The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1914-03-05
STRAWBERRIES
SATURDAY TOPIC
METHODS ARE TO BE DISCUSSED
Growers will Gather at Commercial Club
10 Hear Addresses Of those who Have
sBeen Successful with Berries

The horticultural and agricultural
committee Of the Commercial club will
again be in the lime light this week
with big all day meeting for straw
berry growers on Saturday. There are
so manysimportant problems before the
strawberry growers this year that
everyone interested is strongly urged
to attend this meeting.
The first thing 10 be considered at
the morning session will be the new
package for shipping berries. There
are two styles to be considered, uints
and quarts, and one or the other will
be adopted at this meeting. This will
be followed by discussion as to what
the growers are going to pay for pick
ing and packing, with probable re-
suit that some definite scale wal be
decided upon which will be maintained
throughout the various berry sections
of the valley.
In the afternoon +. N. Benson, who
few years ago was known as the
Strawberry King of Hood River, will
give lecture on the culture of straw
berries. Mr.. Benson is the best posted
whole state of Oregon and he has a
way of striking home his facts that
makes his talk of very high value to
those interested in berry growing. TO
those who heard Chris MyhTe, of juno
ti0n City, at the creamery meeting at
the Commercial club two weeks ago,
it is only necessary to mention that
MIR. Benson is to the subjectsof straw
berries what Myhre is to creameries.
Their methods Of delivery are similar
and both speak from long d.thorough
practical experience.
MIR. Benson will takesup all branches
of the strawberry business. Planting;
when and how to cultivate; when to
irrigate in the different sections and
soils OF the valley; proper and i'm
proper methods OF fertilizing; when to
top the Importance of cutting run
ners the Importance of fall work. HE
will also tell why ii is not necessary
to pickRof blossoms from younREplants.
After l6 years of strawberry raising
Benson knows the game from A to q:
he has grown berries under every pos
sible condition and has experimental
with every method of berry growing
known, so that what he has to .say is
backed up by years of actual study and
results in the strawberry field.
Another subject for the afternoon
session will be discussion on straw
berry plants. 1t is hoped to have Mr..
Newton, of Candy, Ore., here for this.
Newton is the manager of the north
west branch of the r. M. Kellogg
Company, the largest growers of
strawberry plants in the world. He is
also to be associated with L. y. Cloud
in the new cannery which is coming to
Hood River, and expects to make this
city his future home.
To conclude the afternoon Professor
Lewis, of Corvallis, expects to be here
TO give a talk on fertilizers and to tell
us what not to do in putting on COM
mercial fertilizers. Prof. Lewis spent
several days here last week in checking
up the work of the!local experiment
station and observed what many of the
orchardists were doing in the way of
restoring fertility.
Prof. l.. +. Henderson, chairman
of the Commercial clubs horticultural
committee, will handle the strawberry
meeting, assisted by G. W. Hooker.
The latter was member of the north.
west committee which assembled in
Portland last fall to decide upon
standard package for the northwest for
berries and fruits of all kinds, and he
! will be in an excellent position to ex-
plain the sample packages which will
be shown Saturday.
ut is absolutely necessary for us to
decide upon that standard package here
| for Strawberries, said Mr.. Hooker at
the Commercial club recently. "0ur
old crate shut us out of many good
markets last year and we cant use
that any longer. We have either got
to adopt a full pint or full quart
measure. | favor the pint, as with
that we can use all of our old carriers
and it gives the consumer not quite as
many berries as before at little less
money. The grower will make just as
much money, if not more, and he will
not have to pay as much for picking
and he will gain two hallocks of ber-
ries to every carrier. 1t is up to ther
covers themselves, however, to decide
on what packages we will use."
On Saturday, March 81, the Com.
ercial club is planning in its series of
horticultural and agricultural meetings,
an afternoon devoted to expert talks
on truck gardening, both for the pri-
vate garden and in quantities to be
used by the creamery and the Produce
Exchange; corn growing. and possibly
special lecture on hogs.
Those attending the Saturday meet
ing from valley points will be given
special fare rates over the line of the
Mount Hood Railroad Co. The local
hotels will also make reduced rates.