The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1905-08-17
URGES HIGHER GRADE
IN PACKING APPLES

dress before the meeting of the Inter
national Apple Shippers association
at Putin Bay, Ohio, August 2, saiC
in Part:
Taking our country as whole
there Is steady increase In thu
amount of apple orchards coming into
bearing, and the many varying croI
conditions require yearly change o.
policy, making our line of action &c
uncertain that fixed rules cannot be
applied. Continued losses for three
successive years, coupled with heavy
crops, caused an individual resolve tc
be made by nearly every buyer In the
country to make his 1904 purchases
on conservative basis, yet after
holding off for short time until a
few of the best orchards had been
sold, the majority fell into line, and
paid for the average run Of farmer
pack, corresponding closely In grade
with our No. 2, price which should
have bought strictly No association
goods. So long as buyers continue
such inconsistent methods our chances
for profit are very poor, and there is
not the inducement we should be
able to hold out to growers who pro-
duce high grade Of fruit.
while it is true there is large
demand for medium grades of apples
at low prices, which it is the duty of
the trade to supply, an increasing
number of the consuming public are
calling for an extra quality. This Is
an effect of the pure food agitation,
increased prosperity, and the more
general distribution of wealth.
. A closer system of grading must
be insisted upon by our buyers. At
least half Of the apples we are plac-
ing in cold storage should be market
cd In the early season. Their quality
does not justify the expensive package
added to the high price Of cold stor-
age, and the sooner we, as dealers,
lean this lesson, the sooner our bust
ness will get on paying basis. We
have been cold storage mad for the
past few years, placing in storage as
No. ! many inferior farmer packed
apples, which barely come up to our
No. 2 classification, calculating that
~, 900 barrels would make double the
money of 10, 900, and overlooking the
most important of all points in apple
packing and storing, which is qua
lity.
"A strong, united effort should be
made by this association to raise our
standard and encourage orchardists to
strive for higher quality of produc-
tion and grading and to the market
ing of the great bulk of medium and
low grades In an inexpensive manner
In the early part of the season. The
most practicable solution that present
itelf to my mind Is the encouragement
of the production of higher grade of
fruit. The day of the small CONNER
cial orchard, managed by the diversi-
He'd crop farmer, Is already on the
Wane, and the coming successful APP
pie grower must be a practical scien-
list and specialist, operating on an
extensive scale, and In measure di-
'ecting natures forces.
The firm who il out to pack strict
y No. l fruit knows that only lin
ted amount of their grade is grown,
md It hunts out these particular Or
'hards, expecting to pay a premium
or them, which Is only fair to the |
trower. Naturally these finest or
'hards are the first to be sold, even
4 the crop IL large one, and the |
particular buyer, after having looked |
or a long time to locate what he
wants, Is disposed to pay even more
han he considers II worth, rather
han take the chances of unexplored
lelds with all thier uncertainties.
Che grower of fancy apples is aware
If the superior article he produces,
md knowing 1t will bring premium
Turing the season, ID firm in his posi- |
ion, and under such conditions the
'uyer yields and pays the price, which
While 1t may not be excessive for this
PARTICULAR orchard, Ia probably 50 per
ent more than any other orchard in |
his same section Is worth. The owner
II the fine orchard, feeling proud of
lis product and the price obtained,
Iaturally spreads the information, and
lis neighbors, the local press, trade
and other growers are ever
eady to herald the news of the high
rices paid for the best orchards. The
roduoer of the ordinary quality Is
ever willing to admit that his neigh
ors orchard Is worth much, If any,
lore than his own, and the average
uyer looking for good article does
ot fully appreciate the difference in
he winter and spring market value
etween fancy and good article,
nd under such conditions the largest
ercentage of the apple crop is sold at
lore than Its actual or relative val
Q, ="