The daily sentinel., 1907-05-16

''From whnt / can learn from
all sections of the valley and
from personal Investigations
made by myself, our inspector,
Mr.. Chandler, and others of the
association, / estimate that there
will be harvested in Mesa county
this season, or / had better say
in the valley from the Grand
Junction district east TO and in
Guiding the Palisade district
from 25 per cent to 30 per cent
of what would have been n full
crop of fruits of all kinds.
believe sincerely that this esti-
mate is very conservative. i do
not make this statement on the
spur of the moment. 1t Is not
guess but an estimate made
after careful Investigations"
This statement was made to the
Sentinel reporter this morning in an
interview with Mr.. John f. Moore
manager of the Grand Junction Fruit
Growers association, the Oldest fruit
concern in the valley and the one that
has each year for many years ship
per the great bulk of the fruit croI
of Grand Valley. No man in Mesa
county is better prepared to make an
estimate on the fruit crop than Mr.
Moore for no man in the valley 1:
more familiar with the fruit condi
tions, the fruit sections or the indi
vidual orchards of Mesa county, thar
John F. Moore.
Estimates from 300 Growers.
The first part of last week our as
sociation mailed out to each of 42J
growers who do business with us, {
postal card. asking the grower t.
make n careful and conservative es
Innate of the number of boxes h'
would need to hold his crop of ap
pies, peaches and pears this season
The fact that we asked the growers
to estimate the number of boxes
would need for their crop rather thar
an estimate the number of boxei
they expected to ship out this season
in all probability enables us to Sc
cure a better estimate of the prob
able fruit crop for n grower woulC
be very careful in estimating til,
number of empty boxes he woult
have to buy while he might get toe
optimistic in furnishing an estimat,
of the amount of fruit he expected t
ship. Now as a result of sending ou
these estimate blanks we have re
ceived up to date. about 800 an
swers, each answer representing al
orchard in the valley, taking thes,
estimates and properly apportioninl
the estimates from the growers wht
have not mailed back their posta
cards. we estimate that these grow
ers would send in for shipment 81
CAR LOADS OF PEARS AND 35(
CAR LOADS OF APPLES.
THIS WOULD MAKE A TOTAL
OF $50 CARS. THAT UNDER
THESE CONDITIONS AND CIR
CUMSTANCES OUR ASSOCIATION
WOULD SHIP OUT THIS SEASON
However" continued Mr.. Moore
practically all of these estimate
from the growers were made befor,
that last freeze of a few days ag,
came and there is no question bu
what that freeze did considerable
damage to the fruit. This freeze ma,
materially change the above es
Innate. Still l sincerely believe tina
our association alone will ship ou
of the valley this season between 40t
and 500 car loads of fruit.
Maybe 700 VIII Go Out.
Last year there were shipped from
this valley by all associations abou
1000 full cars of fruit of whicl
amount our association shipped ou
| Af~NN N"A D ht apple CIOp WIS SHOT
last season. there being only abou
60 per cent of full crop but natur
ally few people were aware of an,
shortage in the crop as 1t was so grea
as 1t was. This year had we had
full crop this valley would in all prob
ability have shipped out from $500
to 5000 cars of fruit. It's my be
lief, under present conditions tina
there will be from coo to ZOO car.
shipped out of the valley by all as
sociations this season.
Grand Valley Alone.
And / tell YOU" Mr.. Moore con
tinued, we should feel mighty Eoot
over the fact that we will have a.
much fruit as this for the Grand Val
ley will practically supply all of the
Colorado fruit that will go on the
markets of the world this season
Every other fruit section of Colorado
is practically knocked out this sea
son. Ii the Grand Valley isn't lucky
this year l don't know of any section
of the country that ever was lucky
And then again, fruit crops nearly ali
over the country will be short this
year, late freezes and hard winters
have wrealad terrific A arnag 90 4, ,aor