The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1911-10-20
BIG FRUIT CROP
IN PAYETTE VALLEY

FH'S crop In the Payette valley
Is being rapidly harvested and packed
lot shipment to the eastern and west.
eFn markets. also to foreign countries
"heFe'the fame of ourSplendid fruits
mas penetrated to such an extent thar
the demand for Idaho fruits is becom-
ing greater every year. Druing the
past two weeks Is carloads OF frn,t
nave been shipped from this point and
II Is estimated by those in a Dosition
70 know that there will be at least 75
more cars before the close of the fruit
season For the first time, practical
ly' since the growing of winter appIes
IN the Payette valley reached the point
where 1t could be considered a COM
mercial proposition the fruitgrowers
are receiving prices which, if they can
De maintained, and there is every rea-
son to believe they can be, will make
the fruit industry second to none.
Ihis year the prune growers re-
ceived $40 ton for Italian prunes,
the highest price ever received by
them, and to this fact is due the added
stimulus which the growing of this
staple fruit has received, and as a re-
suit many new prune orchards will be
planted next spring The apple grow
ers are receiving 81 to $1.85 per box
t. 0. b. New Plymouth, which are con
sidered very satisfactory prices. The
organizing Of the New Plymouth Fruit
Growers union three years ago was
long step toward solving the problem
OF successfully handling and market
ing their fruit, but not until the union
associated itself with the Northwest
ern Fruit exchange, with headquarters
at Portland, Ore, have any really good
prices been obtained by the growers
in this immediate section. The North
western Fruit exchange is purely a
marketing agency in every respect.
Their aim has been to impress upon
the growers the great importance of
their becoming organized to such an
extent that it will be possible through
cooperation to market their fruit in
such way and in such quantities OF
the different varieties as to realize the
highest market prices for the same at
all times. Through the medium of a
hrst-class marketing agency. apples
loaded so that the contents of the car
will consist of all one, or at the most
three, varieties can be handled to good
advantage and at a good profit to the
grower. This can only be done by CO.
operation of the growers. The organi
zation of growers not only facilitates
the assembling Of fruit in such a way
as to enable them TO put before the
buying public specified quantities of
the different varieties, but it also
brings about q perfect grading and
packing, which cannot ordinarily be
done by the individual grower, mas
much as he is not in a position to en-
ploy expert packers and graders in or
der to handle the comparatively small
amount of apples which he may have
to dispose of The New Plymouth
Fruit Growers union is an example OF
what can be done in the way OF i'm
proving the pack and grade of fruit
through cooperation Of the growers.
A. L. Woodill, Idaho manager, and +.
Z. Miller, assistant Idaho manager OF
the Northwestern Fruit exchange,
with Offices at Payete, made personal
inspection of the packing house OF
the New Plymouth Fruit Growers
union a few days ago and both ex-
pressed themselves as being highly
pleased with the excellent pack turned
out and especially with the grading OF
the fruit, which they found was being
done in an exacting manner. In a brief
interview Mr.. Miller stated that last
year the exchange handled over 7OO
cars of apples from Washington, Ore
gon and Idaho and placed them in
us different markets and the range
of prices they obtained for this fruit
led the northwest. The exchange has
contracted to handle the fruit OF this
season for the association at Weiser,
New Plymouth, Parma, Payette. EN-
NETT, Council, and Nampa, as well as
several direct contracts with large
growers, such as f. B. Sargent OF
Fruitland, Fremont Wood and the
Manville Fruit company of the Boise
valley. It is estimated that 5000 cars
of fruit will be shipped through the
exchange this season This shows that
many of the growers throughout Ida
no, Oregon and Washington are be
ginning to realize the benefit to be de-