Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-10-19

picking and packing that is done by
the Hood River orchardists. 1t
would be most profitable trip to
the Rogue River growers if they
would visit the Hood River orchards
and note the methods employed BY
those progressive orchardists.
The leading factor in the prosperity
of the Hood River fruit rsisers is the
Hood River Apple Growers Union.
This union was organized four years
ago and the first year the members
got So cents per box for their apples.
The Union each year since has se-
cured increasing prices until this
year when the entire apple crop was
sold to a New York firm at from
81. 25 to 90. 10 box I. o. b. Hood
River. And this extraordinary price
WAS secured in competition with one
of the biggest apple crops ever known
in the United States. The high
quality of the apples and the honest,
perfect packing has much to do in
getting these record breaking prices
but advertising is big factor and is
literally used by those hustling
people. Sample boxes of apples are
sent each year to all the big buyers
of America and Europe and apples are
given away by the box and by the
car load as was done at the st. Louis,
Portland and other worlds fairs.
Apples were everywhere in evidence
at Hood River during their fair.
Store windows were full of them and
offices were festooned with them and
the visitors were given all the apples
they could eat The Hood River
badge at the fair was both unique
and handsome for 1t represented big
red apple The badge was of leather
and on the center was pasted perfect
repi esentation of Spitzenberg apple
while about the border were the
words: A Hood River Apple. The
Best In the World" the letters
being burned into the leather.
The Union owns warehouse that
is 46x100 feet Of two stories, it being
on a hillside so both floors are accessi-
ble to teams in delivering apples. The
building is Of wood with double walls,
doors and windows to keep the rooms
cool In Summer and warm in Winter.
The lower floor is of concrete. On
the second floor is suite of two well
furnished office rooms and the entire
warehouse is perfect in its equipment.
The apple packing is all done at
the orchards. All the packing is done
by packers in the employ of the Union
and foreman is in charge of each
crew and does all the grading for the
packers. The grower attends to the
wiping of the apples and the mailing
of the boxes. Two sizes of boxes are
used, the special one for the large ap-
Piles of the three,tier pack. Only
blank boxes are used and at the or
chard the foreman puts on with a
stencil the growers name and number.
his own number aud the name of the
apple and the number the box con.
tains, At the warehouse when the
apples are to be loaded on the car the
handsome Autographed Union label
is pasted ON the other end of the box.
This same rule is carried out with
and so large is the ship.
ments Of the Union that during the
rush season the O. X. n n. railroad
has a switch engine placed at the ser.
vice Of the Union SO that cars may be
moved on the siding as they are loaded
at the warehouse. The entire man
agement OF the packing crews aud
the force at the warehouse and the
selling and shipping of the fruit is
done by Il. II. Shepard who with his
capable assistant, f. \. Franz and u
stenographer have Their time fully
occupied and the unions office is as
busy place as is found in Hood
River, That Mr.. Shepard is most
capable, energetic manager is proven
by the fact that the business of the
Union has steadily increased since he
assumed charge aud he has been able
to command for Hood River apples
higher price than is had by any other
Union IN the United States.
Manager Shepard aud the Unions
bookeercr Mr., Franz, gave Mr.. Me.
serve The fullest information as to all
the details connected with the pack.