The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1905-06-08
MISSOURI APPLES
ARE A LIGHT CROP

The apple crop in parts of Missouri
and Arkansas Will be light this year,
writes II. T. Williams in letter to Tom
Bishop. Counties which produce
million dollar crop hen the season
is good, will this year have about one
fourth Of a crop.
Mr.. Williams has just o npleted set
ting 5000 az pla trees which he says
are doing nicely. He hopes to soon
return to Hood River to look after
his apple land here,
"When it comes to raising fine
fruits" says Mr.. Williams, there is
nothing like Hood River for beauty.
We have fruit here earlier, but Hood
River is larger and better in appear
ance, Though | think fruit here is
sw eeter. Our seasons here are not so
reliable as Hood River No will miss
two seasons out of five most of the
time. The cool spring this season
chilled the blossoms and they fell off
so did the fruit
1.-THE two counties adjoining me on
the northwest each raise million dol
lars worth Of apples year, when they
have IA crop This year the blossoms
we're full and prospects good for fine
crop, but there cane cool winds and
blossoms fell and the fruit that did
set has fallen so lady that there is
little hope for even one-fourth of a
crop. So this will make two years
that section has passed without crop
of apples.
"My attention was turned to Hood
River, mostly because of its reliability
in having its crops of fruits. This
placed it ahead of Eastern fruit sec
tions. We have had ripe cherries mere
a week but not large like those at Hood
River. | doubt ii there is any por-
tion of the United States will raise as
large cherries as Oregon or as fine
plums.
'The strawberry season has been
disasterous all over the south. Too
much rain. The fruit all went to mar
ket wet and spoiled. Besides the
companies we're not prepared for sc
big a crop and did not have cars
enough. Crates full of Strawberries
we're left at the depot in some cases
that we're bigger in quantity than the
depot itself.
"At Chadbourne, n c., the loss Of
the growers was S0UJ, 900 from failure
of the car companies to carry the fruit
to market. Berries that did go arriv.
ed so poor that thn health authorities
ordered the cars sent to the dump and
often 20 cars day we're dumped. One
station north Of here, SarcOXie, Mo-,
ships 800 cars of the Strawberries {
year and has plenty Of cars but the
season there is so ct it will be diff
cult for growers to make any money
Usually. however they net Sl.5O to 5:
a crate. Their prices usually are gooc
last year tAoy aver, ged s. net,
This country is getting to be won
derful for it, consumption of fruit
No one Knows low much the peopk
really do use. The markets call fol
such great quantities. Think of New
York using 30 cars Of Bermuda onion
a day, or one station shipping 300 car
of berries in a season.
"There are enough peaches this yea
in Texas and Georgia to fill 5000 cars
and this is but half a crop. Whe'
Georgia has d full crop there are 40
enough cars to carry it to market.
The great trouble with the fruit fror
the Pacific coast is the longth of tim
for fruit to reach the Eastern markets
This sets back fruit growing ther
wonderfully. 1t should not take s
long ~