The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1910-01-27
VAN DEMAN BELIEVES
in WESRERN APPLES

The folol wing artic g in the Rar4l
New Yorker OF January S, by II. b
Van Deman, judge at the recent
National Apple Snow at Spokane,
and at the Alaska YUKON Pacific Tx
position, viii be highly Interesting t.
borticultulists aud 10 oil others iu
terested in th4 apple industry
through ont the Northwest:
'As Ia re was Ii space ot over toul
weeks between the closing to the
Alaska Yukon. Paciitic Exposition
and the opening of the apple show sl
Spokane, Wash which had HTgeeG
to take the leading part In Judging
there VISA time to look over some OF
the famous orchard sections OF the
far Northwest and likewise some
other regions that may become famous
for the production OF tiue truit IL
the future. This | did to some ex.
tent, but was interrupted by urgent
invitations to judge the exhibits at
the Hood River, Ore, apple show,
and another at Missoula, Mout.
"But the greHt apple show al
Spokane, Wash. which was held from
the 18th to 20th of November. was the
most extensive thing of the kind thsI
has ever been held That of last yeal
was great, but this second effort wal
far greater. There we're Ia exhibits
IN the carload entries, and severa
more in the smiuor exhibits, had they
been shown In the same way. Had
the apples been spread out one deek
they would have cover cd over hyt
acres. To assist in the judging
chose, George j Kellogg, of Wlscon
sin; Mr.. Ii NJ Dunlap, of Illinois
Prof. W. j. Green, of Ohio and A. P
Bateham, of Oregon. AS all of these
gentlemen are experienced in thii
work aud peculiarly adapted to tn,
several branches or peculiar phases o.
the subject I'VE divided the work Il
suit, sometimes acting singly anC
sometimes jointly, as the various ex
hIbits required
"a score card had been adopted
which was based on commercial vslua
tion OF the exhibits, mostly. The rat
ings for quality as given by th,
American PomoIogieal Society wer'
nsed to determine the values of thu
several varieties in this particular
although, in our judgment, some 0
them we're not quite according to ou
opninions aud need slight modifica
tions. Quality, color, condition anC
pack are the lesding characteristics
and ale given 20 points each, Will
size and uniformity only have II
points each he quality is surely
matter of first consideration for th
eating CT an apple ia the final anC
crucial test. Any variety that is no
really good does not deserve higl
rating, even 1n commercial basis
for il the consumer condemns th
fruit, It deserves condemnation b.
ell, from the planter down. And W
40 considered il 10 the scoring
"Color, which enters very largel,
into the stIactiveness of apples wh1l
exposed tor sale. had it's proper rat
ing in the score. Conditions included
blemishes of all kinds, such as in
sect and fungus marks, brusles ant
loss OF stems, It ,ge of maturity u
being SO essential as that the trul
be perfect. The pack, hy which
meant the manner Iu which the apple
are Llaced in the packages rathe
tha the packages themselves, had 1t
share of value and their alloi men
of points AS there we're almost n
apples shown in barrels there wa
little need OF he scores for that styl
of package. But the proper stTle
and conformity to the accepted stand
Or is of box packing were most care
fully noted.
at is generally agreed among geo
packers that the apples should b
flush with tie ends OF the box an
before the top is pressed on that the
should rise gradually TO the cente
of the box, we're they should be II
inches higher than athe side pieces
and when the top Is pre- 'sed an
nailed down at the ends the bulg
should be three quarers of au inch o
cit er side. This holds the fruj
firmly in place, ard allows littI
chance for hruiaing IN handling. Ib
top and bottom pieces are only ont
quarter inch thick, which admits {
abundant spring to meet this require
ment. The sides are of three. elghtl
stuff, and do not spring outward nt
do the ends which are three.qnarteI
of an inch thick. The alignment
of the rows and tiers shonld be pei
tect, which depends largely upo
specimens and the evenness Of paol
ing, and so does the Compactnes
The 'attractiveness aud style OF pacl
also have much to do with the ma
ket value of the fruit, for neat iool
ing package and style or manner
placing the apes in the box, so as
be full and look full is what
needed. All the far Western appl
Ale packed in regular tiers, and Il
exact number Of specimens in eat
box Ia definitely known and Is usual
marked, ss should be- done III
square pack was at first used, b'
experience has proved the diagon