The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1913-11-06
WEST OREGON
APPLES SHIPPED
WILLAMETTE DISTRICTS AFFILIATE
Davidson Tells Of Method Of Nertk Racke
Distributors in Handling Years
Fruit Crop


affiliated agencies ut Dallas, Mon
mouth, Independence. Eugene, Corval-
lis. Brownsville, Lebanon and Rose-
burg. that are shipping through. our
sub-central office here at Hood River.
The crop Of these districts Is light,
but the quality is very good this year.
The growers have been following the
methods Of spraying and care advised
by the experts Of the Oregon Agrieul-
tural College, and except for worms,
which have badly damaged the applea
in some districts. the fruit is in the
best of shape. The growers have rid
their orchards OF fuhRs.
I'VE will handle between SO and rs
carloads Of apples from those points
and at least 500 carloads of potatoes. !"
Mr.. Davidson declares that the gen
eral marketing situation is very favor
able. In some Of eastern districts il
is somewhat depressed on account Of
the sale of tramp cars. However, the
local Apple Growers Associatjen and
the Distributors are having no trouble
in making deliveries Of their (. o. b,
sales.
The deliveries by growers. to the
warehouses have fallen off this. week.
the growers having taken advantage
of the good weather to get their crops
under cover. The growers estimates
have all been low. Nevertheless, it is
difficult to get enough standard vari-
ties and sizes TO fill the orders. that are
coming in, great many Of which, be-
cause of the lack Of standard varieties
and grades, have TO be refused.
I'VE are gong to get out the first OF
next week." says MIR. Davidson. "a
statement showing the number Of
boxes of the respective varieties that
have been sold and settled for and the
number that have been received. The
grower, of course. knows the number
of boxes of fruit he has, delivered. and
he can tell Just exactly how much be
has received on accent, We. sball make
out these statements monthly"
MIR. Davidson spends a great deal OF
his time at the central office OF tbs
Distributors at Spokane. when one
has the privilege of reading the i'm.
mense number of telergsms coming in
to that office from all parts. OF the
world" he says, asking for prices OF
apples and making offers. II 10 yer,
alarming to consider the possibilities
of getting back to the basis Of haphsz
ard fruit marketing.
Frequently buyers will telegraph il
for quotations and they are made, they
will come back offering from five 4
ten cents a box less, as the case may
be, and will insist for several tele
grams in succession. that it is impos
sible for them 10 use the fruit at ths
prices we quote, and when they finall,
learn that during the period Of the
controversy the very fruit they. have
been figuring on has been sold to som'
other buyer, and that 1t is then off ths
market it is very interesting to reaS
their final telegram of disappointment
They make urgent requests, for th'
Distributors 10 give them at least Z
part of the fruit and II unable to do 81
to suggest substitute. A good many
dealers have not yet learned what [
quotation means. They seem TO con
slider it as mere starting price, ant
always insist on cuts
''This season Is the first one In th'
history Of the box apple industry, or q
least since the industry has assumed
any large proportions. when the seller
have been able to name price ant
stick to it. In the face of the bearisl
attitude assumed by a great many buy
ers, the market men have been able I,
advance the price from time to time
and to make this advanced price stan
without waver.
"This season the North Pacific Frui
Distributors have marketed quite 10
of fruit which nets back TO the grower
between 81 and So per box. Heretofor
when such prices have been receives
by the shipping organization the fac
has been heralded far and wide. Du
\ the Distributors do not boast Of sucl
returns nor do they advertise them
The reason is that these figures ar
niisnomers and always have been, an
the advertising Of extreme sales b
shipping organizations working TO
private gain has been the cause o
more dissatisfaction among fruit grow
ers than perhaps all other forces con
ined. When such prices have been &C
vertised it has been done in . wa
intended TO give out the impressip
that the fruit crop handled by the u
stitntion doing the advertising hs
been sold at these prices. The resu
was that when the Rrf ger received
dollar. more or less. for his crop, B
was filed with disappointment.
Last season we were able to sell
bunch of apples to foreign dealers o
ersging net here at Hood River, "a
Sl.60 per box, in round figures. v
have been advised that these apple
sold at prices that did not show lol
to the purchasers. These same peop
solicited consignments also, and v
I know of a good many thousand box'
4 of apples which went to their mark
4 and sold for the account Of the groV
\ ers and netted back more than dolls
Il per box less than the purchase price I
II the apples which we sold them.
II "This is positive and complete der
ii onstration, and should be an absolu
guide to shippers who have no mes
II of protecting themselves on the ms
II ket in determining whether II is advi
II able to make eonsignments or %
II I. 0. b. We are not predicting the 30
II cess of this seasons business aloI
II this line, but we do know what he
II pened last year. and 1t is only natul
II that a burned child breads the fire, q
the North Pacific Fruit Distribute
being rather an infant, is sdheri
II strictly to the (. o. b. selling meth
and has certainly made some wond,
Ill ful strides In the right direction