The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1917-05-24

The outlook for an enormous lrui
crop in the Emmett valley was neve
more promising. With the harves
time a scant ninety days away, witt
no organized plans to handle 1t, tn
question naturally arises, what ar
we going to do with it?
The bulk of the prune crop is con
tracted for, and in case transporta
ton fails in handling the fresh pro
duct the bulk of the crop can proDaDll
be saved by sending it to the drier'
in neighboring communities. But VIVA
of the tons of cherries, peaches, ap
pies and other small fruits? We may
as well face the situation squarely ane
in a business-like way. The loca
markets can consume but small pei
cent of the fresh fruit. The govern
ment's plans to mobilize in July the
National Guard from all the states
amounting to nearly a half million
and another half million in Septem-
Der under the selective draft is gong
to tax the capacity of the railroads tc
the utmost, at a time when much OF
its rolling stock is needed to handle
the fruit crop of the West.
That our fruit will be needed to
help swell the supply of foodstuffs Tor
the armies in Europe is certain. lhat
the price will be commensurate to the
producer is beyond question. But II
it is to be used we must get it into a
marketable shape and package that
will preserve it until it can be shipped
to the front.
The operation of cannery this sea-
son except for the preservation OF
those foodstuffs that cannot be other
wise conserved is out of the question
on account of the scarcity and cost OF
tin. The bulkiness and weight of this
method of packing is also against II
when we face the necessity, as we do
at present of concentrating our ship
ping tonnage on both land and sea.
Taking these facts into considera-
ton there is but one logical course to
pursue and that is to erect a drler or
evaporator at some central point In
the valley of sufficient capacity TO
preserve and store the fruit until 1t
can be marketed. With an abund-
ance of cheap fuel available from the
waste of the swamill, with two box
factories in operation to furnish the
cases at the lowest possible cost and
more women and children available
than ever before to do the picking and
packing, it is the practical solution OF
the fruit problem. :,
If such a plant is to be constructed
for use this season there is little time
to lose. There are two possible ways
of financing such proposition. One
is to make it cooperative and sell the
stock locally. In this way all the prof.
its as we'll as the losses will be kept
at home. The other way is to induce
private capital to build it. This would
mean the grower would have to con-
tract his crop, or a definite amount
at a stated price before such capital
could be induced to make the neces-
sary investment. To make either plan
a success means that all concerned
must get behind the proposition and
kept behind it. Personal grievances
and petty animosities must be sub
merged for the benefit of the commun-
ty and the nation.
If the construction of such a drier
,annot be consummated this season
hen it is up to each individual to do
all in his power to save as much OF
he crop as possible. All glass jars,
bottles and vessels capable of holding
,ruit and vegetables should be filled.
# they hold more than you need for
your individual use there will be a
,eady market for the surplus. How
,ver, this will only care for small
yer cent of the crop; but much larg-
r amount can be preserved by sun
trying. This latter method Will be
heaper and less laborious. When
ried the product should be packed in
lean sacks or boxes and stored in a
ry place. The lumber and mining
amps will furnish ready market for
his product at a fair remuneration. ,
The department of agriculture has /
ublished a number of bulletins COM ,
lied from practical experiments in /
ONE canning and preserving fruits 8
nd vegetables. Some of them that $
.ould be most valuable to the house I
ives this season are. t
Farmers Bulletin No. 291-Evapora- I
on of apples. c