The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1913-05-08

tor Mcpherson in an article in the Ore
goniap last week sees no reason why
Wssterp apple orchardists should not
he boneful for the future, If they limit
their energies to the production OF
fruit that will not meet with compe-
tition of good eastern grown apples.
Mr.. Mcpherson asys that apple trees
are on the decrease in the middle west.
|. His article in part follows:
The apple orchards of the Pacific
northwest are at present producing
more than 100 different varieties OF ap-
ples. OF these 65 are listed as being
| shipped in car lots. Now the vast
majority enter eastern and European
markets in competition with the same
varieties grown much nearer the points
of consumption. In most cases this is
hopeless competition; it is a struggle
in which the western grower has all
| the odds against him.
| In the first place | have it from one
of the largest apple dealers, who is
recognized as one of the best autorities
on the apple market in the country,
that while the western apple is much
superi0r to those grown in the east in
general appearance, color, smoothness
and shape, vet 80 per cent of the east
ern trade assert that the home grown
apples are superior in flavor to those
grown in the west. 1t is even main
tajned that in some of these varieties
the east can beat US in appearance as
well as t1ayor.
In the second place the big obstacle
TO our competing with the eastern
grower, in varieties which he can pro-
duce as well as we, lies in the differ
ence in freight rates.
During the past season eastern bar
relied apples we're bought for cold stor-
age at an average price of around 81 a
barrel. The freight rate on these ap-
pies from points Of production to stor-
age ran from 20 cents to 25 cents a
barrel, bringing the average cost to
dealers up to 1925 a barrel in cold
storage.
AT the same time, western boxed
apples were bringing from GO cents to
Sl.50 f. o. b. shipping points. Add to
this the freight rate of so cents a box
to eastern cold storage points, and we
have the cost to the dealer ranging
from 81 l.l0 to S2 box for western ap-
pies landed in eastern cold storage.
Now, it takes three and third boxes
of Oregon apples to fill a standard
eastern barrel. This means that the
dealer had to pay for western apples
at the rate of from $3.50 to $6.65 a
barrel as compared with 1925 barrel
for apples grown in the east.
From these figures it is evident that
if the western grower is to find an
eastern market at these prices, he
must have something different to offer
from that which the eastern grower
can produce. 1t will not pay, for ex-
ample, to grow Ben Davis for the east
rem trade. saw extra fancy" Ben
Davis apples, grown by Washington
orchardist, whose name | withhold,
selling in a small jobber's establish
ment on Randolph street at rs cents
box. | traced them through two com
missioners hands, who each had a
profit out of that rs cents. If we fur
ther deduct the freight at so cents, we
can see how much the W Washington
grower got for his trouble.
never saw finer Ben Davis, but
along side of them were Illinois Kings,
which, | was informed, is a better ap-
pie in every respect, selling at Sl.75 a
barrel, or 52A cents box. Hence, the
low price for Ben Davis from Washing
ton.
On the question of variety | was ad-
vised to consult N. G. Gibson, presi-
dent of the Gibson Fruit Company, a
firm which has handled as many as
1900 ears of western apples year.
Mr. Gibson, found, had given good
deal of thought and time to the invest
igation of the marking problems of
the Western apple grower. He said in
effect.
Eastern dealers are convinced that
the western grower should stick close
to the following varieties: Old Wine
sap, Staymen Winesap. Newtown Pip
pm, Delicious, Spitzenburg, Rome
Beauty, Ortley, White Winter Pear.
main, Black Ben Davis, Gano, Arkansas
Black, Jonathan, Grimes Golden, Win.
tire Banana and Mcintosh Red "
He said other cheaper varieties
should not be planted IN the west. anC
that existing trees should be top
worked to whichever of the standard
varieties mentioned are best adapted
to local conditions. With slight varia
tions. this is the advice which is Offered
the western grower by all the best in,
| formed dealers | consulted,
On the question of grade, dealers are
equally emphatic in advising the west
ern grower to keep his low grade ap
pies at home. Nothing below thu
present fancy" and extra fancy
should be shipped east of the MissOur
river. We should take what we car
get nearer home for our STANDARD"
"choice" and "orchard rum. The,
would better be dried, canned or madt
into cider and vinegar than shipped
east to compete with and lower thD
priceson the better varieties from boil
east and west.
Then, again, the grading should b
more reliable than it is. The ass0cia
tions are doing a good deal to standard
lze the grades. But there are still bil
difference as between associations, an,
even within the same association.
have a description before me of tw
boxes of of apples examined yesterday
Both are fresh from cold storage, an
both bear the brand extra fancy
Winter White Pearmain, over the la
bel of one of our best known north
western associations. Yet there the,
were, side by side, one selling at Sl.2
and the other at $i.75. took tn
growers numbers. Referring to tn
one on the better box the jobber said
81 can always sell l04S's apples ahea
of those Of any others, even at tn
higher price. There should not b
such difference in apples of the sam
standard grade.
The question of greatest interest {
the western grower is how to decreas
the expense of getting his apples fror
the orchard to the consumer. By ia
the greater portion OF this expense re
suits from the profits exacted bv tb
various dealers who handle the apple
before they reach the consumer.
tlsrt take the Wholesale dealer. L
my limited observation of the pas
week Of prices and actual sales, hay
not found that the iobbers, broker
and commission men are making bi
profits. The average will not run owe
seven pr piuht nor cont o,,,,,.. ~ -