The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-09-12
APPLE CROP IS
OVERESTIMATED
HILL VISITS EASTERN DISTRICTS
New York Orchards Well Cared For, but
Fruit Small-Predicts Good Outlet
for Apples Later in Season.

Nj. Nj. Hill returned the first of the
week from the east, where he spent
month looking over the apple districts
and market conditions in the large
cities. Mr.. Hill made a number of
trips through various apple sections by
automobile, especially through the lake
district in New York state The or
chards in that section are we'll cared
for and the quality of fruit is good.
Not many new orchards are being set
out, but most of the old orchards are
well kept, being cultivated and
sprayed.
while the spraying has done consid
cradle towards Kidding the orchards of
disease and worms, yet there is more
or less wormy fruit" said Mr.. Hill.
with the frequent rains it is impos
sible TO keep spray on the fruit long
enough to kill the worms as effectively
as it does here. The various diseases.
however, are kept fairly well under
control and the old orchards are mostly
in good thrifty condition.
''In other sections of the country the
orchards did not look SO well. spent
a few days in Michigan, but did not
get out through the orchard section as
fully as in the lake district of New
York. What ! saw and heard of the
Michigan apples and orchards, how
ever, was that not the best of care Is
being given to tine orchards, and the
fruit is not OF so good quality. |
saw more evidence of decay and dead
trees there also.
pear blight has made serious in
l.. -. rAo Of ibn Aapf
and | saw considerable of it in or
, chards. Yet, where the orchards are
being taken care of they are in good
{ condition.
1T is too early to forecast the out
, look for the sale of Hood River apples.
/ There is no demand at present for
} apples in the east. believe the apple
crop of the entire country is overestl-
mated. 1t is certain that the Hood
. River crop is overestimated by the
buyers, and they are basing their fu-
? ture wants and prices they expect to
pay for the apples on a big crop, hop
n ing to start stampede for low prices.
They are playing a waiting game.
I The apples in the east are small. The
2 New York Baldwins are especially
/ under size for this season OF the year,
!. as the weather has been cold most Of
the summer, retarding the growth Of
1t the fruit. | believe that when th'
he eastern crop begins to move and goe
OF on the market, there will be a goo
r. demand for our red apples, for the
is will have to look to the west for fame
le fruit. and especially to Hood River
ID There is big shortage in Greening
in New York state, and that shoult
=. help our Newtown market. | dom
d think we should be in hurry to pusf
:. our apples on the eastern markets too
n fast, and until as much as possible OF
e the perishable stuff is worked off. The
storage room in New York is already
mostly contracted for, but we are II
good shape here this year to hold q
large percentage of our crop at home
+, until we have place to put it.
Il believe we are better off this yeai
with four concerns handling apples
here than if there was only one. ! dc
not believe that our apples will come
! into competition with each other in the
q same market to the extent of reducing
y the price, but with a number of firms
!. handling our apples there will be Q
wider distribution. more customers anc
Il consequently better demand at goot
il prices.