The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1906-02-08
OUR APPLES
FINEST EVER

We are indebted to our townsman
W. L. Laraway, for copy of th'
Glenwood, ia. J, Opinion which con
tains letter from the pen of O. III.
Towslee, a former Iowan, but now oi
Portland. The letter bears the cap
tion "Scenes on the Pacific Coast, >
and is well written. From it we print
a part which will no doubt interest
the rea iers of the Glacier, which Is al
follows:
~ visited the state horticultural ex-
hibit first of the week and | must con-
fess, while | have nothing against
Queen Mills or Iowa, they simply are
not In 1t when it comes to fine apples
have never seen such apples any
where. Mammouth in size, high col
or, absolutely sound, perfect and
equal in flavor to any Iowa fruit.
The principal varieties we're Spitzen-
burgs, Northern Spies, Newtown pip
pins, Baldwins, Greenings, Bell Flow
ers, Winesaps, Jonathans and several
other varieties cannot recall now.
Hood River made most of the display
but have seen just as nice fruit from
Southern Oregon.
Another industry being developed
here Is the raising of English walnuts
and they have California beaten for
quality and soundness. Their Italian
prunes of which they raise large guam
titles are also very fine.
Today | attended the state poultry
exhibit. That was on par with the
big red apples from Hood River.
Three we're nearly 1000 specimens and
all very fine. The different breeds |
will not try to enumerate as in fruit.
There was one variety however that
my attention was called to as we'll
adapted to the coast country and that
was the Rhode Island Reds of which |
had never heard and perhaps some of
your chicken fanciers would be inter
ested in. They also had about 100
specimens of pigeons from different
places on the coast which attracted "A
great deal of attention. The dairying
interests are very heavy and they have
as fine cattle as they do apples and
chickens.
The state is going to develop very
rapidly in the next few years as there
is an immense amount Of railway
building planned for this year in fact
between the Cascades and the coast
In the Willamette valley where it
hardly ever freezes they are building
railways all year.
Building goes on here in the city
all winter and there are great many
business blocks going up and old ones
being remodeled. Mechanics, espe-
cially masons and carpenters are al
ways busy.
One of the grandest views is had
from Portland aud Willamette Heights
ON the western side of the city. They
give IA fine view of the rivers and also
Mts. Hood and Helen 80 miles away,
and Rainier and Adams, 100 miles
distant. They are all snow capped
peaks and show up grand ON clear
day.
There is an immense amount of east
ern capital coming in and being in
vested in railways, electric plants,
trolley lines, saw mills and u great
many different manufacturing enter
prises. Power for manufacturing is
plenty and cheap here as il is mostly
electricity aud that is all genei ated by
water power instead Of coal and steam
Very little of the products of the
state seek the eastern markets; some
lumber, garden fruits and wood going
east but the most of 1t goes across the
ocean. All the best Hood River APP
pies go to New York and from there
lots OF them are sent to Europe. The
growers at Hood River received ON
track there 81 70 to $500 per box of
90 lbs. Tor Spitzenburgs by the car
load and from 81 to 81. 90 per box for
Newtown pippins, which goes to show
that it pays to raise apples. They
take good care Of their orchards here,
pruning and spraying them aud fight
ing tho insects.
The southern part Of the state raises
very ilne pears, peaches and grapes in
fact wherever in the state fruit grow
ing has been tried it has been very
successful where properly handled.
One county In the south part of tho
state shipped over $4,000 worth of
turkeys alone for Thanksgiving and
Christmas trade, the birds averaging
s. 60 a head alive delivered at the
railway stations. This is a very pro
fitabie industry as the markets are al
ways good here for poultry and eggs.
Poultry, eggs and butter are the only
items of living that are higher than
in Iowa. Butter now is selling at %
TO 81 4 cents per pound; fresh ranch
eggs 30 cents per Dozen.
Meats of all kinds are as cheap as