The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1905-01-19
HOOD RIVER AND
HER fine FRUITS

AAooA isiFVi 10 iCpiCsSibCuh az tuO ulCSt-
ing OF the Northwest Fruitgrowers as
ISOLATION at Boise this week by E. L.
Smith, president of the association,
A. |. Mason, G. r. Castner, E. III.
Shepard, and A. P Bateham of Mos.
Ter. The Hood River delegation left
here Saturday night.
This meeting gives promise to be
one OF the most successful the as
sociatiou has held. Among the
noted visitors will be Hon. Silas
Wilson of Iowa. Mr.. Wilson has
been for many years, not only prom
inent in his own state in matters per-
tanning to horticulture, both as pres
ident of the Iowa State society, and in
other capacities, but has national
reputation as a horticulturist and pomo.
loglst.
Another distinguished expert, who
will be present, is Professor W. ID.
Carlisle of Spokane, superintendent OF
the Evergreen State Fruit Csmpany.
Professor Carlisle was formerly editor
OF the Packer Of Chicago.
Mr.. Smith responded to the address
of welcome by Governor Gooding Of
Idaho. A. /. Mason delivered an ad-
dress on "Hood Rivers Reputation for
Fine Fruits, and How it wes Acquir-
ed" Mr.. Mason spoke in part as fol-
lows:
Our worthy secretary G. J, Sinsel,
in selecting my subject and reqesting
me to write upon it, has placed me
in a very embarrassing position. To
tell you of the entire reputation of
Hood River fruits would cause me to
be looked upon as bombastic writer.
1t would have been better for some
non resident to have told of our repu-
tation and then let me have told how
it was acquired. | shall throw off my
timidity and endeavor to fulfill Bro.
Sinsel's request to the best of my
ability. And | sincerely desire to ex-
press no exaggerated statements, nor
convey any thoughts of praise, other
than those to which we are entitled.
In speaking of the reputation of
our fruits | desire TO withdraw any
claim for great honors on any vari-
cites such as grapes peaches, prunes,
plums, etc, and while we have won
many prizes and gold medals on near
ly all of these and many other vari-
cites of fruit adapted to our climatic
conditions, yet | only desire at this
time to call your attention to the re-
putation of our exceptionally high
grade of berries and apples. In
speaking of Hood River fruits, both at
home and abroad, it generally means
its berries and apples. In fact our
valley has won it's fame with its fine
luscious strawberries and big red ap-
pies. | do not desire to be egotistic
or to arouse any enmity from other
fruit districts, yet | do not believe
that our success with, and reputation
for growing these two classes of
fruits is unsurpassed and worthy of
careful consideration.
For several past seasons our straw
berries have been shipped successful
ly to Skagway Alaska, and Dawson,
Canada.
A trial order for 100 crates was re-
ceiyed last season from New York
state, and so successful was the first
shipment that renewed orders were
received until total of two carloads
was shipped to that state alone. Three
carloads of our strawberres last sea-
son found their way into the markets
of Pittsfield, Mass, Our berrie S
have been shipped successfully in
open express cars as far south as Palo
Alto. Cal, and Reno, New, the lat
ter place receiving daily shipments
during our last season. A few years
ago. a crate of our berries was served
at a banquet in Hong Kong, China.
They were shipped in an iced box and
arrived there in good condition.
Fellow fruit growers, only you who
know the tenderness of a strawberry
can realize what it means to ship ber-
ries from Hood RIVER, Or, to Daw
son, Canada, Reno, New, Pittfeld,
Mass, and Hong Kong, China.
We asked for honors on our berries
at the worlds fair at st. Louis. Our
distance prevented us from being an
equal competitor. But the greatest
honors that can be bestowed upon
any fruit is the price paid for it by
a satisfied public. Our berries in
every market where they meet berries
from other districts in competition,
retail from % to 100 per cent per box
higher than any other berries. Par
don me for a personal mention to
illustrate this fact. While passing
through Denver three years ago,
stepped into one of the best retail
grocery stores, and while there | no
ticed some Strawberries marked IL
and 1919 cents per box. | asked the
proprietor, who was stanger to me,
what caused the differnce in price.
He replied: cone is from Missouri, the
other fromArkansas " | asked him il
these we're the best berries they re-
ceived in that market. He replied
"No, we get our pest perries from
Hood River. Or. There will be car
in tomorrow. We will have some
of them, but they will retail for Il
cents per box. " This was during our
seasons heaviest shipment. asked
him why the Hood River berries
we're the best. STOPPING down and
picking up a berry and cutting ii
open, he replied, "Do you see that
core? 1t is softening now. The Hood
River berry does not do that and be
sides it has a brighter color and q
tougher skin that it is not suscepti-
BILE to decay.
| thanked him for his information,
told him | was from Hood River. A
good laugh and an introduction fol
lowed with more questions asked OF
me than | had asked Of him. Our
reputation from the strawberry grow
res credit side ofthe ledger, conserva-
lively speaking, shows the net annual
gains to be from 500 to $500 per acre,
and often times much more.
Let us now look toward our apple
record. The reputation of, and mar
kets for Hood River apples, belts the
glope. While we concede that many
districts can grow some very good ap-
pies, vet it remains for Hood River
valley to grow still better, or at least
other people have told us so until
we are led to believe it.
One of the best retail dealears In
New York city wrote me year age
~ ,,1fa FAr