The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1915-07-22
CURRANTSCAUSE
MUCH ATTENTION
ALL UNDERWOOD FRUITS ARE FINE
NeighbOring District, which Ships Many
Apples, Called Bar lie Due Of America
Because of Quality of Small Fruit


1T should be called the Bar lie Due
of America, such was the comment
of a much travelled woman on coming
to the Underwood district of the mid
Columbia region. Only a short time
before viewing the eurrant and goose
berry tracts in the fruit section of the
southwestern Skamania county, Wash
ington, the visitor had travelled along
the Ornain river in France. She had
seen the famous Bar lie Due jellies pre-
pared for the worlds epicures, and had
gone over the berry and eurrant fields
there IN Meuse.
And though the Underwood district
is one of the youngest of the north
vests fruit districts, it is becoming
we'll known throughout the northwest
ern cities for the especially fine quality
of berries of the Tibes family. The
Underwood housewife never lacks for
fine jellies with which to tempt the
appetites of guests. The housewives
of the neighboring cities have learned
to call for currants and gooseberries
from Underwood, and the returns from
the berry tracts, although now limited.
bring handsome profit to the
growers.
AS are the other fruit districts Of
the Northwest, Underw
| is primarily an apple district.
In the past seven or eight years hun
dreds of acres have been claimed from
the forest and set to commercial vari-
eties. Shipments of high grade fruit
IN carload lots are now being made
each season. But on account of the
topography of the country, II has been
found that the small fruit demanding
hot sunshine can he grown better In
Underwood than in the adjoining dis
tricts. The region slopes gently back
to the range of mountains that en-
tends in spur down from Mount
| Adams, and thus has southern expos
ure. Underwood Strawberries are al
ways ripe before those of Hood River,
and on account of the uniform warm
days and protection from the strong
west wind that is cut off by Under
wood mountain rising at the west OF
the district. melons grow well there.
Some of the Underwood growers have
even grown fine quality casaba melons.
This warmth tends to produce also q
an excellent peach, and the growers
have found it profitable to plant peach
filters between their apple trees.
The Underwood district is located
between the mouths of the White Sal
mon and Little White Salmon rivers.
Irrigation, because of the many streams
of water found but a short distance
under .the surface of the earth. is not
found necessary. The water, appar-
emily of glacial source, may be found
in generous quantities at depth of
but four or five feet. Numbers of the
growers have dug to these subterra-
mean streams and have excavated for
milk houses.
Because of the healthful climatic
conditions, the appeal to the homeseek-
er, who wishes a scenic environment,
Underwood has been developed quick
Iy. its new residents for the most part
having formerly lived in some one of
the northwestern cities. Numerous
former Seattle people reside there. and
others are developing orchards to
which they expect to retire later. A
score or more of former Portland resi-
dents are located there now, raising
apples, peaches. gooseberries and cur
rants.
Handsome, rustic, bungalow homes
rear themselves along every highway.
The region is adapted to most all the
Towering shrubs and plants, and many
fine flower gardens may be seen. The
woodlands that have been saved from
the forests are all filled with the glori-
ous wild flowers that are so attractive
from early spring until late fall. when
the dogwood tree, in spring gorgeous
mass of white bloom, takes on a coat
of deep red. In fall, too, the hills,
which in springtime show the perfume
laden blooms Of mock orange, are COW
cred with golden coat of vine maple.
In no other fruit district is found
more contentment than among the
fruit farmers of the Underwood dis
trict. They have profted by the small
area of the community, and have
developed the community and co-0pera-
tive spirit in every phase of their daily
life. Naturally, as one would expect.
they have organized into fruit grow
ers union, for the purpose of disposing
to best advantage their apples and
small fruits. This selling machine is
now jointly allied with that of White
Salmon, the neighboring Washington
district. But the Underwood residents
have organized along effective COOP
erative plans for school purposes. for
road building and for the purpose of
constructing an edifce, in which the
members of the Underwood Union
Chapel Association may worship.
, This religious organization. duly in
corporated, is one of the most unique
in the country Realizing that they
were so divided into the different de-
nominations that it would be impossi-
BILE for any one TO erect or maintain a
. church, the union plan was effectively
developed. Practically every family is
affiliated with the organization. II
makes no difference to what religious
views the member conforms be is well
come to worship at the recently con.
/ structed little church, built ofslogs and
located in bit of virgin forest grove
there in the midst of the happy people.
. In fact, one may be member of the
{ organization without protesting any
religion.
For the past year the Underwood
| people have been interested in better
roads more than in any other one ques-
tion. Their supervisors have beer
busy grading and dragging the thigh.
ways connecting their own neighbor.
; hoods, and with the assistance of state
aid trunk lines have been constructed
through to adjoining districts. For
merly the road leading down into the
, valley of the Little White Salmon from
J the Underwood heights was of such q
! grade as to be terror to motorists.
This has been eliminated, and it is nov
possible to travel down to Stevenson
I the county seat of Skamania county
5 with comfort.
The Underwood people are clamorinf
to be connected with the outside world
a 1t is their dream to have a scenic boul'
n evard along the north bank of the Co
s lumbia, a rival of the great Columbii
d highway that is now being brought T.
9 completion on the Oregon bank of th'
Columbia.