The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1911-09-28
ORCHARDS OF TIE EAST AND WEST.


Through different mediums those
who by their very writings evidence a
lack OF knowledge as to the successful,
that is, the most successful methods,
elements and conditions of apple cul-
ture. are making an appeal to the man
of the city. who hears the "eall back
to the soil, " and the young man, seek
ing a location. where he may enter the
interesting industry Of apple raising, to
return to the farms of the Middle West
and East. Eastern newspapers have
recently and repeatedly voice the ex-
preston that the orchard of the East
with the care of that Of the West will
give It's owner quality of fruit equal
in every way.
However, the writer's, who thus ex-
press themselves, have overlooked a
few salient facts that point the fallaey
ofIGheir statements. They do. not seem
to know, or at least they are quiet on
the subject, that the northwest alone
has the climatic conditions that enable
its ssfruit to sell in all the markets over
its competitor of the East. Undoubt-
edly the eastern apple. when its grow
er uses methods of nature as careful
as that used by the Hood River grower
may be made TO approach great deal
nearer the mark of perfection attained
by the Hood River fapple. As long as
the climatic conitions remain un-
changed, it can never be Just as good
as the Oregon product.
In recent editorial the Oregonian
handles the SUBJECT of the eastern yer.
sus the western apple as follows:
"A correspondent of thePhiladelphia
Inquirer reports degree of prosperity
among apple growers in Pennsylvania,
that he eommends to the careful con
sideration Of young men who, dazzled
by the profits of apple growing in Hood
River Valley. are planning to come
mther and engage in the business. He
cites the fact that Pennsylvania apple
lands can be purchased for 500 an acre
against $1,000 at Hood River. Ii is
urged that careful selection of land and
varieties and painstaking care in
spraying, cultivation, thinning, picking
and marketing will produce apples that
are mot only better than bank stock,
but better than western apples, with
the added advantage of being near the
market. This in homely phrase il
called making the buckle and tongu,
meet.
Without doubt, as stated by tn,
journal quoted. there is a great deal Of
land in the East, either at present cul
tivated or restorable, that III devoted {,
fruit growing scientifically, as HooC
River and other orchard lands in the Pa
citie Northwest are treated, would yielt
handsome profit to their owners. With
out relinquishing old-fashioned meth
DDS, however, this would be impossible
The Pacific northwest is Justly entitle,
to the honor of the discovery, so /,
speak, of scientific, commercial arpl
growing. That hortieuturalists in tn,
East may profit by this discovery /
not unlikely. That is to say by fol
lowing the methods that have mad
Hood RIVER apples famous in the mar
kets OF the world Eastern growers ma,
approach the profits in apple growing
that have caused them to marvel an,
grow envious.
''The writer in the Inquirer. how
ever, has fallen into the error common
in the east of comparing the prices o
wornout farms or decrepit orchard
there with the prices of improved Ian,
IN Oregon. One thousand dollars al
acre is far below the value of orchard
IN full bearing in the best part ofiHoo,
River Valley. Ii is also far highe
than the prevailing price of raw Hoo,
River land. For $1,000 per acre one n,
doubt can buy land set out to tree
we'll along toward the bearing perio,
and in tried and proven part of th,
valley. These prices are fixed by tn,
known income producing capacity o
the land. Until the east demonstrates
its ability to duplicate the Hood Rive
product there will be no virtue in com
parison of land prices, and when /
does Eastern orchard land will be al
valuable as Hood River land.
Proximity to market in the Eas
may also add value TO orchard Ian,
that it would not otherwise have. Bu
eastern enthusiasts should bear il
mind that proximity to an apple dis
tributiRg center where fruit is graded
properly packed and standard main
tanned is also a favorable ,fluence OF
orchard returns and correspondence
on orchard values. The eastern far.
mer will never be able to compete with
the Coast orchardist so long as he con.
ceals the culls in the bottom of tbs
barrel.