The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1909-09-02
DRY CHERRIES
COMING NEXT

Low prices on this season. cher
ries are responsible tor a quiet invest
igation being made numbersof local
fluit growers into dried fruit indus
try. If the fruit is properly prepared,
dried cherries will bring a much high
81 price than is ever paid for the
green fruit at the local canneries.
A oetain grower owning large,
cherry orchard near Salem, has re
Gently dried about IL, 800 pounds of
dried Royal Ann cherries and has
entered into negotiations with Calf
oInia and Omaha dried fruit dealers.
Samples have been sent to the different
dealers and favorable reports have
been received from them stating that
the Oregon cherry should have a
place In the dried fruit industry ow-
ing to its flavor and general quality
To properly prepare cherries for dry
ing they must be fully ripened, pit
ted and we'll dried to insure flavor
and favor. The demand for larger
varieties OF dried and cured fruits
made on the dealres by confectionery
manufacturers ls growing rapidly.
The tickle tastes of the public for
something new" is adding to the
question which has now become SO
important that strenuous efforts ale
being made by both retailers and job.
bers to meet the steady call for suR
ary, luscious and wholesome com
pounds. Present indications point to
a possible market of the Oregon cher
ry with the manufacturers OF popular
beverages, candies and prepared fruits
The introduction of the Oregon cher.
ry into foreign markets means the
greatest advertising possible for home
~ own fruit, for where one man will
buy a box OF cherries and take 1t
home, hundred patrons OF the Ice
cream stand will demand the Oregon
cherry with their order.
A recent California observer, familiar
with such things, upon eating the
dried Royal Ann referred to, was loud
in his praises OF the cherry and pre-
dicted that Oregon would get as much
from 1t as California gets
from her famous rHisin. Compari-
sons made gave the Royal Ann the
choice OF the two dried products.
California has made great her dried
grapes because she has no cherries
like we raise in Oregon. Oregon can
do as much for her famous cherry,
and, II sufficient enterprise would te
enlisted, Oregon grapes could be
raised and dried with equal SUCCESS.
Once the market can be established,
the grower will have his choice sci
ling his cherries green or dried, ac
cording to the prevailing price paid.
Drying this fruit requires a great
amount of skill and at ention than
the green product. The
| lOcat canneIy buys the fruit as pick
ed, taking "good, bad and indifferent"
and standing any loss. shipping the
dried article, consid ible attention
must be paid to the exact degree of
ripeness, the pitting without destroy
ing the substance and perfect dry.
That 1t will pay the grower to go to
the extra trouble In drying his crop
cannot be questioned when the dried
will bring from fourteen to
sixteen cents per pound. This year
cherries brought green from three
cents down to two cents per pound,
while last year one heavy grover al
lowed over 1900 pounds to rot on the
trees on account of low prices. If
there was an established market this
year many growres could have refus
ed the price pal in Salem and sold
at fancy figure to dried fruit job
bers In the east. Drying our iruit
has been mooted question for
long time but Investigation on the
part of the growers has never follow
ed. The present active steps are
with suoh encouraging re-