The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1905-12-07
APPLE CROP IS
10000 BOXES
MAY BE SLIGHTLY LESS. NOT MORE
Entire Product Worth SIOO,OOO.OO-
High Prices Make Fruit Growing
as Profitable as Last Year

Estimates secured through n. II.
Shepard Of the Fruit Growers Union,
and ]. ii. Davidson of the Davidson
Fruit Company place the total pro-
duction Of apples for the Hood River
valley this year at about 60, 600 boxes.
It may be slightly less than this, but
1t is very unlikely to be more.
Last year the number OF boxes ahip-
ped from this city was between 80, 600
and 100, 900, and the average price was
81. 10 box, which would make the TO-
tai amount received from apples ship
ped from here 100000. The apple
crop this year was worth fully as
much, for while there was marked
decrease in the number of boxes
shipped the average price was SO much
higher, almost approximating e1.65 q
box, that the figures for the total pro-
duction will be about the same--Sl00,-
600.
The highest prices obtained by
growers have been IS box for Spit
zenbergs and $3.50 for Newtowns.
This is the top notch price received
for apples by the producer, and has
never been equalled anywhere. The
profits on box of Spitzenbergs at
this price is about $3.50 and on New
towns is $500 fiat. Apple orchards
have netted the owners this year In
some instances as high as $500 an
acre. Any one who has been fortu-
nate enough to have had many acres
of this high priced fruit in bearing
has reaped rich reward. Other va
rieties have also sold for good prices,
and the off year for apples has
not been felt so much on that account.
The general apple market has not had
much effect on the prices for Hood
River fruit, as it is In class by It.
self, and will continue to be so as long
as the fruit maintains its present
standard of excellence.
The quality of the fruit this year
has been Of the finest. In fact II has
never been equalled In the history Of
apple raising. Out Of the entire ship-
ment of 60,000 boxes there have not
been over per cent Of these apples
that have not been fully up to the high
standard demanded by shippers of
hood River fruit. 1t is no exaggera-
tion to say that the finest apples that
have ever been put on the markets Of
the world we're shipped from this
point this season.
The Spitzenbergs and Newtowns
we're of especially fine quality, and
none of them were below four tier,
and many of them we're three and
half and three tier. Next to the fruit
itself the feature that has appealed
to the apple buyers of fine fruit 10 the
method employed here in packing
them. The high prices obtained by
Hood River growers have attracted
the attention of those engaged In ap-
pie culture all over the world and
they are beginning to find out that
the apple business as conducted here
is not matter of guess work, but has
become almost a fixed science, due to
study, treatment of the fruit during
the growing period, climatic condi-
tions, and finally the picking and
packing of the matured apple.
In no previous year has 80 much
care been exercised In packing fruit,
and the result has been that the COM
pliments to Hood Rivers methods
In this line have been many and va
ried, and the good results obtained
this year will no doubt prove a very
important factor In the sale Of next
years crop.
While the crop last year was good
one and this years was far short Of
what 1t should have been, indications
are that the crop next year will be
fully three times what the present
one is, and much larger than any pre-
vious one. A great many new or
chards will come into bearing during
the coming season, most Of the apples
from which will be Spitzenbergs and
Newtowns.
Spring will see many newcomers In
the valley to engage In the growing of
fruit, and scarcely day passes that
the Glacier does not receive from
three to six inquiries In regard to To-
cation and price of land In this local
ity that could be developed or bought
for the apple raising business. We
are constantly in receipt OF requests
for literature describing Hood River
and the surrounding country, and for
statistics In regard to the prices OF
fruit obtained here, many not believ-
ing that such prices are bona fide and
wishing to verify statements that
have been made by those who have
visited here and gone East or to other
points and told about the wonderful
fruit seen In the valley.