The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1909-08-26

VISIT VALLEY
COME IN SPECIAL TRAIN SATURDAY
Trip over the Mt. Hood to Van Horn
Visit Butte, Orchards and
MasOn's Apple House.

station workers oft he nation, which
have been holding their annual meet
ing at Portland, occurred Saturday,
and was one of pleasure and profit to
the visitors, as we'll as pleasure to
Hood River They came up tIom
Portland in special train o three
day coaches, which we're Immediately
switched to the Mt. Hood road, and
| Van Horn station WAS reached about
eleven O'Clock. Here the party walk
ed to the top OF the butte, to the mag
nifieent Residence OF Willis Van
Horn, and where the valley could be
seen on all sides spreading out like
panorama, and where the snow capped
peaks OF Hood and Adams added
grandeur to the scene.
The ride on the train through sew
eral OF the fine orchards on the East
Side. gave them glimpse Of the
manner in which the orchards were
cultivated and cared for, while
number of Hood River men who ao
companied the party answered the
numeI ous questions Of the guests ana
pointed out the various places OF in
| terest. Nearly every state in the
Union was represented by the visitors
and they will so back to their homes
with a MISUNDERSTANDING of Hood
River methods and it is hoped will
have gained some valuable informa-
tion of the highest art in apple rails
ing They we're loud in their praise
Of the valley, the grand scenery, the
| we'll cared tor orchards, tue methods
Of handling the crop, marketing
through the Union, etc.
Returning. the guests we're served
with luncheon in the cars by the ladies
of st. Marks Episcopal churon, after
which couple of hours were spent
around the city before the departure
of the train for Portland.
| "Hhe trees look we'll and the trees
show what the county is. The quail
! ity of the fruit, the sales and the
fruit itself leave no question OF the
magnitioenoe OF this fruit country
| declared no less an authority than
| DR.. h h. Wickson, one of the most
eminent truit experts in the country
and tor years the director of the Cal
ifornia agricultural and experiment
stations. "Ihere is wonderful
|
| Judging by the character of the peo-
pie, there is no question OF the future
of Hood River. The people know
how to do things and that Is most i'm
portant
'I should want working capital
we're | engaged in starting a place
here. There is always the possibility
OF making IA livelihood out of small
fruit growing, but | think the ooun-
try has developed too tar for that now
and would not advise man to at
tempt to start an orchard without
some surplus working capital. OF
course, 1t has been done, but only
by those who we're here on the ground
floor. But as a fruit country for
IIaislng magnificent apples, Hood
River will GLASS with any country
know of.
cone of the reasons OF success here
is found in the ideal climatic oondi-
tions, a long growing season, rather
cool temperature and a cool winter
which keeps the trees dormBnt then.
All these things make fine quality
and the Oregon fruit, while not as va
led in char aoter as that OF California,
is of finer quality. But 1t ls the
climate rather than the soil which
gives such fine fruit. | never saw
liner looking orchards. The foliage
ia large, the trees are thrifty and the
soil is we'll cultivated. They seem to
understand their business, and this
Ia certainly wide-awake and TIN ifiy
section"
Professor John Hamilton, the Farm
ers' Institute specialist Of the depart.
ment OF agriculture of Washington,
, d. G is eIhaps one man who comes
closer In touch with the farmers them
T selves In the different localities than
! any other man. He said:
"lhe feature OF that enterpT ise
which most impresses me Is the efiici'
ency of the organization of the fruit
growers that selects only perfect pro
! ducts for export to tho Eastern mar
: kets. My bleief is that II the same
careful inspection we're made of pro
ducts grown IN other localities there
, WOULD soon be marked improvement
IN these products and a correspond
lug inCI ease in their value. The higi
prices that the Hood River products
) Urlng in the Eastern markets is proc
that the people desire high grade ar
licles OF food for theiI tables and tina
, they are willing to pay handsome
] u oit to those who will furnish them
s - here are 10, 600 acres Of orCharc
{ III Hood River now ard only 100
acres are bearing. IL 1900 acres o
bearing orchard can make such sti
r cannot help thinking what 1000
s will do, " said DIR. thomas f.. Hunt
q dean OF the school of agriculture ant
iii eCtor of the experiment station a
the Pennsy lvania State College. DR.
Hunt Is one OF the Nations accepted
authorities on the subject of tIui
raising, has WIItten widely on tn
subject OF agriculture ana his opinion
q Is given with wide knowledge OF th
ueld. "Ihe Northwestern Oregon i
more like the valleys OF Pennsylvani
\ than any other part of the Unitet
l States / nave seen, so like it, " stat
ed Dr. Hunt. "Of course Hoo
River Gets the standard in the Unite
States for the commercial quality o
apples, and everything in the East
\ compared with what Hood River ap
= pies do. thought conditions favor
able II ON my survey today and fee
sure the growers are on the rlgh
track. But it is the proximity !C
Mount Hood which is responsible TO
the wonderful quality OF 1he Hoo
River apples. 1t sends the waite
down under the soil, but keeps th
p atmosphere dry and cool, and wit
that subsoiI tut few inches beneat
the surface, full of moisture, 1T h
lows you to raise the apples free {
scab and with a wonderful color.
"Ihat il where you have as stoI
ped. We talk a good bit about LOT
Pennsylvania apples, and Tay sou
day shave your ideal conditions siC
marketing them, and tie thrift an
education In caring for them, but v