Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1911-04-25
up to the highest standards of pro-

up to the highest standards of pro
duction.-
There should be uniformity ii
| grading, among the various frui
growing communities This uniform
| ;ty should, if possible. extend over al
the Pacific Northwest. BY uniformit.
of grade, l don't mean uniformity o
brand. 1t is proper for each local as
sociation to have its special brand, "a
do the Californians Dallas may hav'
the Sunset brand; McMinnville tn,
Mount Hood brand; Forest Grove ths
Willamette brand These would bt
the trade marks of the local associa
ton, their private property, part o.
their capital
Designations Confusing.
Each association should not, how.
ever, be allowed to- have different
designations to represent quality. The
trade wants to know, and is entitled
to know, what kind of an apple enters
into first-class pack; and what kind
into a second-class pack. There are
some districts that put out their best
apples under the grade extra fancy,
although they do not use the grade
fancy at all. Other districts pack
their best grade under the designation
fancy The fancy apples of the one
district may be better than the extra
fancy of the other district, but the
purchaser is likely to assume that
extra fancy means more than fancy
hence the value of extra fancy as
grade designation, for the district
using it.
"At our conferences last winter, in
Portland and Walla Walla, we recon-
mended to all associations of the Pa
cific Northwest that they adopt three
grade designations-fanc standard
and c. suggesting detailed definition
of each. The &C. stands for cider and
culls, and should not be allowed to go
beyond the cider mill-and will not,
in the near future. The recommended
ton was turned down by some of the
districts.
uniformity Neeueus
You can readily see that If such
grade designations were uniformly
used, and known to the trade, it
would soon come to be a question with
the trade, which was better, box of
fancy 1Wenatchee apples, or box of
fancy Dallas apples If the trade
became impressed with the idea that
there was no difference, each locality
would stand on an equality with the
trade. 1t might, however, lessen the
difference in valuation between $500
land and $1,000 land. OF course this
would be no reason why Wenatchee
should oppose a uniformity in grade
names. Our good friends up there
know perfectly well that. we can't raise
good apples down here in the VILLAIN
cite Valley! Still, uniformity in this
matter is what the local associations,
district combinations, and
legislative enactment, If necessary,
should strive for. The present sys-
tenn of arbitrary and independent
grade names, confuses packer and
buyer alike. 1t hampers trade. Apple
growers of Oregon should seek to
build up the reputation of, and de-
mand for, oregon apples, least of all
for patriotic purposes, but more be-
cause no one district in the state can
supply the worlds markets, and the
more the trade can be brought to
look to Oregon as the source Of good
fruit, the quality of which they may
know as soon as they see the marks
on the box, the better the chances of
each locality to obtain share of those
Work For General Good.
"The general good is after all, a
good thing to work for. Pursuit of
ocal advantage, through persistent
adherence to- some fictitious device, in
entire disregard of common interest
will in the long run operate to the dis
advantage of him who follows only
he selfish course.
Local organization is indeed the
stone of the fruit growers
success. Without it he can achieve
)ut Indifferent success as an individ-
ial, and without it no concerted action
If growers, beyond his own commun-
ty, is possible.
''The fruit growing industry OF the
Valley is making rapid
trides. Development of orchards has
low received such an impetus that il
s likely to go on for a number of
ears. First one fruit and then anoth-
II. until this valley is dotted over in
very suitable location. and in many
Unsuitable ones, with orchards and !
,acking houses, evaporators, and can
leries. as is the case in California. |
others realize this. IL we do not. Al |
eady, Eastern capital, which a few
'ears ago would have spurned us. is
rying to secure vantage ground here /
o control the handling of our output. /
)ur progress will not all be like sail
ng on a summer sea. but we shall |
ucceed, II we resolutely undertake to I
rust one another. and learn to CO.
perate.
Effect of Canal.
Il anticipate that the completion Of
he Panama canal will introduce fac
ors which will affect our industry in |
Ways OF which we little dream. I be-
leve that the bulk OF our fruit will go I
Cast and to Europe by way OF the /
anal. This would result in lower
charges. and enable US
o widen our markets by offering our
utput at lower prices. would not
rant 70 predict that our second grade
pples would not be shipped in bar