The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1906-08-23
BIG PRICES FOR
WINTER APPLES
GREAT CROP DOES NOT AFFECT US
Average Price This Year May BE High
er Than Last-UniOn's Sales Are
Very Satisfactory.

The superiority of the Hood River
apple over that of other fruit has been
fully demonstrated by the sales of
Hood River fruit which have taken
place here in the last few days. While
buyers who have been here t1 bid on
Hood River fruit have bought fine
quality Ben Davis apples in Missouri
which they say can be delivered in
Europe this year for 81 barrel--a
three bushel barrel at that Hood Riv-
er fruit has sold for more than that
for box fruit containing one bushel.
Buyers who have travelled the country
over from coast to coast estimate the
crop this year at Y, 900, 600 barrels as
against 20, 600, 900 last year. Larger
they say than the famous crop of 1896,
which year previous to this one broke
all records for apples. Still they have
come west for apples and have paid
for them prices tnat exceeded the Cx-
pectations of the most sanguine.
While it cannot be learned exactly
what was paid Tor the crop of apples
disposed of by the Apple Growers
Union Monday, those in position to
know say that iG will average higher
| than last year which was the highest
known In the history of apple grow
ing in Hood River. Purchases made
by buyers independent of the union
in the last few days brought the tnp
notch price of S3 per box for SpitZen-
bergs and 81 % for Newtowns and it
is said that the union has received u
higher price than this for these varie-
ties of apples. The unions fruit was
bought by the firm of n. 7. Loomis
Il Co., who were the highest bidders,
winning out over Rae & Hatfield, who
last year handled the product of the
union. The purchase of the Loomis
company will include about CD cars OF
40, 600 boxes and is the largest pur-
chase OF apples ever made by one firm
at Hood River. This does not include
the entire product of the Apple Grow
ers' Union, but when IL is known that
the entire production Of the valley
last year was only 90, 900 hoXes, 1t viii
readily be seen how much moIe fruit
will be shipped from Hood River this
year than last and how much greater
the returns will be to growers. In
fast it Is estimated at double or about
l2O, 600 boxes for all varieties.
without the increase 10 price which
growers are said to have received this
year, and taking the average price per
box for lastyear's fruit tho apple crop
of Hood River should be worth $780,,
900 more than it was then.
Any increase added to this will
make the figures run up very rapidly
and show marked increase in the
valleys revenue.
While the officers of the union will
not at present make any statement as
to the exact prices received they say
that the sale has been most satisfac-
tory one, but that for business reas-
ons they do not care to announce
them as yet, but will do so later.
The bidders will not make any
statement in regard to their bids as
some of the unsuccessful ones are still
in the market for some of the Hood
River fruit and naturally consider it
bad business policy to make known
the amount of their bids when they
are still trying to purchase from inde-
pedent growers. 1t can be stated
however, on the authority of one Of
Hood Rivers most astute apple men
that when the price is known it will
be the most conclusive evidence of
the superiority of Bood River apples
that has ever been given and settles,
he says, for all time the question as
to the future of Hood River apples.