The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1909-01-21

this to exhibit our apples, but there
is prospect that we are to have bet
ter methods OF preparing our fruit for
market and of handling it after it lie
ready.
IL one goes to large city In the
east today he will find no Yakima ap-
Piles for sale, unless by accident. The
fancy stuff is nearly all marked
Hood River" though perhaps much
OF 1t may have been grown in the
Yakima country, which produces aud
ships vastly more than the Oregon dis,
trict. This il because the Hood River
growers have been sending out for
several years what 10 called "guar-
anteed pack. That has made the
Hood River reputation. AsE ne4rly
any of the hig New York dealers why
be does not buy his apples 10 the Yak.
Ina, and he will reply that lie doean't
know what he is going to get when be
sends an order out here. He does
know what be will get from Hood Riv.
er. 1t may be that this same dealer
occasionally gets in few cars OF Yak
imas, but he doesn't admit 1t lie
may select he best of them, aud with
out letting his left hand know what
the right one does, mark them up as
Hood Rivers to be sold ut a fancy
price. The rest 60 on the market
probably as Washington apples and
sell at lower prices. But he keeps
this ell to himself. 1t is one of the
tricks Of the trade.
This Is the difference In the stand.
Ing OF Yakima apples and Hood River
apples In the best markets OF the
United States, where fancy boxes
bring " or IS at this moment. 1t is
due to the fact that Hood River sends
out guaranteed pack and We don't.
Ii is due to the fact that Hood River
caters to the best markets and We
don't, IN other words
Perhaps we shall turn over new
leaf with thu new year aud resolve to
do little better by our apples as the
result OF the throw down we got at
Spokane, whch, except In the case of
Mr.. Gilbert, was richly deserved.
Another hopeful sign Is the prospect
for the organization of CO. operative
growers union to take the place of
the Horticultural union, which WIS
originally organized on right lines,
but later beacme private business
operating for the profit
of limited number of stockholders.
This paper does not think that all
the fruit ought to be handled by
growers unions, but it does think
such associations are indispensable
under such condition as prevail here.
Ii properly conducted they may or
may not enable the growers who are
members to realize letter profits on
their fruit; hut they certainly do in
culcate into the dealers who are in
competition with them a more whole
some respect for high standards.
This matter nf standards is the vital
one. 1t is the one that has heen neg
lected In the Yakima country. Eve |
have the soil and climate that are up
to the standard; we have intelligent
and industrious faimer many or.
chards leave nothing to bo desired. |
There We have been in the habit OF
stopping and paying no further atten.
tion to standards, apparently believe
ing thai with such wonderful advan
tages up to the point of picking the
fruit would take care Of itself, going
anywhere and holding it's own.
We have be II dead wrong.
The Yakima Commercial club is en-
titled to credit for having taken the
lead Tor better fiuit standaI ds here. -
Yakima Republic.