The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1906-06-07
STRAWBERRIES
FALL SHORT
LARGEST SHIPMENT ITHlS WEEK
Picking in the Lower Valley Is well
Over and Largest Patches
Done.

This week will see the wind-up of
the heavy berry shipments, many
Of the patches close to town being
about through, and the berry pickers
are moving farther out.
The crop has been cut shorter this
year than even the estimates at the
beginning Of the season. The returns
from the lower valley will not exceed
30 per cent of last year, the crop be-
ing exceedingly light in many places.
There is great difference in the
yield of the different patches. In
some cases the plants did not set over
10 per cent of a crop, while In Others
nearly or quite full setting of ber
ries occurred. The cause is plainly
attributed to the freeze In March,
following the warm spell early in the
month, s.as many of the vines had be-
gun to grow, and on these the injury
by the freezel was the worst. There
was some cultivation done late in the
winter, and this hastened the early
growth of the plants, when they we're
caught by the freeze.
The foot-hill berries. and those in
the higher attitudes, suffered the least.
In fact, they we're injured very little.
There are some instances where the
berries have not set very full, but as
rule the late berries will be full
crop.
willow Flat, West Crapper and Mt.
Hood will have full crop, rs rule,
Picking has commenced in Willow
Flat and Crapper, and will start in Mt.
Hood the first of the week. In Willow
Flat the Davidson Fruit Co have
about 40 acres, and will have a full
crop. At Mt. Hood ID. Il. Miller has
| IA acres, which are looking fine, and
promise big returns.
All the eastern markets are wanting
berries. The washout ou the main
| line east of Umatilla have shut out
that part of the country for week
past, and continued rains have kept
them tied up. The only eastern out
let since the washouts have been Spok.
ane and points east on the Great
Northern and Northern Pacific, and
these points have been shut out at in
teryals. Notwithstanding that half Of
the eastern market has been shut out,
prices have held up strong, with an
active market. Berries have been
billed out at not less than 81. rs, with
the prospect of holding at this figure,
or going higher as the supply decreas-
es. Spokane was bare of berries the
first of the week, aud was frantically
wiring for them. All eastern maj kets
are short, and should be able to take
all that are offered at good figures.
0vefripes and poor berries have
been billed out at around 81, but good
Alter shipping berries are holding uI
| to 81. rs. Buyers on the street have
been paying cash for berries as low
as 81. 40. but all of the berries COLI
signed through the Unions or David
son Fruit Co., have held up IN price.
Manager Ross, of the White Salmon
Union says that only little over 3,
600 crates have been shipped from
there this year. The patches on the
river bottom are about done, but the
berries on the upper bench are still
coming in, and he looks for total
Of 5000 crates from the other side OF
the river. This will be only half a
crop.
The shipments from the Oregon side
are about half through. There will
be no big days, Mondays receipts OF
four cars being the highest looked for
this season, while last year as many
as thirteen cars came in one day. The
total shipments this year amount to
only about %, 900 crates so far, and II
is considered that there will he about
as many more before the season closes.
There will be receipts Of berries for
three weeks yet Some very fine fruit
will be received from the upper valley.