The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-10-06
FRUIT IN THE
OREGON COUNTRY

the editorial page Of a recent edition o.
the Chicago Record-Herald, from the
pen of S. Glen Andrus, who visited
Hood River last July with r. NJ. Hal
of the OR. 4 N;
One of the chief charms Of the Pacific
Northwest lies in its complete varied.
ness, variedness which extends to its
climate, its soil, its product, its scenery
its topography, and the opportunities
which it presents.
Almost anything contained in natures
variety store house can be found in the
Oregon country. This fact is becoming
generally known and accounts for the
growing attraction which the North
west has for the homeseeker. Nearly
all conditions are found, aud every de-
sire of the farmer or the pleasure seek
er can be satisfied in some portion OF the
domain which Lewis and Clark blazed
for civilization. According to desire,
one may live in high or low altitude,
where the rains and dews of heaven
water his lands abundantly or where
little or no water touches the parched
land unless it be by irrigation; where
the happy medium between heat and
cold is always maintained, or
where the rays of a must brilliant sun
beat fiercely; where the valley of almost
tropical verdure stretches away for
miles, presenting to the eye natures
color pictures framed by the rugged
mountains or hills-places in which to
dream life away, forgetting dread real
tiles of bustling world on the rolling
plains, on the hill tops, or in the era
dies of the mountain sides; in the dead
level of the sands of the arid lands or
surrounded by scenery SO grand and
indescribable that it casts spell which
is never shaken.
Should one desire to become land
owner, there are the great cattle ranges
or the grain fields OF the inland empire
On the contrary, should he desire to
become modestly independent, there is
the ten-a tract upon which an entire
family can be maintained upon the
products of fruit or vegetables.
Despite the partial annihilaton of
distances by the modern express train,
the Pacific Northwest is so far removed
from the middle West and the East that
its magnitude and its possibilities are
little appreciated. Oregon, for example,
is vaguely known as large state, but
few realize that it contains 96, ,030 square
miles or 81 ,495, 900 acres of land. Not
withstanding the fact that large portions
of this are mountainous or arid, there
are sufficient resources to accommodate
as large a number of people as dwell in
any like area in the East. This means
that Oregon, with nearly 1000 square
miles of territory in excess of that of
New York and Pennsylvania combined,
may in time contain and support as
great population as these states, or
over 100000 people. Now, with
scarcely more than half million people,
this state is producing more than $35-
100000 worth of grains, fruit, fish, dairy
and poultry products, live stock and
minerals. What it will add to the an
nual productive wealth of the country,
when it arrives at a settled condition is
food for the Imagination. The Cascade
mountains divide the state of Oregon
into portions which are known locally
as Eastern and Western Oregon. Be-
tween the Cascades and the Coast Range
lie several valleys which have become
famous. There are the Rogue River
valley, celebrated as "The Italy of Ore
gon," the Grande Ronde valley, with
its wealth of wheat and Willamette val
ley, with their varied industries, the
Hood River valley, with its unrivaled
fruit, almost equally attractive. To the
Eastern man the valleys of Oregon and
the Pacific Northwest have the strong
est attraction, for they are paradises on
earth to the man who has been accus-
toned to toll early and late through six
months of uncertain weather in order
to maintain himself and family through
six month of rigorous winter.
Extending south from the Columbia
river distance of more than $50 miles,
averaging thirty miles from mountain
range to mountain range, lies the far
famed Willamette valley with its 5000
squar, miles of fertile country which
produces bountifully almost every crop
known to temperate zone. Through
this valley runs the Willamette, which
is fed by many picturesque and full
flowing streams and which pours its
great volume of water into the broad
Columbia close to the city of Portland,
In this valley are raised great quanti-
ties of fine fruit. First given over to
grazing, later to wheat raising, the
Willamette valley is now one of the
most healthful, beautiful and diversified
farming districts in the United States.
In 1850 the state of Oregon raised but
eight pounds of hops. In 1900 its hop
crop, most of which came from this
valley, amounted to q, ,54S,27 pounds,
more than any other state in the union
produced.
Another valley, not so large, but Of
exquisite beauty and great fertility, is
the Hood River valley. Oregon has
gained a wide reputation as fruit
raising state, for which the valley of the
Hood River is largely responsible.
Despite the variety and excellence of
of Oregon fruit, however, there is a
difference of opinion as to whether fruit
will ever become leading commercial
staple or one of the chief factors in the
commercial life of the state. 1t is fair
to say, however, that it has been recently
discovered that the Oregon fruit can be
grown WIN Il VOuSnlesS Vi Skln anu
strength of fiber which will enable its
transportation to distant markets. Dur
ing the season just passed, for example,
seven carloads OF Hood River strawber-
ries we're shipped under refrigeration
to Chicago, arriving here in excellent
condition. They came at the height OF
the Michigan berry season and brought
81 a crate more than the product of the
Wolverine state. Hood River berries
were also expressed to New York and
Boston and the demand there created
for them has placed new ideas in the
heads of Hood River fruit growers
regarding market possibilities. Oregon
apples, and especially those of Hood
River valley, long ago found their way
into the markets OF Canada, London,
Liverpool, Hamburg, Berlin, Paris, st.
Petersburg, Honolulu, Japan, China,
Australia, New Zealand, Sierra, Manila,
and the mining camps of Alaska. In
London during the holiday season Yel-
low Newtowns from Oregon sell as high
as 1866 bushel, netting the grower
$235.
The Columbia river is the northern