The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1915-08-05
SMALLER APPLE
CROP EXPECTED
PROFITABLE RETURNS LOOKED FOR
Yield Of Entire Country will be Less than
that Of 1914 Packer Gives Con-
else Estimates

else Estimates
While il is still too early to make
definite estimates and while the Opin-
ions of various experts differ slightly,
market men and growers alike say that
the Hood River apple crop will be far
smaller than that of last year, when
approximately 900, 600 boxes of fruit
were shipped. Present estimaes place
the seasons crop at from go TO 20 per
cent of that of last year. But on ac-
count of the small crop here and the
light yield over the entire nation those
who are keeping in touch with market
conditions are optimistic and are pre-
dieting that growers will get profitable
returns on the years business.
Sam G. Campbell, chief inspector of
the Apple Growers Association. who
makes daily tours of the orchards, says
hat the years yield will be between
65 aud 20 per cent Of that of last year.
'The fruit looks very much better
than i did month ago, says Mr.
Campbell, land it is of a particularly
desireHble quality. Ii is making a
beautiful growth and the size will be
attractive. The apples are larger than
usual al this time of the year, the sea.
son being 10 days earlier than normal.
Hood River growers are taking particu.
larly good care of the orchards, spray
ing thoroughly and at the proper time
in an endeavor to maintain the usual
standard of excellence"
Z. II. Shepard, editor of Better
e H. al ,N, Na 80
pie market conditions in the northwest,
says that the does not think the crop of
this year will run over 60 per cent of
that of last season. MIR. Shepard says
that he has found that the Willow Flat
district ordinarily one of the heaviest
producing sections of the valley, will
be very light. The Davidson Fruit Co..
owner OF one of the largest tracts in
Hood River, marketed "a, 900 boxes of
apples from Willow Flat last year.
They will not have over 5000 boxes,
according to estimates, this year. Con-
sidering the apple market from a
northwestern as we'll as national stand
point, MIR. Shepard is optimistic. He
says that the estimates for the total
crop of the United States place the 1915
yield at about so per cent of that of
1914 This he says will give US about
%, 500, 900 barrels of apples to dispose
of.
In past years, he states, growers of
the northwest, when the crop has been
heavier, have received very gratifying
returns. "And have every reason to
expect that growers will net prices
that will repay them profit this
year." says Mr.. Shepard, 'but the
distribution will be such that the con-
sumer will not be charged an excessive
price. The entire apple crop of the
United States is not so great but that
it can be conusmed at home, and even
though there are no exports | think the
home demand will be such that the crop
will move satisfactorily to growers,
shippers and wholesalers alike. And we
may even look for some exports, If no
circumstances of the war prevent. A
fruit merchant from Holland has been
in the valley, having made his first trip
| to the Pacific coast, and he says that he
is preparing to buy apples this year as
usual. Of course, high freight rates
and excessive insurance may make such
exports negligible. "
Figures gathered by local crop stats-
ticians show that the crop of southern
Oregon will be light. Wenatchee' 8
yield is placed at about so per cent and
that of the Yakima ditricts at about 40
per cent.
Hood Rivers pear crop is very prom
ising this year. The quantity will be
greater than last season. and the quail
ity is good. according to Inspector
Campbell Hood River Bartletts will
begin to roll this week.
Kenneth Mckay, of the Fruit Grow
ers' Exchange, sets the 1915 crop of
apples at from 700 to 800 carloads.
owe have not yet got in all of our
estimates, says Mr.. Mckay. "but
they will be pretty well in by the end
of the week. The fruit, from all re-
ports, is making good growth.
Last Saturdays edition of the Pack
er is devtoed to an estimate of the ap-
pie crop of the United States. The
pages of the four big sections of the
fruit publication are filled with stories
from experts from all sections OF the
country. Below are given excerpts
from Packer reports:
The following is a concise statement
as to the condition of the apple crop of
New York, fruit district known to
the trade as 'The King Pin" apple dis
trict:
1.-The western New York apple crop
promises to be much smaller than last
year. Estimates from the principal
growing sections declare the crop will
be from one-quarter to one-half smaller
than it was yaer ago. The shortage
is chiefly in Baldwin apples, which
were an enormous crop last year. The
Packer man took trip through part
of the upstate belt, and growers who
were interviewed said their orchards
would not produce from one-third to
one-half as many apples as year ago.
They said their Bsldwins were light,
and as this variety is western New
York's mainstay, it means that the ap-
pie crop will be under normal. -
Commenting on the crop in the CEN
tral or middlewestern states the Packer
says:
"The apple crop this year in several
of the central western states will be
heavy, and this is especially true of
the states of Illinois, Nebraska. Iowa
and Kansas. The crop in Missouri,
Arkansas, Michigan and several others
will not be as large as 1914. but there
will be fairly plentiful supply of
fruit, nevertheless.
The Packer estimates the WastOn-
vile, Calf, crop. q great portion of
which is composed of Newtowns, at 76
per cent of full crop.