100 and the sales reach $2l ,265.0l,
In the organization Of a body o.
men In any vocation, there is bound tC
be more or less friction, the difference o
opinion, and this instance is no excep
ton to the rule, but all things con
sidered the results were very gratifying
to the Union.
There were many very valuable les
sons learned and the experiences of thii
| first years business cannot bnt be 0
great advantage TO the Union. Som'
of these lessons may be enumerated
viz the importance Of careful picking
selecting and handling, the necessit!
for uniform grading and packing, thl
| Lsneiit TO be derived from thorough
kno-~iadge Of the market supply an,
| I.,,ffiI a.I offae all tbara condition
have been met successfully, as ou
growers have now learned by experiene
| how 10 do. The one other vital ques
tion remains, that OF manager and ship
ping agent. The man To be selected {
handle this seasons crop should be
man OF known ability in this line, on
| who is up-to-date, and who is in touc
with the markets to which our apple
20. Also one who could devote hi
entire attention to the shipping OF th
fruit when IL is ready for market, MI
Wilson made most excellent recor
the past season and the Glacier ! nov
OF no reason why he is not the bes, ma
available as his successor.
Only half Of the growers in the valle
belong to the Union. This is where I'll
growers make mistake, Those
whose interests 1t is best to have Il
Union, use every effort TO break I'll
prestige gained by the Union. Aftt
the Union sold last year. these partit
offered an advance Of 25c per box Il
Newtowns and told members Of I'll
Union that ii they had not sold to Il
Union they would have received IL
| same figures. While 1t was appareI
to casual observer that twas due
, the organization ana to it alone that ii
high price was reached. Grove
| should not let the sophistry Of the en-
! mics of the Union keep them frol
! joining in an organized effort to secul
, the prices the quality of their fru
merits instead Of being obliged
} accept the mere cost Of production, an
permitting middle men to take Il
profits,