The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1908-11-15

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have a superior apple, or is it due
more to the method of packing or
marketing? If the latter, why do not
other localities pursue the same
methodist"
I do not know that | can properly
answer these questions; I am conf
dent that cannot give answers that
will be satisfactory to all parties,
Hood River included. 1t is not true
that Hood River growers always get
better prices than all other localities,
/ had a few Spitzenburg apples sell
in Seattle this fall for 1925, at whole,
sale. | doubt if Hood River has done
any better. A. M. Cleland, General
Passenger Agent for the Northern Pa
cific Railroad, told me at the Lewis
and Clarke Fair at Portland in 1905,
that he saw apples selling in New
York at Sc per box the previous win
ter, and that they were packed by j.
NJ Perry & Co., of North Yakima. |
doubt if Hood River apples ever sold
any better in that market. Hood Riv.
er certainly raises very fine apples
| do not doubt but the growers there
raise better Spitzenburg apples and
more of them to the tree, or acre,
than many other localities. But I am
confident that there are certain Gee
lions in Chelan County where as fine
Spitzenburg apples are raised, and
the trees are just as prolific. If I
am mistaken in this, | am honestly
mistaken. I have seen the apples and
think l know what I am saying. /
think in raising this apple and the
Newtown Pippin Hood River has
better locality than l have in Yak
ina County, Washington. But that
there are other localities where the
Spitzenburg and Newtown can be
grown just as fine as at Hood River,
fully believe. I know how sensitive
| localities are about such matters, and
make these statements because l
| believe them.
But leaving the question whether
Hood River grows a finer grade of ap-
pies than other sections in the Pacific
! Northwest as an unsettled question,
| it is true that the growers of Hood
River sell their apples for better prices
than other places. Our correspond
| ent asks if this is owing to better
packing or better marketing. [ am
very much inclined to the opinion
that the marvellous sales of apples by
| Hood River growers are owing as
much to the men back of their meth
DDS as to location and climate. The
men at Hood River would work
marvellous change in many localities if
they had the management of affairs.
Those men have established grade
in packing their apples that gives as
surance to buyers that they will get
| just what is claimed for the fruit.
| This is a great factor in the sale OF
their apples. L acknowledge that
have received valuable suggestions
from many of the Hood River growers.
They are doing good to other sections
| by their up-to-date methods. Many
other communities are trying to pat
| tern after them, with varied degrees
of success. The growers and shippers
| of Yakima County have adopted the
same standard of grading as the one
in use at Hood River Notwithstand
ing this fact. saw box of apples in
Seattle the other day marked Extra
Fancy" 1t was called Kings, but
| they were white, and of almost all sizes
and conditions-it should have been
marked "Culls." The commission
man who showed me this box of ap-
pies said it was shame to mark such
stuff in this manner. There is no
doubt but there is much good packing
done in Yakima County, but such stuff
is black eye to the good fruit put
up in that county. Yakima County
does not show a uniform pack, and
that must be done before we can get
the best prices.
Then the Hood River growers are
united and offer the trade large lots
of uniform apples. We do not do that
and suffer as result. We must
learn this lesson and then be true to
1 it,