The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1913-07-03
UNDERWOOD DIS
TRICT GROWS
MANY NEW HOMES ARE BUILT
Residents Prosper, Growing in Addition
to YOuOg Orchards, Many Varieties Of
Small Fruits, Berries, Vegetables

NitdA lCi dliu tilt L hIlltilu pItkulthhsl
While it is one of the smallest of the
Mid Columbia fruit sections, Under
wood. Wash, in the southeastern cor
ner of Skamania county just across the
Colubmia from Hood River, has been
making rapid strides during the past
half decade. Five years ago not over
a half dozen families had made their
home in the community. Today the
homes of almost a hundred families
rise there in Underwood Flats and on
Nobility Hill, each newly made resi-
dence the center or at the edge of an
orchard of apple trees, peach trees,
plums, pears and currants. The men
who have bought tracts in this district
are for the most part retired business
men, erstwhile merchants from the
middle west and Portland. retired min
isters, former shoe manufacturer of
Boston and an ex-head chef of the Pot
ter hotel. ole of California s famous
hostelries, located at Santa Barbara.
The Underwood district is yet too
young to have made any great reputa-
tion for its apples, although number
of carloads are now being shipped out
each year by the White Salmon Valley
Apple Growers Union, comprised of
the growers of this section bordering
the Columbia gorge, and those of the
Husum district about three miles up the
White Salmon river. Two old pioneers
to the district have planted large orch
ard tracts and the product of their
orchards may be taken as an example
of what the community may be expect
ed to produce when the many tracts of
ten, twenty and thirty acres come into
bearing.
While the future of the district is
based on the apple orchards. the men
tilling the soil there are diversifying
with small fruits. Their places are al
ready self supporting; for not one of
them does not grow some variety of
small fruit. Strawberries, currants,
ounces, peaches and logan berries.
With this product they are maintaining
their families and laying away saw
ings. There are no large places such
as one may find in the larger and
more highly developed fruit districts,
for labor is scarce and while the resi-
ents of Underwood may look daily
down across the broad Columbia at the
expanse of Hood River orchards, the
places there are in a way isolated.
The Underwood fruit grower must do
his own work. And accordingly he has
cleared his land gradually by his own
efforts and has set out small tracts.
But there are many of these small
orchards adjoining each other and the
aggregate acreage is reaching into the
hundreds of acres.
The stranger visiting the district is
impressed by the beauty of the homes,
small bungalows and cottages, all of
them with a setting of vines and sur.
rounding patches of small fruits. With
its south exposure, the Underwood dis
trict is especially adapted to the
growth of these small fruits and vege-
tables and many of them find il remun-
erative to grow this truck for the early
market. Underwood strawberries are
always a little earlier than those
across the river at Hood River and the
growers, of course. realize the top of
the market. Melons thrive in the
warm sunshine of the protected fields,
and one grower has set large orchard
of young trees to egg plant. his tender
transplants set in symmetlica rows,
and each pro ected from winds that
might wither them by large cylindrical
sheets of tin.
One of the unique sights of the Un-
derwood district is the "squab fac
tory" the pigeon farm of II. A. Hus-
sey, who formerly manufactured shoes
and boots in New England. On ac-
count of failing health, Mr.. Hussey
had the call back to the soil and chose
his home there in the scenic environ
ment. His sheds house several thous-
and pigeons. The squads, which are
gathered from their nests twice a week.
sell readily in Portland. Seattle and
| Spokane. "lf bad no orchard, says
MIR. Hussey. 81 would be gratified at
my returns. but | am bringing into
! bearing on of the best orchards in the
district; for when | find a tree that is
not thriving as those around it. feed
it with the pigeon fertilizer" AS a
result he is developing trees Of extra
ordinary vigor and strength, stocky and
sturdy with luxuriant foliage.
A neighbor of MIR. Hussey's. S. G.
Clark, was from the time of its com
pletion until four years ago the chief
cook at the Hotel Potter. Mr.. Clark
bought with his savings a ten acre
tract, which he Immediately began
clearing and setting to strawberries.
This fruit has maintained him since il
was planted, and among the berries are
thriving young apple trees. When one
sees him today, working in his berry
patch with his scythe, topping the
plants, he would never suspect that he
had once been at the head of the cui.
sine of one of California's S most fash.
enable hotels.
The largest orchard of the district
are owned by A. j. Haynes and W. A.
Wendortf. These growers have paid
especial attention to peach culture. anC
their large orchards are planted witt
peach and apple trees. the former hav.
/ ing been used as filters. The peach
trees have been bearing now for sew
real years, and these two orchards
alone send out each season carload lots
of luscious Crswfords, the variety tha
gives best returns in the district. Th'
apples are coming into bearing nov
and soon the peach trees will be Gu
out.
SiiiNhCi iiuuohiJ uuo ~
appeal to these Skamania county frui
growers anf one may now behold wei
kept poultry yards among the small
fruit orchards. the young chicks grow
ing healthily among the berry bushe
and keeping them at the same tim
free from insects that might prove in
furious.
The Underwood district is nonirri
gated. The growers there pride them
selves on their nonirrigated product
which they declare has an excellen
flavor because of their ability to gro,
it without the use of irrigating water
However, the entire district never SUI
ffers from lack of moisture. There j
slope from the Mount Adams foothill
that has an abundant subirrigatior
The growers all get theii water for dc
mestic purposes by digging shallo'