The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1907-07-04
STRAWBERRY SEASON
PRACTICALLY CLOSED


The straw berry season has practical
Iy closed 10 Hood River for this
wear. However, there are still daily
consignments going forward by ex-
press.
This year crop has been practically
100 per cent larger than the berry out
put of last year. The total strawberry
ciop Of 1906 was about % car loads;
while tho crop this year will amount
to about 45 cars.
The prices that have prevailed this
season have not been as large as those
received last year. This is due main
ly to the fact that tbs places In Ore
gon, Washington and Montana that
have been our most open market in
formsr years are now being supplied
by local growers in the respective vi
entities.
The state of Washington, that was
at one time one of the heaviest consul
mers, has shipped hundreds of car
loads of berries into the eastern mar
ket this year, and the Bitter Root
country 10 Montana has also had a
neaVy ylelu llls seh5Ou.
1t is evident that as the various SEQ
tions of the northwest are being
brought under irrigation systems,
that the several localities will produce
larger crops of small fruits. But ii
still remains that the Hood River
strawberry is still without peer as
shipper. Our berries have been ship
ped to the Atlantic coast, and they
have arrived in good condition. There
has never been time when we have
had letter shipping facilities than we
have had this season. The splendid
ice service of the Davidson Fruit COM
pany, added to the excellent car ser.
vice of the Northern Pacific railroad,
has given the Hood River berry
splendid opportunity this year.
1t is interesting to review the pro-
gress made in the transportation OF
green fruit from Hood River to the
great mai kets of the eastern side of the
western continent. Not 80 very many
years ago 1t seemed an impossibility
to export the small and easily perish
able fruit from Oregon, owing to the
long haul causing the fruit to become
decayed and unfit for sale in the.great
centers of the east and middle west.
Now IL is common occurrence to
hear of our Strawberries for sale In the
fruit stalls of New York City and Chi
cago.
And the modern equipments In. rail
roading are responsible for this.
Nowadays farm produce of this nature
ia transported in the most scientific
and expenseiv refrigerator cars that
inventive genius Is capable of manu-
featuring, and ii arrives at its destin'
alton In nearly as excellent condition
as when first prepared TOR 1t long
journey
Straw berries from Hood River this
season went to eastern consumers In
what might be termed palace refriger-
ator cars, every endeavcr having been
made on the part of he railroads to
favor the shippers. These cars are
equipped with every facility to pre-
vent their contents from being dam
ged in the least and none OF the ele-
CANT pullmans which pass through
Hood River ride so easy as they.
They are made especially for the Pa
oific coast traffic aud have fully prov
cd their worth. They went through
on fast express time and the fruit
which they transported was sold for
top prices. Such Is the progress made
for carrying the small and perishable
fruit OF this part of the American
continent.
The future of the straw berry indus
try in Hood River valley has been the
subject of interesting discussion
among growers and shippers. 1t is
our opinion that the acreage will new.
or be materially increased over that
OF this year. Our prophesy Is based
upon the fact that the young orchards
are crowding out the berry fields. II
Is practically impossible to grow ber-
ries in the orchard after the trees be-
come five years of age, and 1t would
not justify IA grower to plant the ber-
ries for less term Of years, 1t Is
true, however, that much new land is
being cleared annually, but 1t seems
that the acreage that is annually be-
ing cleared and set to Strawberries, is
not in excess OF that which Ia being
abandoned each year.
We are of the conviction that the
time will come in Hood River when 1t
will be impossible to ship IN car load
lots, and we hail the time when the
strawberry crates can be exchanged
for apple boxes. When this day comes
Hood River will be the wealthiest ru-
raj district on the habitable globe.