The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1906-02-08
HOOD RIVERS
FAME SPREADS
"OUTING" LAVISH IN IT'S PRAISE
Says Fruit GrOWer is Preeminent, But
That Social Equality and Indus.
try Travel Hand in Hand.

The fame of Hood River Valley 1
an apple growing section Of countr
that has no peer Is gradually becon
ing known the world over. In th
February number of "Outing" appear
an article descriptive of the varie
resources Of Oregon, a portion {
J which is devoted to the Hood Rive
, country. The article is as follows:
H. Farther down the valley the reQu
lar rows of trees and plants sho,
where the valley has been plowed un
der BY the fruitgrower and gardner
II we were to 60 into statistics, |
would be easy to prove how much tn
people OF the valley yearly contribut,
to the wealth of the Northwest. Ever,
crack In the river wall on the Oregor
side contains Its highway leadin.
back among the farms.
Through one Of these cracks flow
Hood river. The name tells that IL,
source is the snow fields of Mount
Hood. 1t is not large river, Per
haps its many twists and turns would
measure thirty odd miles. The gorge
where 1t meets the Oregon IL SO wild.
iy picturesque that the few houses
near 1t do not distract from the seen.
cry. Only few years ago the trail
OF the bear was followed by the hunts.
man along its banks. The salmon.
trout still In its waters leaps to the
spoon. As yet, the only sound of
indstry near to 1t is the sound of
the axe, for In the forest at Its head
waters the lumberman will be busy for
years before his harvest is over. Out
side Of the forest line ID rolling
plateau. They call It the Hood River
valley. Few maps have even the riy.
or indicated on them, and to the
school boy-outside of Oregon-it is
doubtful II the valley exists.
1t is refreshing to get back in here
awaysfrom the world for little time.
Tor you are next to nature. On eyery
side are the orchard and garden. On
every aide is heard nature talk. Az.
ter time Newtown pippins and
Spitzen burgs and Jonathans and Ben
Davises become as familiar names as
John, Tom and Henry. 1t is the land
OF the apple, likewise the land of the
berry: Twenty years ago the tree and
bush we're raritias. Then some one
found out that the sun shining thro'
the clear atmosphere gave the rare
crimson tint to the fruit that ia 40
highly priced. With whitecapped
Mount Adams overlooking one end
and Mount Hood the other. the
cool breezes with which they swept
tho valley made the apple hardy so
that It would keep well. The fine
sand, which the Pacific folk believe
to be powdered ashes from volcanic
eruptions ages ago, gave the rich flaw
or.
! Here was the opportunity, and the
few people In the valley took it. Mile
after mile they covered with trees The
waters OF the river were turned on the
soil to moisten the roots. The or
chards we're cared for like children.
As they began to bear, the fruit was
''thinned out" to make that remain.
ing larger. When It was ready for
gathering, each apple was picked sep
arsteIy from the others, wrapped In
paper and packed in box as IL it
were q piece Of fragile china. The
motto OF the fruit growers was quail
", not quantity, and to obtain the
best they brought to their aid the lat
BET discoveries of the scientist, Some
Of them pursued special courses In
the agricultural college. II one man
adopted method which gave more
tint or taste or made his trees more
prolific, his neighbors we're quick to
lake the cue. They found it paid to |
raise Strawberries, and again We'd with |
sach other to show the largest and |
sweetest. Such has been the spirit |
hat has caused the orchards of this
little valley to become known abroad
perhaps better than in their own
country. But as they have prospered
'hese Oregonians have made life more
worth the living. Enter the home,
mall OF large, and In nine cases out
II ten you see the piano, the center
able with its books and periodicals.
)n the walls hang pictures selected
With taste. All about are the sur
oundings of family accustomed to
he refinement of life. Nor are the
majority farmers In the ordinary
ense OF the word. In the twenty
ears which have changed this bit Of
ountry from stretch of bare hill
ide and plateau into a region fit for
living, into it have come the phys
clan, the lawyer, the clergyman, the
to take up their profess
ions, but to make nature yield them
Iealth as we'll as an income through
hrub and tree.
There's the cooperative idea in the
alley. You can see 1t when the d.
ectors Of the Fruit Growers Union
old their weekly meeting in the little
he'd which forms their headquarters.
iere. Chris and Hank and Ned and
i'm sit on apple boxes or the manag-
T g desk or lean against the window
Ill, while they discuss the business
be manager presents to them. They
re merely the half dozen growers who
ave been selectd to settle the ques-
lon Of prices for the community and
here to ship the harvest. They suR.
est to the manager what they think
J best, then hurry away to finish up
acking or spraying or whatever else |
here is on hand, leaving him to do
be rest. Sometimes there's ques.
ION about the best kind of fruit to I
snd to certain place. Will 1t stand
climate, will 1t keep long enoughY
Let's leave 1t to Old Man Tucker, +"
ays Hank.
In comes the old man. Coatless,
is blue shirt unbuttoned at the
lroat, his features literally gnarled /
y the sixty years he has been making i
he world give him living, be does ,
OF look exactly like a man who can :
u the nice points Of an apple as the J
Almist tells the lines of your hands,
ut his word is the final judgement,
Ir be has never erred yet. Ask who :
. is and you hear, "Why, he's the .
ne whose Newtown pippins are so
bod that they go to Europe" And
eside him the college graduate, even
he mayor, has to take a back seat. 9
ERE In the valley he is one of the big