The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1908-01-30


gives total OF SIS. coo as the earnings
of 20-acre orchard for one year
At the prioes obtained for New
towns the average is 81 but the New
town baing more prolific than the
| SpitZen terg. produces seven boxes TO
the tree instead ef five at the same
age, giving i55 boxes to the acre. or
| 9l00 boxes for 20-acre orchard, earn
| ing as can easily te seen, Sl8 200.
| Land values range from $50 to $1,000
per acre. A pretty broad scope to be
sure, but the sl200 land Ia In bearing
orchards bringing in returns which
the sceptical will not believe wi bout
seeing. Aud fully matured hearing
orchards are not easy to buy even at
these prices for they are such marvel
GUS revenue produce ers that he wise
man holds onto them The fact that
sl6, 000 was paid for fourteen acies OF
six year old trees this fall tNewtoan
pippins) and that u number refused
81, 200 per acre for their young bear
ing trees shows the faith they have In
the wonderful productive powers OF
the Hood River soil and climate.
] While Sl00 per acre Is asked for I'M
cleared land l6 to Is miles up the val
ley-not so very far from perpetual
snow line--it is quite possible to pet
excellent orchard lands from timber
companies tnat have cut oft the trees
for their mills. for as low as $50, $40
and $50 per acre. Many have protited
handsomely by buying hes" ends
clearing them and selling Off iO tfnall
orchards, say five to 20 arres Sn al
tracts, partially planted to anple trcrs
and straw berries, can te had froH
| Sl00 ut $500 per g, 70, "CGurd'ng to
location, Bnd as few acres will give
any moderate family handsome in
come, IL can readily be seen that the
man of small capital has about as
good chance as the one who arrives
with the price of bearing orchard In
his pocket. Ii Ia net laud reserved
for the rich man, but land of plenty
in which the poer man can gain
wealth through o. letic labor.
The culture ot Rtrawb berries Ia sec
ond only to that OF apples aud prac-
tically every grower raises them as Il
side crop dun ing the five years in
which his orchard is reaching matur
| ity. Strawberries from Hood River
have a reputation like the apples
sound, perfect and splendid keepers
and shippere. The Clark Seeding
has been found to be the successful
variety in this particular soil aud eli.
mate AID Is raised exclusively. netting
growers all the way from $3.50 to S4U0
per acre. One orobardist recently
gave out net figure so much in nd-
vance of that that the writer will not
venture to repeat it. The season Of
| 1907 was short one for berries, but
the prices we're good and brought
Sl75, 600 into the valley. Muct sue
cess is also had with cherries which
reach great perfection In the foot
hills, and with pears and many small
fruits. Alfalfa aud clover grow With
such prodjgality that three and four
crops are cut off the same land In cne
season with the aid of irrigation. In
this way it is not necessary to use
much of ones valuable fruit land for
hay, but there are some to which the
enormtus tonnage looks coed and
they devote large areas to this indus.
try. Every kind Ct vegetable and
melon grows perfectly, celery being
especially favored.
| The facilities for irrigation are con
sidered one of the valleys very great
advantages, the supply OF water from
| Mt. Hoods inows never falling, and
though the rainfall might fail for a
whole season the icy water from the
Hood River would still tear along tie
many fumes which thread every bill
side and furnish all necessary mois.
| ture to the orchards and fields Many
| do not avail themselves of this Hriea-
tion, considering fruit raised without
| II better; but ii is quite generally
used In strawberry culture and all
small fruits. The water right.is sol
18th land so the question OF being
bic to get water is not one to bother
the home seeker
There is so much to tell about the
productiveness of the Hood River
Valley that one forgets to mention its
tine educational facilities. Good
schools and churches dot the whole
valley and up the east side of tie
Hood River a railroad is in operation
for seventeen miles and will soon be
extended further The 100, 600 horse
power of the river is not generally
utilized as yet, but good proportion
has been secured for power plant
which will eventually operate an cleo.
trio line up the west side of the val
ley. That 80 yer cent OF the farms and
homes there have telephones ilius.
trates that business is transacted in
the most convenient way, nnd the
oil 10 Il \
by progressive citizens. With a srien
did train and boat service to Portland
and other coast cities, it is possible
hero to live 10 the country and yet lie
in town. Oregon Is considered al.
most out of the world by dark but
eiieta east, but there is no country
section east of the Mississippi River
ot the beauty aud convenience Of the !
Hood River Valley, or whose oitizens
are moIe progressive and intelligent. |
All classes of professional men aud |
other substantial citiZeus are now set |
Ting there, or are preparing their oc-
ohards with tho view of taking up |
residence when an income IL assured.
Just over the mountains is the Mosier
Valley which has practically the same
soil and which Is also famous frGit
producing section, and directly across
the Columbia in Washington, the
White Salmon Valley also received its
share OF Mt, Hoods volcanic ash
and lava aud is now producing abund.
ant crops of perfect fruit.
Oregon is rich in resource and her
promises all bear fruit Hood River
Valley, like many other favored sec.
ions of the state, is anxious to show
he world what can to done here.
She constitutes herself Opportunity
'tt invites all mankind rsttake Of
ler riches.