The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1908-08-06
TELLS OF ORCHARDS
AT HOOD RIVER

VI iut ottkOu hKTf-
cultural College on orchsrding In
Wasco county and complied by c ].
Lewis and Il. W. Allen gives some
Interesting information in regard to
fruit growing at Hood River. The
data is largely supplied by r. W. AL
len, who spent several months here
last summer making an orchard sur
vey of the valley. In describing the
work aud telling of its results the bull
letin says:
X. W. Allen, field assistant of the
department of horticulture. was de-
tailed to make the survey, the work
extending from the first OF July to the
first of October. Every place having
at least four acres devoted to fruit
growing was visited aud the survey
thus included practically every COM
mercal orchard In the county. With
blank book and soil auger a systemat-
ic orchard to orchard survey was
made. All such points as elevation,
location, kinds of fruit, distance OF
planting, pests, etc., weIe carefully
noted and recorded. These blanks
are filed away in this Office for future
reference.
II has indeed been interesting to
work In this county. Taking Hood
River rs an example, we find an agri.
cultural community where the average
orchard is only sixteen acres in area
and where the returns have reached
mark as high as $500 per acre. while
the average net returns through the
entire valley was not far from $500 per
acre for bearing orchards. Here we
find many men located ten year ago,
with few hundred dollars, who now
have young orchards that are selling
as high as $1,000 per acre and who
count their wealth from forty to sixty
thousands dollars. Any community
that will support family on sixteen
acres is indeed interesting. What
will its future be? That ia an inter
esting study for the sociologist, for
this region promises to develop into
an ideal agricultural community.
Wasco county comprises three
fruit growing districts, namely, Hood
River, Mosier and The Dalles These
are separated by natural barriers and
differ eonsidersblytinicertain respects.
In order to Epresent the material OF
this survey in sthe clearest manner it
is therefore thought best to treat
these districts individually.
Hood River District.
History. Only few years ago the
Hood River Valley was heavily tim.
beied tract of land, lying between two
ranges of high hills or mountains,
and having only one open side, that
being on the north, where the Colum-
bia mark its boundary. 10 the south
1t becomes rough and marrow and fin-
ally is lost among the branches of the
Hood River, which all find their
source in the glaciers of Mt. Hood.
The first clesrings we're made in the
northern part OF the valley near the
Columbia, where small home orchards
and berry patches we're set out by the
homesteaders. They we're found to
do very we'll, and the straw berry,
through it's adaptability to the climate
and soil, came to be very popular
and profitable crop. As the demand
for the products increased, other peo-
pie came and from that time clearing
was steadily done, and fIuit set out.
This growth has been kept up for
many years and as the adaptability of
different fruits became known they
we're set out. With the organization
of associations and the realization of
much higher prices, a great impetus
has been given to the development OF
this region The past few years.
Hood River has three natural divis-
ions-the West Side, or that cart ly-
ing between the Hood river and west
to the mountains; the East Side, or
the portion lying east of the river and
extending southwark to distance of
about ten miles from the Columbia
and, south of this, extending for
distance of ten or twelve miles, the
Upper Valley. This is narrow and
much higher valley whi h tor some
distance is cut off from the river but
at the upper part widens out and Gov
ers great deal Of more or less noun
famous land which extends TO the
base of Mt. Hood. While the two Arst
named divisions have but small per.
centage OF land left uncleared, the last
named part has only very small per.
centage of cleared land, the greater
part being covered by willow and
hazel brush or fir timber.
The sandy soil of the West Side was
for many years thought to be the only
part OF the valley profitable for fruit
growing, but finally 1t was found that
The East Side was also veil adapted to
this industry, By this time quite
large population had gathered on the
West Side, and it's development was
many years in ad vance Of that OF the
rest of the valley. New oomers saw
the possibilities OF the other regions,
bought them up, and begsn clearing
and setting out apple orchards, which
we're by this time commanding con
siderable attention. Although its
period OF develop ment has been much
shorter than that of the West Side,
the East Side now has considerable
mole orchard than the first settled
portion.
In the Mt. Hood district, or Upper
Valley, there are several old home
stead places, but rapid development
did not begin there until compaia
lively recent date. The few bearing
orchards there were principally all for
home use, but now many orchards
and berry patches are to be found
there. In a manner the development
of this valley has been much the same
as that OF any other place, the clear
ing and settling beginning near the
entrance aud working back to the
more remote districts. By noting the
increased planting oil tiees and berries
within the past five or ELK year. as
shown by tables | asd 6, it Gun be
seen how rsDjl the development has
been.
Elevation According co The figures
on the o. r Il N. depot at Hood Xiv
er, the elevation is l0l feet. From
this point the rise is quite abrupt for
some distance, and whore the first or
chards are located the elevation Is
about l75 to 300 feet. The slope of
the orchard land is generally to the
east and west, or ward the river.
The water drains off in this way, but
the whole valley risea quite oticeably
from the Columbia river southWard,
or alopo kha HIND piyar The average