The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-02-08
0REG0NIAN COMMENTS
ON FRUIT SELLING


The rapid development of fruit pro-
duction in the Pacific Northwest makes
the question of marketing one of inn
minent interest. Ii is of no particular
advantage TO produce fruit unless II
can be sold protitably. Unless good
markets are available the more We
grow the greater the loss, and there
will be more loss on fancy fruit than
on inferior grades because they are
more expensive to raise. When the
total apple product of this region was
moderate in quantity the subji ct of
markets excited but little apprehen-
sion. Markets found themselves, al
most. The fruit was so attractive and
competition so slight that the demand
outran the supply and prices ranged at
aluring figures. But of late years
apple planting has gone ahead at a
tremendous rate, and now many of the
new orchards have come into bearing.
The consequence is that markets can
no longer be found without effort. In
fact great deal of expert effort is
required to dispose of the fruit crop at
passes the task will naturally become
more and more difficult.
With these facts in mind, prudent
orchardists have begun to devote anx-
ioUs thought to the problems of II ar
keting. 1t is becoming apparent that
while it is difficult to produce good
fruit il is even more difficult to sell il
at rates that pay. As long as each
grower seeks the market on his own
sole account there is certain to be
destructive competition. One man
bids against another and prices go
down to the limit where production
becomes impossible. Something of the
same sort inevitably happens also when
the various fruit growing districts seek
the market independently. The Rogue
River Valley cOmpetes with Yakima.
Yakima strives to get the better of
Wenatchee and Hood River is in the
field as a fourth competitor. Under
these conditions nothing can be ex-
pected but lower prices year after year
and ultimate encouragement among
growers. 1t is sal that there has
already been a decline in the prices
even of the best Hood River fancy
apples. They no longer bring the as
founding returns of two or three years
ago, though yet sold at fine profit.
| What else could be expected when there
is no sustained and systematic effort to
regulate the supply in accordance with
the demand?
Two rene lies present themselves to
those who have reflected upon the
| problem of marketing. One remedy
| relates to a check upon the supply.
| This is the stand which Mr.. H. G. At
we'll takes. He said at the Charleston
meeting of the Washington State Hor-
| ticultura Society: 1--WE apple grow
ers brag of our profits, deceiving our
selves with the belief that the abnor-
NAL return of one year is an average
of several. The result is that the
credulous tenderfoot sets out more
tees. He believes that the time has
come to "assert ourselves as producers
rather than promoters. The dispro-
portionate planting of orchards, he
| tells us, should stop and the ether re-
sources OF the state be brought up to
the proper standard. When this is
done there will be an increase of popu-
| ation in the Northwest, large growth
of purchasing capacity here at home,
ana the question of remote markets
will not be so pressing as it is at pres
ent. The other remedy is cooperation
among growers. Just now cooperation
has wide significance. The time has
gone by when it is necessary to urge 1t
upon the individual orchardist. He
knows perfectly well that as a solitary
unit in the market he is helpless. The
local cooperative societies are pretty
we'll organized and in fair working
order almost everywhere. What con-
fronts US now is the problem of eradi-
eating destructive competition among
these local unions and securing effec-
tive marketing cooperation through
out the Northwest. If this can be
done there will be only moderate diff
Guilty in reaching the most remote
markets of the world on favorable
terms and overproduction need not be
dreaded for a long time to come.
The live question among our ochard-
lists is, therefore, how to secure mar
! keting &C. operation, not so much among
individual growers as among the great
producing regions, Hood River, Yaki-
ma, Rogue River and Wenatchee, with
the lesser associations brought in if
possible. This is the ideal toward
which progressive fruit men are looking
and they are eagerly inquring how to
attain it. 1t mas been proposed by
some to acquire controlling interest
in the Northwestern Fruit Exchange.
OF the merits of this project The Ore
gonian knows nothing and upon the
expediency of the plan it has no opin-
ion to offer 1t may be wise and it
may not. An alternative proposal is to
! form an association without reference
to any now IN the field and make this
the marketing agency of the whole
Northwest 1t is argued that this
would accomplish the same results as
the purchase of the Northwestern
stock and be far less expensive.
| Be that as it may, the problem of
cooperation among our large producing
districts is one that ought not to be
allowed to rest until it has been def
nitely solved. If one plan proves un-
desirable another must be formed to
replace it and the orchardists must
persevere until they have found the
best way out of their impending diff
culties. Fruit-growing is already one
of our most important industries and
it ought to become more important
every year. 1t would be objectionable
folly to permit it to fall into decay for
lack of cooperation, and we do not
believe that any such calamity will
happen. =. The Oregonian.
Special Meeting at Parkdale.
On Saturday, February 10, at two
o. o'clock p. m. special meeting of the