The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-03-14
FOREIGN APPLES
POOR QUALITY
DABNEY TELLS OF EUROPE'S FRUIT
Scott, New Secretary, Meets New Members
Blossom Festival with Benson
Guest of Honor Proposed,

England, Ireland and the countries of
Europe. while not directly inter
eSted in the fruit culture, said MIR.
Dabney, II have made observations as
much as possible IN my tour. The
most of the apples that are used in
London and other cities are shipped in
from Tasmania and Italy. In travelling
through North England and Scotland
one will see very few orchards, where
fruit is raised for the market. How
ever, in some parts of Ireland there
are more orchards, but they are prac-
tieally uneared for In going from
Londonderry to Dublin passed through
what is known as the great apple dis
trict, where they have been raising
the fruit for the market for the last
200 years. As in other localities the
land is crowded TO its fullest capacity.
"The rows of trees are about rs feet
apart, between them rows of small
fruits, and the intermediate spaces
filled with growing vegetables of vari-
Gus kinds. They do not thin their
fruit, nor do they prune or spray their
trees, consequently their apples are
small and quite ordinary. south Ire
land has but few orchards and there
the same conditions prevail as in the
northern part of the country.
ION the south coast of England a
great many apples are raised. The
orchards there are better cared for.
Baskets are used mostly to gather the
fruit in and it is taken to market in
the same receptaeles.
"ln Belgium and Holland there are
practically no apples grown for the
market and but very few for home
use In very southern parts of Hol-
land however, there is quite an acre
age of young trees from two to three
years old and the same condition pre-
walls in northern Germany.
Northern France has practically no
apples, while in the south aud central
parts good many are raised. The
trees receive proper treatment and the
fruit briuos pretty good prices. In
nortlren Italy the orchards also re-
ceive fair attention, yet the growers
do not realize the value of proper
pruning.
"The few good orchards in Switzer-
land are to be found around Lake
Geneva. In some parts of the country
they preserve that old custom of plant
ing an apple tree at births and we'd
dings, consequently the trees are in
clusters or scattered In most cases
the trees are put out in pasture or
meadow and never cared for. On Lake
| Luzerne | saw a few of the trees of
dwarf and vine apples and pears. The
dwarf trees make beautiful arbofs,
"A s,b hs,
third stories of houses. One may pick
an apple for breakfast from his third
story bedroom window. There are
some orchards along the upper Rhine,
but in most places the trees are planted
in a haphaZard manner in meadow and
pasture land. Just as in Switzerland.
''ln France part of Switzerland and
the Rhineland. by toll and .persever-
ance the people have made available
thousands of acres of vine-land, the
steep, stony hillsiues have been ter
raced up with strong stone walls. in
zig Gags or curves, according TO the
location. The terraces range in size
from a double bed blanket up to two
beauties the hillsides, but yields a
good profit to the owners. However,
the vineyard owners have their troubles
Just as people of any other occupation.
Because of the climatic conditions, the
| insect and disease pests. it is said,
| that they do not have full vintage
more than one out of seven years.
| They nave moth to contend with dur
ing the months of May and July, when
school children are hired to kill them
by the thousands, using fans and
sticky lime.
Mr.. Dabney spoke at length of his
travels and going into the details as to
the customs of the people showed that
he was a very close observer.
In closing his talk he said: II have
often been asked the question as to
which country like best | will an
swer by saying, that should desire to
live in the greatest country on the
globe where Dukes and Lords rule,
then | would go to England. Or where
poetic fragrance breathes from every
vale and hill, then lwould go to Scot
land. Or where men spin so many
| yarns that it keeps the women busy all
the year to dispose of the product
then | should like to go to old Ireland
Or where they use the old Inch pir
wagon and thresh wheat with a fail
then | would 90 to Belgium. Or where
men wear pants with the legs as large
as the women's hobbIe skirts, anC
women S skirts in the same proportion
then | would go to Holland. Or where
there are men without compassion anC
women without virtue, then | would e
to Paris. Or to a country rich in corr
and wine and every body works bu
father, then would go to Germany
Or perhaps / should want to look upol
grandeur and gorgeous scenery, then
would go to Switzerland.
"But should | want to live wher,
there is beautiful scenery. combined
with an intelligent and prosperous
people, where grows the luscious berr,
and superior apple, and where gentl,
zephyrs scatter sweet perfume, theI
give me old Oregon. .
Ray h. Scott, wko with Mrs. Scot
and children came up from Portlan
Saturday, addressed the club. Dur
ing the next few days" he said, q
want to familiarize myself as much a
possible with my duties. AS to wha
/ line of action | shall follow, | have no
vet decided upon. The different line
of the work shall arise from time t
time and | shall endeavor to NEE
them as they arise. My first en-
deavors shall be to bring the iinancia
affairs of the club to as good poin
as possible.
81 hope to meet all the people her
as soon as possible. Hood River is
community unto itself End everybod
/ should boost for it here. When tai
to one of the club members hope tina
he will meet me as if he thought th
whole club depended on his enthusiasm
L With such q sentiment we will accom-