The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1913-01-23
GROWERS MEET
DESPITE SNOW
WEST SIDERS DISCUSS PROBLEMS
Community Packing and Boarding Houses
Proposed - IlitchiRg Racks Wanted
Benson Talks on Pruning

Neither a heavy snow on the ground
nor the steady fall of additional big
wet flakes that melted on their hats
and over their coats prevented the
members of the West Side Improve
ment club from gathering Tuesday af-
ternoon at the Park grange hall to dis
cuss the future needs of the apple
district.
During past harvest seasons, both of
Strawberries and apples, difficulty has
been found in feeding and housing the
transient laborers who are needed here
at that time OF the year. AT the meet
ing of the West Side citizens the plan
of building community packing houses
and to combine with them boarding
and bunk houses for these pickers and
other laborers was discussed. The
matter of packing houses was first
brought up by Geo. |. Sargent, who
stated that in few years the district
would be producing a great deal more
heavily than at present. Because of
the many young orchards Of the West
Side, neighbors whose orchards have
not been bearing have been able to
they themselves could do. MIR. Sargent
believes that the community packing
house, similar in respect to that erect
ed on the East Side by the Hood River
Apple Il Storage Co., will be ecomomi-
cal for the growers. 1t will cheaper
the cost Of packing grading and haul
ing the fruit to market. The growers
will thus be able to purchase their
boxes and other material in larger
quantities. The community packing
house, he said, will insure a more uni
form pack. The growers will be able
to hold their odd varieties longer, and
the houses will offer a meeting place
for the club.
J. 6. Earl followed Mr.. Sargent and
brought out the point that the boarding
and lodging of laborers would become
a problem at harvest time. and sug-
gested that at the community houses
might also be constructed kind of
hotel for these laborers. A cook could
be employed and the men cared for at
the central point.
On the motion OF Carroll Hurlburt
President h. II. Wallace appointed
committee. c. W. Hooker, chairman,
to investigate the methods used in
other fruit districts.
A number of other growers spoke
on these houses. 1t was thought that
| they should be about mile and half
apart. r. N. Benson stated that in a
square mile of orchard, when the trees
came into bearing, three hundred and
twenty thousand boxes of apples would
be produced. "Cut this into half" he
said, land you will see how large lot
of fruit you will have to handle."
The principal talk of the afternoon
was the address by Mr.. Benson on
pruning. Mr.. Benson prunes as many
orchards as any other man in the dis
trict. Last year he cared for IL orch
ards in all parts of the valley. He
said in part:
"The question of pruning is one of
the most delicate that can be talked
about, and do not doubt that will
be criticised when have finished, but
| don't mind being criticised. Some
men believe in pruning apple trees and
Others do not. Some will tell you that
nature will take care of the pruning.
Indeed nature prunes. Notice the big
forest trees, and you will find that they
have lost the limbs next the earth,
and that these falling away have left
the straight trunk. 1t is the work Of
the pruner to hell nature and to make
the tree strong by doing part of ma
ture's work.
"A great deal of pruning is done to
shape the tree. Of the two systems in
use, the top and central shoot systems,
personally prefer the central shoot.
Mr.. Benson then told the growers how
to shape a tree With the central shoot.
MANY make mistake, said Mr..
Benson, with their summer pruning.
| do not believe in pruning a tree to
get fruit until after il has reached an
age at which it may be allowed to
bear. Then only water sprouts and
cross limbs should be taken off. To
prune in summer to get fruit the
grower should watch for the formation
Of the terminal bud and do the work at
just about this time.
Pear pruning, the expert told the
West Siders, because of the shape of
the trees. is different from the work
that is necessary for apples. He ad-
vsed as little cutting as possible on
cherries because of cumming.
The reading Of a communication
from the 0dell Development League
which asked that the club take some
action toward securing more hitching
posts in the city of Hood River created
no small interest among the members.
1t is said that htching facilities are
very poor in the city. On market and
shopping days, such as Saturdays, it is
almost impossible to find place to
leave team. The club will communi-
cate with the Commercial club and
some action will be taken to get the
cooperation of the city officials in Sc
curing ground for hitching places and
perhaps hithcing sheds for the orch
ardists.
The club will also cooperate with the
Odell Improvement club in an endeavor
to secure law for the protection of
China pheasants in the valley. The
handsome fowls are becoming very
plentiful here and the ranchers think
that they will thrive and increase rap
idly if protected three years longer
than at present by the state law.
Prof. c. d. Thompson asked If any
of the West Side growers had ever ex-
perimented with thousand headed kale
as green feed for fall and winter use.
He and others that have tried it believe
that it will grow successfully here and
will furnish an excellent winter green
feed. 1t is suggested that it be planted
about the middle of May.
Commission Will Hear Case