The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1906-10-30
HOOD RIVER BOUGHT THEM.
Willamette Valley Apples-The Price
Paid-Oregon Goat Land Worth
$100 per Acre.

There is land in the Willamette
valley serving now as goat and
sheep pasture that ought to be SELL
ing for $500 an acre. 1t is worth
THAI figure and more when applied
to the right purpose. Ultimately,
it will be selling at such prices
and be in demand. Hood River
land used to sell for SIS or $40 an
acre. Comparatively speaking
that was only few years ago. Now
it can hardly be bought at any fig
ure. Five hundred an acre is what
some owners ask for it. A couple
of hundred an acre is not consid-
cred a stiff figure. The jump in
its value is, as all know, because
it was turned to apple growing and
intelligently directed effort has
demonstrated that the apple busi
pess is profitable. Apple growers
in that community are getting rich.
The apples in a Willamette val
ley orchard sold the other day at
$1.25 bushel in the orchard. All
the grower had to do was to pick
and sort them. He didn't pack
them. He didn't furnish the box
es. He didn't do anything but
grow, pick and sort the fruit. He
sold 10, 900 boxes at that price.
The apples were mainly Spitzen-
bergs. They were bought by a
Hood River dealer. They are to
be shipped to Hood River where
they will be packed according to the
Hood River way of doing such
things. which is the correct way
Then they will probably be ship
ped East or to London and sold
under the Hood River name and
bring a big profit to the Hood Riv'
er packer
The foregoing incident is explan-
alton Of why there is Willamette
valley land going to goats that
ought to be bringing 500 an acre
and more. Much of the goat past
ure is particularly favorable to the
growth of apples. The slopes oi
of the foothills of the Cascade and
Coast ranges is the perfect apple
region. A deep soil. we'll drained
by nature. is the correct site With
Hood River apples going at S. {
box and bought the world over
and with Hood River packers buy
ing Willamette apples at S1.25 ane
shipping them under Hood River
brands for the sake of the prof
to be made, the true story of the
opportunity for orchards and or
charding in Willamette is told
When it is undertaken on correc
principles and directed by intelli
gent effort the goat land will be
come orchard land. When that
happens the Willamette valley will
be fringed with foot hill orchard:
and well-to-do orchardists and the
picture will be one of prosperity
and contentment.
:, That Willametteland will produce
asgood apples as Hood Riveris GER
tain. That is the opinion of al
apple expert who knows. Hoot
River men buying and shipping
Willamette apples proves it. Tha
established, the question becomes
one of finding men ready to engage
in the industry. The sver-populat
ed East is full of such. They ar
longing tor just such an opportun
ity as the Willamette foothills offer
They would be eager settlers ant
I eager buyers of the goat land /
they were informed as to the rea
! facts. And doubtless many Viii
lamette landowner, were he con
] vinced of the real truth, as here Sc
forth would be quick to conver
his brush land into a thrifty, wei
4 kept and profitable apple orchard
The kind of land required for tn
purpo:e must have three essentials
That is what an apple expert says
He has studied the business ant
watched its progress in Oregon fo
10 years. He says:
"Three things are essential in 10
eating an orchard. 1st, good soil
2nd, good water drainage; 3rd
good air drainage.
i AS to soil, almost any good whea
Land is good apple land. Not tha
apples would do we'll on whea
land but only the best and some
what elevated and rolling. Prob
ably the best orchards in the vale,
are to be found on the rolling land
of Yamhill and other counties. Th
future will most likely show tha
the best orchard sites will be on the
slopes of the foothills of the Cas-
! cades and Coast ranges, provide
| that in selecting the locations there
is care to determine that the sol
is rot underlaid with rock, grav
+ e1 or har6non aS q 6aDfh nf 1ec