The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1907-04-25
STRAWBERRY
CROP HEAVY
GOOD PRICES ARE ANTICIPATED
Weather Conditions In the East Favor.
able to Marketing Home Crops.
Growers Encouraged.

; The outlook for heavy strawberry
crop has never been more flattering
than ut the present time. The acreage
} has had no PerceptiGie increse, but
the conditions OF the weather have
been conduct t TO a heavy yield. The
plants aGe IN prime condition and
with few weeks OF favorable weat her
the groVef ay ressI uhly expect an
abundHht harvest.
The Hood River strawberry crop
cannot control the berry market, eth.
er locally or in eastern marts because
our crop is not a bulky one, but rath.
er fancy one. As growers of fancy
fruit We can only hope to cater to q
more exacting market. When our
berries are placed on the market it ia
not to fix plice, for this is accom-
plished by the inferior fruits that are
thrown upon the market simuitane-
ously with ours. We can only hone
to receive about one dollar per crate
in advance of the common stock, and
1t the common stock is heavy, our
margins must suffer a corresponding
decrease.
1t is expected that our berries will
command high price this year
However, there are many conditions
that factor in berry values. We no
longer possess the open local market
of former years The fruit growers ad-
jacent to the sound cities have gone
into the srawberry business of late
years, and with various varieties they
are supplying Seattle, Tacoma and
other local markets formerly supplied
with Hood River fruit. The same
conditions exist in Spokane. A few
years ago we could express thousands
OF crates to this market, but it is now
being supplied by local growers.
These conditions have made it neces-
sary for us to find a market more re
mote, but when we ship to more dis
tant points the hazard is increased
and our loss will figure from 10 to %
per cent higher, and if we should be
so unfortunate as to be in the market
when the bulk of the Missouri crop is
enroute, the result must inevitably be
disastrous to us, and low margins will |
prevail.
The present reports from Missouri
and Arkansas indicate that we will
practically have clear market. The
crops in these states are much earlier
than usual, and ours is correspond. |
ingly late.
1t is estimated that our output will
not exceed rs, 600 crates this year. 1t
may be interesting to note that the
berry district is being crowded back
toward the foot hills more and more
each year. The orchards are becom-
ing mora mature In the lower sections |
of the valley, and as the present ber.
ry acreage attains its fifth year, it is
not feing reset
In speaking of the recent outlook |
for the apple and berry crop a Hood
River and other sections for this year
MIR. Shepard stated:
"While the season will probably be
a late one here, owing to the back
ward spring, indica' ions are that the
crop will be a good one and will be
safe from possible lrosts. A light |
crop in Missouri means better mar
ket for apples of the cheaper varieties
In the Northwest and better prices.
Not only has the Missouri straw berry
crop been badly injured by he recent |
cold snap, but in Texas, the largest |
producer of berries, as we'll. Fruit |
crops In Michigan, New York and |
other far eastern states have also been |
injured. AS this is the off year for
apples 1t was not expected that there |
would be any such crop as was gath |
cred last year. 1t can easily be seen,
therefore, that a reduction In the |
crop elsewhere means great deal for
Western apples.
"Information | have received from
the various apple growers throughout
the Pacific Northwest is to the effect
that no damage has been done ty
frost and that the prospects TOR a
year for all kinds of fruit
were never better. Each year fruit
growing in Oregon and nearby states
is taking on wider significance.
More acreage is being planted, more
land cleared, and orchards on the
coast this year received cleaning up
and spraying euch as was never before
known. Associations are springing
up everywhere to stimulate interest
among growers and canneries are be-
ing built to take care of the surplus
and fruits too ripe for shipment. Sec
tions that previously did not think
they could raise products successfully
are also going into the business |
look for a most prosperous season
this year and see no reason why 1t
should not continue in the future.
!. II. Amos Discusses Cannery.
III