The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1914-03-12
DAVIDSON TELLS
OF EXPERIENCE
FURTHER COOPERATION NEEDED
Distributor President Back from New
York, where He has Spent the Winter
StudyingsMarket Conditions

After having spent the winter in
New York. where he had charge of the
eastern and export sales of the North
Pacific Fruit Distributors, II. F. Dav-
idson, president of the big central ap-
pie selling agency. returned last Thurs
day evening. MIR. Davidson expresses
an Optimistism in the outlook of the
northwestern fruit grower.
"The future success of the indus
try, he says, docs not depend on the
quality Of fruit that can be produced,
for it has already been conclusively
demonstrated that the northwest can
produce the best, but on intelligent
methods of marketing and distribu-
tion. The apple growers. however,
must become frugal farmers. "
Mr.. Davidson declares that he is
more thoroughly convinced than ever,
since his study of the conditions that
prevail in fruit marketing circles in
the cOuntry's metropolis, of the necs-
sity Of close cooperation between the
growers of Oregon, Washington, Idaho
and Montana.
Because of the conditions that pre-
vailed at the time the fruit was being
shipped east Mr.. Davidson says the
mid winter market was rather de-
pressed. But il is better now" he
says. There were a number of differ
ent receivers of fiuit in New York,
and the product was often placed on
the market at figure entirely too
low. There seemed to be no steadying
influence and no head to the situation.
The export market was depressed
until about the middle of February.
The most of the fruit stored in Chicago
and further eastern cities was shipped
without refrigeration at a time when
the temperatures were especially high.
The result was that it reached its stor.
age destination in an 0verripe condi-
ton and had to be placed on the mar
Ret about 80 days earlier than under
normal conditions. The apples were
marketed in very wasteful manner.
IL went east about the middle of |
November, and | saw ice at but one
point en- route, that was in Wyoming. |
The weather was very favorable in the |
earlier part of the winter and there |
was no freezing weather of conse-
quence until after holidays in the mid |
die west.
The market for barrel apples has
had steady advance this year. The
supply was light and a considerable |
part of the stock was bought early in
January by exporters. The price ad. |
vanced from 81 to So per barrell, ac-
cording to quality. The export barrel
trade was light after February and
the total exports of the season were
about GO per cent of those of last year
with prices eorrespondingly higher.
"On March the storage apples in
the east consisted of Winesaps, a few |
Newtowns. some Arkansas Blacks and |
Rome Beauties, with few other scat
tering varieties. During the last week
in February much better tone pre-
vailed and it seemed that all available
stock would be cleaned up at good ad-
vances of from 10 cents to 25 cents per
box.
The cheapness of oranges had some
thing to do with the depressed apple
the past winter. Florida
oranges sold in New York during Janu-
ary and February at from 81 to 81 per
box, while in February very fine Cali
fornia fruit was selling in large guam
titles at from Sl.50 to So. 10 per box.
my New York experience has dem
to me the absolute necessity
of further cooperation on the part
of the growers. Considering the deli
cate condition of the market in eastern
cities, ! fully realize the necessity of
shipments to few hand
lers, in order to maintain an ORDERLY |
control Of the situation both for the
buyers and the growers.
81 beilVe there is great future in
the northwestern box apple business,
If the growers themselves exercise the
proper judgment in keeping together
their organizations and in selecting the
best men for the positions of impor,
tance at the marketing end"