The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-06-02
Good Market Outlook.

ment Monday night, but owing 10 TN
heavy demands from local markets
where prices still continue good, car
load shipments will not be made unit
the latter part of the week.
While the season gave promise early
in the year Of being later than usual
the first shipment was made May 10
only three days later than last year. The
berries are ripening more rapidly than
in former years, which gives the growers
the benefit Of high prices always pre-
vailing early in the season. Four dol
lars crate has been the ruling price SC
far.
The market outlook and weather con.
ditions are very favorable. Berries are
up to their usual high standard Of ex-
cellence, and with plenty of irrigating
water, no heavy rains or excessively hot
weather this years crop OF strawberries
should leave the Hood River farmers a
neat little bank account at the end OF
the season.
"Of course we don't like to predict too
far into the future, for unforeseen con.
ditions may play havoc with the mar
kets Of perishable fruits without mo-
ment's notice." said II. f. Davidson
Fruit CO., to a Glacier reporter, "but
just now the outlook is very favorable,
indeed. The Milton and Walla Walla
berries are ripening little faster Just
now than the Hood River berries, and
while they are Of fairly good quality,
the Hood River berries have brought 90
cents more on crate in the same mar
kets.
'The Pasco country will be a great
strawberry country next year. Hood
River exported berry plants to that
country by the hundreds Of thousands
last fall. The berries ripen earlier on
the sandy soil OF the Pasco country, but
it remains to be seen whether the ber-
ries hold up on long distance:shipments,
az berries grown at Hood River. Colo
RADIO will have larger crop than in for.
mer years. The Denver Fruit and Pro-
duce Co. have just informed us that
they expect TO handle It's cars Of straw
berries over and above the local de.
mands The crop will be at its height
about Iune Is to 20.
The Arkansas berries will be out OF
the way in a few days, says Mr.. David
son, but the Missouri berries will hold
ont for couple OF weeks yet. Mr..
Davidson says his company expects to
put carload Of berries in St. Louis
every day for the first two weeks in June,
provided the weather will permit IT..
Hood River berries in the Worlds far
city should afford distinct advertise
ment for Oregon and Hood River.
While shippers OF Hood River fruit
do not expect car shortage this year,
as was the case last season, Mr.. David
son Of the Davidson Fruit Co. says the
Northern Pac' hc railroad has raised
the freight rat IS something over 20
per cent. Last year the charges on a
car OF Strawberries from here to Grand
Forks was $3.50, with $50 lditional for
refrigeration. This year the price IL
S400 for the car with $i2 for the icing.
The railroad company, uf course, is not
responsible for the ri 9 in the price of
charges, but it is for the
increase in freight rates, and as Mr..
Davidson says, 1t looks as If the North
ern Pacific company was determined to
kill ofsthe strawberry business in Hood
Riyer.
Il. A. Shepard, manager OF the Hood
River Fruit Growers union has had
two very neat Office rooms fitted up in
the warehouse on Railroad street. A
new bookkeeper's stand and stenogra-
piers desk has been added to the
office fixtures. There is linoleum on
the floor and neat paper on the walls.
The new fixtures make a decided i'm
provement, and give much more busi-
ness.like appearance to things.
This Is Mr.. Shepard's first experience
a IN nager of fruit union, but he ap-
pears to have the situation in hand, and
with the office assistance of c.. Il. Mark
ham and Mr.. and Mrs II. +. Isenberg,
he Is securing for the patrons OF the
niJn the best to be had in top notch
prices for strawberries.
''rhe berries so far are coming in in
splendid shape" said Mr.. Shepard to
Glacier representative. "The union in
lists on iirst-class pack, and careful
is made of all fruit sent
rom Hood River with the union label.
The union brand means standard of
excellence, and II a farmers berries fail
o meet our requirements they are ex-
'luded from the shipment with fruit
hat does.
"Yes, the market outlook appears
'ery good The only hindrance to con.
inued high prices will, OF course, be
Hood River wifi have to
meet in berries from other sections.
While Hood River berries can't be beat
or quality anywhere, II the people heve
lad an over supply of fairly good
'erry, it is difficult to revive the market
With high-priced article. 1t is in this
manner that Hood River feels the effect
Il Eastern homegrown berries.
THE redeeming feature with Hood |
river berries is the way they stand up
fter shipment of thousands OF miles. |
'ake the Wisconsin berry for instance.
am told this berry is not fit for ship.
nents of over 250 miles. This leaves
he Dakota and Iowa markets to the
lood River berries.
I'VE expect to have plenty of cars
his year. Having made arrangements
nth the railroad company early in Jan
AIRY, the traffic department knows just
hat to arrange for, AS soon as car
,ad shipments are made to the East a
lecial engine will leave with train of
uit cars shortly after No. 9 at night,
nd make passenger time to Granger,
here the California fruit special will
3 met, and the two trains consolidated.
A striking example of how individual
shippers can demoralize
no market was furnished last week at
cattle, where the Underwood and
White Salmon growers dumped their
erries into the hands of commission
zen and knocked the bottom out OF the
larket In two days. Davidson Fruit
o. and the Hood River Frnit Growers
Mon do not ship their berries on con-
gnment. They arrange with the fruit
callers in the various markets before
ne shipping season opens to receive
.ood River berries at stipulated prices.
he dealers are supposed to make
gitimate profit, but the shipping con.
rms here know just what they will re-
live for their berries before their fruit
aves their hands. There are no
eight OF hand commission men tricks
} explain when the returns come in.
Mr.. Davidson and Mr.. Shepard had
lade the usual arrangements for the
cattle dealers to handle the Hood
liver berries, and last week the price