The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1914-11-05
WRITER GIVES APPLE
CROP SUMMARY

The article appearing below was
clipped from Pittsburg paper by Hsr.
~ Colburn, owner Of local orchard
place, who sent it to his brother-in-
law, E. A. Baker. MIR. Colburn wrote
that he had made vain efforts to get
Hood River apples on the Pittsburg
market. II paid 70 cents a dozen for
Wenatchee Delicious" he wrote.
The apple article, written by Freder-
ick ]. Haskins. a newspaper and mag
azine writer of note, follows:
The apple crop this year is believed
to exceed all others in its commercial
value. While in several former years
a larger numbersof bulk bushels have
been harvested the commercial crop
this year is of higher quality. The
apples growers we're counting upon
rich results for this year when.the an
nouncement of the war and the conse-
quent failure of the European market
came upon them as thunderbolt. Last
month it looked as though the Ameri-
can apple industry had received a
heavy setback. Within the last two or
three weeks, however, the experts
have had an opportunity to readjust
their views. 1t now looks as though
the European war may have the same
ultimate beneficial result upon the
American apple growers as upon sew
eral other classes of producers.
The reports of the failure of the Eu-
ropeansmarket had so wide an influence
few weeks ago that in some localities
apples we're sold at half the price they
brought last year. Growers seemed
panic stricken with the fear of having
crops left on their hands. 1t has now
become apparent that this fear is prac-
tically groundless. As a matter of
fact, less than five per cent of the
commercial apple crop has ever been
exported to Europe. and exportstion is
not entirely shut off now, as had been
feared. 1t is estimated that fully half
of the usualsexport of apples will be
taken this year. This will reduce the
excess of apples remaining in this
country as result Of the war to less
than one-fortieth, or only 2s per cent.
So small an excess cannot seriously
affect the apple trade. The people of
the United States could easily utilize
all the apples harvested this year and
still eat less quantity per capita than
in some preceding years.
1t is the fall apple crop which was
influenced by the fright given the
growers by the first war scare. 1t is
thought the later crops will not be
affected. since it is shown that no great
loss can result from the closing 'of the
European trade. The growers have
suffered also from the general strin-
gency of the money market. The ex-
aggerated Importance of the European
market influenced many banks to re-
fuse to lend money upon apples in stor-
age. This condition forced some grow
ers to sacrifice their fall crop. 1t is
now generally agreed among apple
growers that an average price of rs
cents per barrel less than last year
may be found necessary, but as apple
prices have been inflated for a number
Of years, this reduction can be made
and yet allow a reasonable profit. The
rumors in circulation that the price of
apples this year would not pay for
barreling are absolutely untrue except
in the case of very inferior varieties.
The distribution of American apples
through Europe has been chiefly
through the agency of British vessels
which have supplied limited quantities
to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Holland,
Austria, Russia and France. Small
quantities have been taken by German
vessels to Hamburg, which is a great
apple market of central Europe. The
war has ended the distribution of Amer
lean apples through Europe, but it has
not interfered with the trade with
Great Britain, which consumes fully
half the American apple exports each
year, and will continue to do so. Diff
culties of transportation are of course
being encountered, but will be over
come. Every inch of available space
which the apple dealers could secure
for October in outgoing vessels is be-
ing utilized. A larger space has been
contracted for November. Week be-
fore last l25, 900 barrels were shipped
on English vessels in contrast to $4,000
barrels shipped during the same week
of 1918. The fallacy of the fear that
the European market would be entirely
closed is thus proved.
Two phases are apparent in the pres
ent apple situation. in this country.
The first is that the European trade is
so unimportant a factor that it will
cease to cause any alarm among the
apple growers when all the conditions
are thoroughly understood. The second
is that the best way to secure to the
nation the real advantage of its large
apple crop is to encourage all the peo-
pie to eat more apples.
AS result of the unsettled condi-
tions of the other industries the Amer
lean people are not buying the usual
apple supply this season, fact that
has much greater influence in bring
ing about the slump in the apple
market than the curtailment of the
European exports. In factory districts
even though the factories are running
full time, the operatives seem influ-
enced by fear of sudden closing.
They coniine themselves more strictly
to necessities Ethan usual. Fruit is
classed as luxury. and even the
native apple is regarded as dietetic
rather than food article. Many peo-
pie are economizing in this direction
unnecessarily.
The American public can help the
apple growers by buying more liber-
ally. The "buy-a. barrel-of apples"
movement has many followers. For 10
years the third Tuesday in October has
been celebrated as a national apple
day. 1t is intended that it shall re-
ceive more attention this year than
before. President Wilson and Secre-
ary Bryan have each set the example
of buying a barrel of apples to be used
upon this day. Special programs for
the celebration of apple day in the
public schools have been widely circu-
lated. In many localities. apple grow
ers' organizations will award prizes for
the best essays written upon the sub
ject of apples. Thousands of bushels
of the fruit will be distributed free
upon that day and the beneficial at
tributes of the apple as an article of
food will be so generally set forth that
a considerable increase in the home
of the fruit will be