The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1906-07-26

fingers fly, and yet the berries are
handled 80 lightly that they are not
bruised at oil. The boxes ale filed
evenly and eompaetly to within about
half an inch of the top, and then ber.
ries of uniform size are selected and
set In regular rows across the top of
the hallock They are what are
known as four-tier berries and five
tier berries. These are berries
which will tit either four or Ave to a
tier in hallock measuring four and
three eighths inches. In the Hood
River valley they get about one crate
of the fvs-tier to twenty of the four
tier. One need only try TO even up Q
hallock of berries so that the top tier
will rest even and firm at uniform
good packer. But the packers do it,
selecting the right berry for the
right place with ut apparently trying
to, all the time ksA ping up q running
fire of conversation and badinage.
The filed crates are then turned
over to the nailers, who fasten the
tops on, and the Hood River berry is
then ready to begin its journey of
perhaps thousands of miles The
nailers get three-quarters of u cent n
box Ii costs 36 cents for the picking
of crate of "a halloGks, II cents to
pack 1t, and crate and hallocks costs
10 cents, so that the cost of harvest
ing tho berry is about G3 cents. This
does not take in to account the fore
mau of the field, the forewoman of
ha shanLin hA.aan Iha tiRaA EannnY
the men who tend tho iFl igating
bitches and the teamster who does the
hauling, TO say nothing of the cost ol
cultivation during the year, so it is
small wonder we are asked to pay two
bits fol- two boxes.
The strawberry season for the grow
ers really begins in March, for then,
when the berries are just beginning to
bloom, force Of hands are put to
work making halluoks and crates for
the coming harvest, and they are kept
hard at it until the picking season
opens, and when the yield is psrticu-
larly clear through the entire picking.
The picking season at Hood River
lasts about two montsh, the Hrst ones
that ripen low In the valley bringing
the highest price. There is now under
cultivation In this district over 900
acres of Strawberries. Some of the
most progressive fruitgrowers are
beginning to plant their bsrI les in the
young peach aud apple oroards, that
have not yet como into bearing. 1t is
objected by some that, in order to
properly cultivate the straw berry, it is
necessary to ovorcultivate the fruit
trees. But the experience of those
who have tried it has been that by
only oultivAting the berry sufficiently
to properly cultivate the trees enough
has been realized from the first crop
to entirely pay for the seven years of
cultivation of tho trees, so that ensu-
ing crops are all profit. AS we rode
through the country many comfort.
able homes we're pointed out to us
that had been made with the straw
berry. Men had come there with
their families and practically nothing
else, had secured little land by
mortgagng, made little clearing,
built temporary home, planted ber-
ries, and before it was time to edua-
cate their children had their place all
paid for and comfortable, even fIe
quently pretentious dwelling. From
10 to 20 acres properly cultivated will
bring very generous income. lrri-
cation and the prevalence OF CLEARED
land is causing the price to constantly
advance. There arc now two irriga-
tion companies in the valley, and in
some distl lets irrigation is so sys-
tematized that each farmer Is assessed
water, the same rs he is school taxes.
This naturally compels him to use
his water to good purpose in order to
meet his taxes, and insures no poor
or shiftless farming in the district,
| so that the standard of excellence of
the fruit crop is certain to be main
tainep,
We we're sorry to leave the lovely
valley, the picking, the outdoor, care
| free life, and the pleasant company.
The night before we left there was
music in the camp, violin, singing
and an accordion. And there was to
be dance the next night in town.
The announcement was tackled up
all around camp. 1t was evidently to
! be a swell affair, for it was 81. % for
gentlemen, which included supper
lhe ladies we're admitted free. II was
the leading topic of conversation, ana
the first question you were asked was
Are you going to the dancer" We
could not go this year, but If there is
one next season we are going to try
! to 90,