East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-04-25

ployed in Berry Harvest-First
Berries VIII Ripen May 10.
Frcewater,. April 25.-Thirty thous-
are now in full bloom in the Milton
and Freewater fruit district 1t is
estimated that the first berries will |
ripen this year by May 10, a week |
earlier than usual, and by May Is the |
entire district will be in the height |
of the berry harvest, which will end |
by June 90.
n. w. Mumford, the genial man
ager of the Walla Walla Produce |
company, estimates that there are
now 100 acres in strawberries in the
Freewater district and that the
acreage is increasing at the rate of
25 per cent annually.
The Hood River strawberry, which
is now the leading variety grown in
this district, yields an average of $50
crates per acre, and sells at an aver
age of $3.50 per crate. other varie-
ties yield more berries, but they sell
for but half the price paid for the
Hood River bel y.
The average yield from strawber-
ry land in the district is $500 per
acre per year and the strawberry
tracts average from one to five acres
in area. This land is worth from
500 to $3.50 per acre in the raw
state. while under cultivation it is
sold readily at\from $3.50 to $500 per
acre, according to improvements and
other conditions.
The fruit commission companies of
Milton and Freewater have long
made a practice of paying a fancy
price for the first crate of ripe ber-
ries brought in each year, and this
season 81 awaits the man who will
bring the first crate of rlpened ber-
ries to town.
During the berry harvest here more
than 1000 people are employed in
picking berries. Large numbers of
, people come from distant parts of the
country and camp here during the
entire berry harvest.
The price paid for picking is 25
cents per crate and from four to
eight crates per day can be picked by
an average picker Help is now being
: employed for the picking season and
from the present prospect it will be
scarce.
Milton and Freewater berries are
, marketed in every town in the North
, west very few long distance ship
ments in carload lots being made
: however.
Three large fruit commission firm
handle the output here: the Walli
Walla Produce company, the Shield
Fruit company, and the Fruitgrowers
a Union; and the call for berries is 81
e brisk that often the entire capacity o
the three companies is taxed to sup
g ply the market.
e One thing that is needed here NOR
l. than any other public improvement
now, is an outlet to the w. & C. Il
d or Northern Pacific lines. by whic
le fruit could be sent direct to the Scum
a. and other Washington points with
out transfer at Walla Walla.
An electric line is now projecte
from Freewater to Wallula, to Civ
. this district such an outlet and ther
is strong belief here that it will b
built.
> The box and crate making indus
Ie try, is one of the chief branches {
II the fruit business. 1t is estimate
u that 100000 of the small berr
boxes and 10000 crates will be use
J. this season in the berry harvest.
III One man can make 5000 of tn
at small boxes per day and the crate
ir including the "a small boxes wit
each now sell for 20 cents per crat
F. In addition to the yield of berri'
h. each year there is another incon
h. from strawberry land, in the sale
DO young plants. The strawberry plan
in order to be made most productiv
er must be reset every third year, an
w last fall Mr.. Mumford realized $1l
,e per acre from the sale of your
r. plants for resetting. Others enjc
a the same income and thus the prof
in well kept strawberry land is NJ
10 confined to the berry crops alone.
~ This entire district is now OF
,h h snowy stretch of bloom. Appl
I,I peach, pear, cherry and plum orcl
na ards are in full bloom. The air
"a fragrant with the delicate minglir
IL, perfumes and the roads ana rent
corners are flecked with the fallir
petals everywhere.
IL There is no more beautiful spot
~ Oregon than Milton. Water HI
w transformed it. The silvery thread
IN the irrigating ditch is the vital spal
" that has made the once forbiddil
~ gravel tracts, now dreams of beau
"a and splendor
- Morally the town is model. F
1S years no saloon has opened
doors to the public in Milton. Schoc
have flourished. Business has null
piled. Good people have center
here to make their homes; the ci
owns an electric light plant, Z
streets and homes are attractive al
we'll kept and there is little for t
lone policeman to do.