The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1905-05-11
BERRY MARKET
PROMISES WELL.
HOOD RIVER BERRIES LEAD ALL
Z. A. Franz Returns Convinced There
Is No Place Like HOme-Talks
On Frnit Situation.

On Fruit Situation.
After a trip through the principal
cities of Eastern Oregon, Washington,
| Idaho and Montana, +. A. Franz re-
turned more firmly convinced than ever
that Hood River is the best section of
| the Pacific northwest. 81 was glad to
see the green trees and waving grass as
we came into sight Of Mosier 1t was
the first glimpse of green fields for
weeks, said Mr.. Franz
| While on his trip, Mr. Franz looked
carefully for any place where he thought
he could find something better than
Hood River, but returns satisfied that
the opportunities at home are not
equalled elsewhere. While East of here,
Mr.. Franz also interested himself in the
berry markets. He came home with
more orders for early herries than it will
be possible for him t. Ii the first few
weeks of tie shipping Sea.1n.
The demahd frr be,i Increases each
year where,er Hood II vyr berries get
toothold, and with proper distribution
of this seasons rrop, Mr. Franz believes
the outlook far 4, ices is extremely
good. Hood River strawberries are still
in the lead heranse OF the superior
quality OF the frat AMI the care in which
the berries are pltFei Ior the market.
If the H. DOd RNrr farmers continue to
make quality the motto when shipping
Strawberries, Mr. Franz believes success
will continue to be their.
"a good many hrr sections are going
~ ihn hprFN, hu aictn
b rries now, remarHrd Mr.. Franz, "but
t 4ey are b, ginning to realize from year
to year that they cannot raise berries as
god as we can in Hood River. One bad
feature of the berry business in the
nufthwes in the last two or three years
J. the manner in which all sections
have secured plants from Hood River
e"deavor to put the berries on the mar |
ket as the Hood River berries
"lf we can do something to prevent |
this it will be a great thing for Hood /
River, because berries grown elsewhere,
even though the plants were secured |
here are so much poorer than the real |
Hood River berries that people who are
not acquainted with the real article will !
become dissatisfied and would want no
more to do with the Hood River berries. |
Wherever went, tried to explain
as much as possible just what the other
localities are doing in this matter, in
order to prevent the dealers and buyers
from being humbugged in the future
"There is one thing the Hood River
farmers must bear in mind this year,
ii they expect to obtain higher prices |
for their berries and to push out other
berries from our market, they must put |
up a strictly first class pack. Quality, |
quality, two times quality must be their
watch word. Hood River can down the
other fellows as their erries lack the |
size and flavor and will not stand long
distance shipments, but to do this our
berries must in all instances set the high |
standard.
This is serious matter and the /
farmers cannot ignore it. The union
will maintain a rigid inspection of all |
fruit sent out with the union brand, and
for Hood River berries. A big gain was
made last year, and the good work will
BE- continued this season.
"The farmers in other sections of the .
northwest have not made as much as
they thought they would, and conse-
qu"ntly they have neglected their
patches This should work to the ad-
vanage of the growers here, especially |
those who have taken extra good care to |
p .oducc fine berries. II the farmers of
Hood River keep up their quality and
acreage, these other sections will soon |
be out Of the business all together, be-
cause they cannot compete with our
good berries and cannot make ANYTHING |
selling poor berries
"Straw berries should be put onto the
market as soon as after picking as posi- |
tile. Strawberries are perishable fruit, |
and no matter where they are stored be-
fore they are shipped, the sooner they
get into the hands Of the consumer, the |
better satisfied he will be and the more
satisfactory it will he to the grower, As
soon rs picked and packed berries
should be brought TO the shipping sta
ton, where they will be loaded into the
cars. The union has decided this year
that all packing shall be done IN the
packing house and rot by the piCkcrs in
the patch as heretofore.
There is another thing | learned Of
on my trip which should be of value to
the Hood River farmers. At Walla
WaIla, which il at leasJ week later
than this locality, the farmers produce
large quantities Of rheubarb, asparagus,
green onions, spinach, lettuce, radishes,
etc. fhis garden truck commands
good price early in the season. From |
Walla Walla it is marketed in the in
terror towns for a distance Of 800 to 700
miles to the north and east.
Hood River farmers might just as
well he growing such garden truck,
especially the berry men who have early
sandy soil. 1t would grow well here,
and ne the means of returning early
revenue. Hood River is near Portland
and the Sound cities and could easily
work up a good market. Being week
earlier than Walla WaIla, this point
would have a big advantage.
"One farmer who was bringing in
asparagus from a Walla Walla truck
farm told me he had gathered seventy
boyes that morning from three and one
half acres He was getting 81 box for
the asparagus at the depot, and expected
to be shipping asparagus for twenty
days from his seven-aCre patch. Large
shipments Of asparagus are made daily
from Walla Walia in carload lots
"'In the Grande Rounde valley, |
fonnd the I.aGrande fruit growers erect
ing a cold storage warehouse for apples
at cost Of $55,O00 Apples from La
Grande are now retailing in Montana
and Idaho at Toe a box Freight charges
must be at least l5c, and then there is
the commission mans profit, which
leaves the grower but a small margin.
Now ii these people can afford to take
care Of 75-cent apples why the Hood
River growers can most assuredly afford
to lay something aside for the prepara-
tion Of future markets, a matter the
Hood River fruit growers should look
carefully after"