The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1914-08-27
DAVIDSON BACK
FROM BOSTON
THE WAR SCARES APPLE BUYERS
Declarations Cause Convention TO Fall Flat
Peach Growers in Need of Coop
Grafton, SAYS Distributor Pres.

That the apple crop of the world is
as large this year as in 1912 and that
the wars abroad and financial Difficult
ties in Africa and South America will
affect unfavorably the prices to be OBJ
tanned by the growers, is the prediction
Of II. F. Davidson, who returned Fri
day evening after having been TO BOs.
ton, where he attended the lnterna-
tional Apple Shippers convention.
War was declared about the time
our convention was called to order, Z"
says Mr.. Davidson, land as a result
it fell very fiat. A large number Of
Continental European and English fruit
firms were represented. OF course,
when the declarations of war were
made they were instructed BS cable to
make no purchases Of fruit Of any ma
ture. They even refused TO guarantee
the inland freight as we'll as the ocean
freight. If we make any sales of fruit
abroad this year, we will have our
European agent, S. b. Moomaw, on the
ground to make collection on delivery.
81 figure that about 80 per cent of
our normal exports to England will be
made this year, and that no fruit will
be sent to the continent of Europe.
''W thout the influence of an organ
izatiOn such as the North Pacific Fruit
Distributors, the results of marketing
this years crop Of apples would be far
worse than in 1912. But if enough
Northwest growers decide to make use
of the facilities for organized market
ing to make proper distribution and
| ~ tafT ,,f h., az
tiOn, results will undoubtedly be oh
tanned that will show growers a fair
profit.
The 50,O00,0 900 barrel crop of 1912
will probably be equalled.
'ln 1912 Washington, Oregon and
Idaho had about l2,0 900 cars of market
able fruit. This year | think those
states have $1,000 cars. In 1912 the
grower received about 65 cents a box,
or barely cost. This year we can and
will get better price.
Fruit is not necessity like wheat
and meat, therefore the wars of Europe
can be expected to curtail the market
Between five and 10 fper cent of all
Northwest fruits has been exported
each year.
now TO all growers. In 1918, a light
crop year, the Distributors encouraged
growers to pack and grade their ship
ments on much lower grade than is
required by the rules as to quality and
size. This year the situation is re-
versed 1t is big crop year, and it
would be folly for the growers to go to
the expense of packing and wrapping
inferior fruit, as that kind of output
will not bring more than freight ex-
penses. The Northwest must send out
nothing but the highest quality of ap.
pies, complying with grade rules most
minutely."
Up to Saturday night the North Pa
cific Fruit Distributors reported the
sale of 1000 cars of fruit from the
states of Washington, Oregon and Ida
ho, the shipments being made of up
largely of Strawberries, cherries and
peaches. This is more than 800 cars in
excess of shipments on the same date
last year.
"When | was on the way back east
about the first of the month";" says
Mr.. Davidson, i found a ready demand
for peaches at as cents box. But on
the return journey to Hood River |
found the independent shippers of the
Yakima district had cut this price to
30 cents, and when arrived at Spo-
kane they were making offers at 27t
cents per box really believe there
are not enough peaches in the North
west to supply the demand at As cents,
+. o. b. shipping point, if the fruit was
under orderly control. The price of
the Distributors is always about five
cents above that of the independent
shippers, but the growers ought to get
the full price of 45 cents. AS result
the Yakima valley is losing about
$3.50. 900 this year.
81 talked with buyers back in the
middle west and they told me they
thought the shippers of the northwest
ern states were foolish to offer their
fruit at price below as cents per
box"
Wilmer Sieg, who was in Boston Ia
attend the International Shippers con-
vention, but who had returned to Port
land, where he will have charge OF
the Oregon office Of the Distributors,
was in Hood River Saturday confer
ring with the officers of the Apple
| Growers Association