The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1915-05-20
FRUIT MERCHANT
IS OPTIMISTIC
H. ". DAY MAKES PREDICTIONS
New Yorker Here Last Week Says all In
diCatiOnS are Favorable for Better
Apple Returns

Horace W. Day, member ofsthe firm
of Sgobel & Day. who. with connec-
tiOns abroad, operate one of the largest
fruit distributing houses in New York
city, brought a message of optimism to
local fruit growers on his arrival here
last Thursday afternoon aboard the
Shasta Limited, which had been de-
toured from San Francisco by way of
Ogden on account of washouts on the
Southern Pacific.
Mr. Day, who spends the larger por-
tion Of his time travelling over the
fruit districts not only of the United
States, but of the entire world, de-
clares that he looks for good times
ahead next season for all fruit growers.
Speaking of general conditions IN the
fruit industry and talking Of his
months visit in California Mr.. Day,
who left Thursday night for Yakima.
said:
81 left Sacramento Tuesday evening
in a pouring rain. 1t had been raining
steadily for two days and nights. This
rain followed a furious wind storm,
and all fruit was pretty badly dam
aged. 1t was said that the wind caused
injury to the early varieties of cherries,
while the rain interfered with the rip
ening of the later varieties.
"Such conditions are very unfortun-
ate for the growers; for the fruit has
been selling for large prices on the
New York markets. The first carload
of California cherries disposed of
brought $4,000, and as late as last
Tuesday | notice that some pony re-
frgerators were delivered, the fruit
selling at from $3.50 to SIS per box.
'The California apricot crop was in
jured. Pears, too, fruit men told me,
were hurt; for this storm was the
worst May storm in the history of the
California fruit industry. OF course, 1t
is too early to make any predictions as
to the grape crop. However, the
growers were needing sunshine very
badly, in order that they might apply
sulphur to prevent mildewing later in
the season. The crop of pears, as 1t
seems now, will be about three-fourths
that of last year. The shipments to
the east depend on the qauntity that
will be bought by Gamers, who on for.
mer years have taken about third of
the crop. When shipments to Europe
were curtailed good deal of dried
fruit was left in the hands of Califor-
MIA dealers. However, canned pears
were pretty we'll cleaned up. How
ever, financial powers, as was told me,
may not make allowances for handling
the pear crop by Gamers, and the ship
ments to the east may equal those of
last year.
"Judging from the reports receive.
| the California grape crop will be about
| 65 per cent of last year. The plum
crop will run from so TO 80 per cent,
owing to variety and locality"
Mr. Day says that he found the fruit
growers in California in depressed
financial condtionssand pessimistic.
II told them," he said, that
looked for better things in all decidu-
GUS fruit markets. pointing out that
conditions were quite different from
those of the beginning of the season
last year. Then the people were large
Iy out of employment, while now all
over the east factories are running
night and day, turning out supplies
demanded by the warring nations.
Millions of dollars are being poured
into the country. The male members of
the great middle class, the largest con-
sumers of fruit, are receiving from So
to SIS per day.
"In my mind there are no shrewder
| forcasters of events than the Wall
street manipulators. For the last two
months this crowd has been building on
better conditions.
Mr.. Day says that he has found no
apple growers more respondent than
those of the Pajaro Valley, Calf. The
Watsonville people, he said, received
| most disastrous prices the past season,
especially for fruit shipped to Eng
Nobody seemed to know how the next
crop, which would not be large one,
would be disposed of.
| When asked his opinion as to the out
look for northwestern apples, Mr.. Day
said that in his opinion much larger
net returns would be received by the
growers next year.
al base this judgment" he said,
''on the indications for very light
crop, the general good financial condi-
tions over the country and improved
marketing facilities.
When speaking of the Panama Pacific
exposition at San Francisco, Mr.. Day
wakes enthusiastic. 1T is simply i'm"
mense, he says, "and yet with such
setting that one is not amazed and be-
widered. The architecture, the light
ing, the well proportiOned spaces;
shall never forget how they charmed
me. / have been attending world fairs
since 1873, when visited the exposi.
tion at Paris, and none of them to me
have appeared in any way as.splendid
as that at San Francisco.
because of former experiences at
fair cities, my son, Kenneth, who &C.
companied me, and | expected to get
stung on every corner. However, the
reasonableness of all charges, hotel,
transportation and restaurant, were
most agreeably surprising. Don't hang
back in gong to San Francisco because
you expect it to cost you exorbitant
prices. Why there are thousands OF
iitney automobile busses that will
carry you over the city for nickel.
81 am advising everybody to see the
fair. 1t will be worth the price be-
cause of its educational value.
MIR. Day said that he closely inspect
ed the big red apple exhibited by the
Hood River valley.
"The man who thought of that idei
deserves great credit, he said. 'Fht
big apple looms up so that 1t can bt
seen afar, and it attracts attention.
heard dozens of people eXtoling HOo(