The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1905-07-06
GET POOR BERRIES
FROM HOOD RIVER

S. P. Brown is in receipt of the fol
lowing interesting letter from G. ID.
Nickelsen of Hendricks, Mimi, who
makes some pointed comments on the
berry business:
81 want to tell you something of
the strawberry business at this end of
the line, as it may interest you, and
as we are both shippers The Hood
River berries had practically a clear
market here this year. The Florida
berries we're the first to appear They
are scarcely worth the name. They
are small, soft and without flavor, un-
packed, and the hallocks are only two
thirds full. They sold for 15c and 20c
per pound The next are the Missouri
berries. They are good average
with the Hood River in size, but not
in firmness and flavor. They sold for
10 and 5 cents per box. They come
unpacked and hallocks only two
thirds full. They we're nearly gone
when the Hood Rivers reached the st.
Paul markets. | persuaded one of
our local merchants to order crate
of Hood River berries, telling him of
the excellent quality and pack of the
fruit, but he said they we're so high
he was afraid that he could not sell
them. However, urged him to get
crate, telling him of their excellent
size and appearance and assuring
him that he never saw such fine ber-
ries before. Finally, ON June u, he
ordered crate from st. Paul, paying
50. % f o. b. They arrived. | was
called to see them, and as | looked at
them my face experienced that pecul-
lar hot sensation that we sometimes
undergo when we are thoroughly
ashamed or disgusted. | at once de-
clared that they we're not Hood River
berries and sought some method to
prove fraud, but the number and
stamp was there to vindicate the truth
that they were Hood Rivers. There
was scarcely IA 4t.er berry to be
found. They we're small, deformed
and altogether measly looking outfit.
1t is by such process that we destroy
our own market in this country. The
merchant had to eat most of them
himself, as he could hardly sell them
and come out even after paying eX-
press from st. Paul. He swore by
all that is good and bad that he would
never handle another crate of Hood
bad light, after the strenuous rec
OmmendatiOn that | had given them.
"But | suppose this brother who
had put out such dishonest pack is
one of the knockers now for fat
price for his crop. 1t would be
blessing to the honest shipper if the
good Lord would blight his crop next
year, unless he 'repents and turns
from the error of his way | know
it is difficult for the shipper to prop
erly grade each crate. 1t requires
time and care, but it would pay, Il
it would preserve our market in this
country. If these berries had been
stamped plainly second grade it
would have preserved our good name
with the retail merchant and con
sumer.
"With little rustic at this end of
the line and one crate of samples put
up in quarter crate lots from each
shipper in Hood River the entire
output of Hood River berries could
be disposed of at profitable margin
in North Dakota and Minnesota.
This is a great market if we could
only distribute our own fruit here
PROPERLY and HONESTLY GRAD
ED. The grower pays heavily for
his sin of omission by not having
three or four honest representatives
at this end of the line to force de-
mand upon the markets for our fruit
upon the basis of real merit, honesty
in pack.
Wisconsin berries follow ours ON
the market and bring 10 cents per
box. They are poor compared with
ours The Minnesota berries are now
getting ripe and are selling for 10 and
Is cents per box, unpacked. They
stand next to the Hood Rivers in
quality and size. As | see the berry
business from this end of the line,
am persuaded that there should be
but one concern shipping into this
market, or if two, they should work
together there. Our own berries
would not enter into competition in