The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1915-02-04
ADVISORY BOARD
PLAN APPROVED
ALL DELEGATES SPEAK FAVORABLY
Growers in Serious Frame Of Mind and
Ready to Act Upon Method that
Will Bring Relief

A review of the growth and develop
ment of the northwestern fruit industry
presents facts of more than passing in
terest. The business of apple growing
and marketing, today a big factor in
the four states, Oregon, Washington,
Montana and Idaho, is not yet a score
of years old. Just IA years ago the
Hood River district shipped its first
carload of apples. The Hood River
crop of last fall reached the amount of
200 cars, while the total output of
the four states approximated $1,000
cars.
In the infant days of the apple in
dustry growers experienced no trouble
in disposing of the fruit themselves.
Market men from the big cities of the
country Wed with each other in bidding
for the unexcelled product. Profit
from the sale of apples began to allure,
ana with those of the middle west and
east who were seeking new homes in
the communities of fertile soil in the
northwest the big Red Apple" be-
came a term to charm. From small
paintings the area of orchard tracts
has sprung to thousands of acres.
No longer than four years ago apple
growers were still holding meetings
for the discussion of problems connect
ed with the production of perfect ap-
Pile and how to pack the fruit after ii
was grown. Even then the average
growers had not foreseen the dangers
and disasters that were going to be
caused by lack of proper distribution.
Manufacturers have long known that II
| is easier to produce goods than it is Ia
sell them, and while all credit must be
given the northwest fruit grower for
| his efforts in apple culture, whereby he
has shown the world fruit that cannot
be equaled, he has paid too much at
tention to production and too little to
methods of profitable distribution.
Like an unexpected avalanche in a
mountainous district the true status OF
their condition was forced upon them
when not only 3 record crop was pro.
duced in their own territory, but in all
apple sections of the United States in
1912.
1t was after the disastrous market.
ing of that year that the huge central
selling agency, the North Pacific Fruit
Distributors, was launched, looking for
ward to a control of the tonnage of the
apple crop by the cooperative organiza
tinn. and thus to curtail the evils Ot
competition by many selling factors,
With light crop in 1918, returns t.
growers were fairly satisfactory.
/ But with the opening of the market
ing season of 1914 it was realized tina
the dream of many that one selling
concern could control the markets fo
the benefits of the grower was imposs
ible of realization. And today. while
leading market men are hopeful o.
profitable days for apple growers il
the northwest, all are explicit in theii
warnings that this success rests upor
absolute district cooperation. 1t il
even declared that talk of the proposed
cooperation of the fruit communities
of the four states is absurd until th'
associations, corporations and individu
al shippers of each district are organ
lied on a bona fde cooperative basis.
No market expert is greater ex
ponent of such plans for the future
than H. F. Davidson, who says:
"The apple growers of Wenatchee
who have formed cooperative leagu'
among themselves, are moving alonl
in the right direction. If their effsrt'
are successful, a wonderful step for
ward in the solution of the problem
will be taken.
1.-THE growers of Yakima. although
they have not fully evolved their plan
as yet, are getting together on simila
lines. This trend all looks good.
"The Rogue River valley has bee
very badly disorganized. So much so
that much of its :frut has been mar
keted on disastrous basis, after ad
vances have been made by commission
houses. Such plans are very poor an
will not only continue to be disastrou
to the growers of the Rogue River val
ley, but will have a serious effect o
the industry in other districts, wher
comparative varieties are produced an
sold on the same markets.
"Of all the districts Hood River
at present the best organized. Bu
even here we have enough dissensio
to cause considerable losses to our ow
growers. And it seems, in the light Q
information secured through our costl
experience during sthe past few years
that it behooves the growers and ship
pers of all districts to get together
themselves, and then they can max
satisfactory arrangements with eac
other. The movement at Seattle wa
; certainly step in the right direction
| But it will not be of much benefit
the fruit growers, unless each distrit
perfects an organization of its on an
then practically gives the central boar
Il its unanimous support.
Il "The details of the central board {
/ control have as yet not been worke
\ out, but satisfactory working plans wi
come as a consequence, if the prop'
4 spirit is placed behind the movemeI
4 which must be built up by the grower
Il themselves, through their shipping o
II ganizations.
II Kenneth Mckay, manager of Il
Fruit Growers Exchange, the loo
II affiliation of the Northwestern Fru
II Exchange, commends the plan propose
j at the Seattle meeting, but with rese
H vations.
II "The policy, ITSELF" he says, sis q
right, but it must be administered wi
III DTOD6T ulsCEGllUH. luG puWCI ttdt w
II be imposed on the board of control
II one that can be harmfully misuse
II The idea of marketing concern givir
away its inner workings and innermo
II secrets before sale is consummat'
seems to me out of place But
II believe in all selling agencies submi
II tin full report of all sales made wi
II car numbers and prices received. Th
III will then show whether prices ha
III been undercut or not. The board
II control will give an added expense
marketing, and whether or not I'll
new cost will justify the returns /
II mains to be seen."
II E. H. Shepard says:
HI "Apples in the northwest during t
III past few years have usually broug
HI good prices and paid good profit
II the investment, consequently
iii grower has devoted practically all