The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1915-03-11
mo PLACE FOR kid
GLOVES, SAYS WRITER

lBy Fred Lockley in.Oregon Journa)
Some philosopher has wisely observed
that hen doesn't quit scratching be-
cause worms are scarce. Hood River Is
still scratching, notwithstanding the
/ fact that the growers were hard hit by
the slump in the price Of apples. The
real farmer or OTchaTdist has little 10
/ fear. He has his land and be can make
| bis living from il. While this is true
Of the man who wears OyeTslls and IS
willing to bend his own back, il is not
/ true Of the kid glove" Orcharidst,
who wants 10 live by the sweat OF
/ other peoples brows. lie is IN bad
way. So is the speculator who has
| been selling sceneryFat fabulous prices.
A year or two of low prices for fruit
will bring fictitious prices down to a
/ basis where the land is valued at the
price it will earn in actual crops pro
duced
The Hood River district is absolutely
all right. That fact is.too well demon
strated by its past performance to be
brought into question. What is not all
right is the valuations put upon Hood
River land by greedy spectators who
| have boosted the price out Of all Tea-
son. If some well to do easterner buys
few acres for a home on account OF
the wonderful view of Mount Hood and
pays $1,000 an acre for il, instantly the
Spectators who have bought land at
$3.50 an acre and are asking $1,000,
herald to the world that Hood River
orchard land is selling for $4,000 an
acre, and at once boost their prices
from $1,000 to $4,000 an acre. That IS
what is the matter with Hood River.
The worst thing that can happen to an
amateur gambler is to make a winning.
Ii gives him taste of easy money and
destroys his sense of values. He gets
something for nothing, and so takes
the first step toward becoming para
site. The worst thing that can happen
to a community is to get the idea that
they can live on the increase Of land
values instead Of from productive work.
One Of the greatest mistakes. a com
mUnity can make is to welcome the
land boomer, who advertises broadcast
that Orchardslands are selling at from
$1,000 to $4,000 an acre.
The young middle western farmer,
the real worker and producer. cannot.
and will not, pay such prices; so he
goes to some other community, where
he can.secure farm land at from $50 to
$3.50 an acre. The kid glove farmer,
the retired professor, doctor or lawyer,
lured by the bait of the plausible but
deceptive advertisement, puts his saw
ings into an orchard as asfirst payment,
IN n a
comfortable lounging suit from the
front porch, and also expecting the first
crop to pay the balance due on the
place. He is due TO have a rude awak-
ening. He loses the place, goes back
to his home in the middle west TO take
up his old work, and the voice of his
waiing is heard in the land. Naturally,
he condemns the west. Has not he had
bitter experience with the western
land sharks? Here is one case that was
told me recently. Two or three years
ago cultured easterner came to Hood
River. He bought an orchard for $l3,-
600, paying $4,000 cash as a first pay
ment. He learned that the same place
had been purchased less than three
years before for $2400. He wanted to
turn the place back, offering to lose
one half of the $4,000 he had paid.
Finally he offered to lose the entire
$4,000 payment if he could have his Sc
cured notes for $4,000 returned The
man who had sold it refused to take
the orchard back in exchange for the
notes. The easterner. discouraged and
emblttered, returned east and put the
place in the hands of real estate m an
TO sell. You don't condemn all dia-
monds because you have purchased one
with a flaw, nor do you refuse to accept
$40 gold pieces because you might take
a counterfeit, All mines are not Wild
cat propositions.
Hood River is wonderful apple dis
trict. AS | drove over a splendid road
recently between rows of beautifully
kept orchards, up the valley to Billy
Sundays orchard, could not help feel
what revelation Hood River is to the
stranger as to what an apple orchard
should be.
The right varieties. proper planting,
pruning, spraying and cultivating have
made Hood River model apple dis.
trict.
To look at Hood River Newtown or
Spitzenburg makes one hungry. sNo
appetite, however jaded, can resist the
appeal of the king of fruits, whether it
is served raw or in apple sauce, apple
butter, apple pie or in apple dumplings.
After you have eaten a second or a
third serving, then wash it down with
a generous glass Of Hood River cider.
In Hood River they tell storysof a
man who, having lost his appetite and
his interest in life, went to a doctor to
get prescription.
The doctor prescribed albumen, phos-
phorus, maIic acid, sugar and gallic
acid in proper proportions. The man
had no idea that his case was so seri-
Gus and decided to make his will at
once. The doctor relieved his narrowed
feelings by saying: "You will find
that prescription, properly compounded,
in an apple. The malic acid in an ap-
pie will neutralize the excess of chalky
matter in yeur system caused by eating
too much meat. The acids in the ap-
pie will diminish the acidty of your
stomach and help to cure your indiges-
ton. The phosphorus and acids are
both good for your brain, and if you
will eat several apples a day YOU will
soon feel less sluggish. They will also
help clear your muddy complexion, and
YOU will feel less nervous. If you will
largely eliminate meat and an excess of
starch from your diet, take plenty of
exercise, sleep eight hours, get plenty
of fresh air, stop worrying and eat
several apples a day, you will never
need Doctors care, and you will re.
rev your youth like an eagle.