The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1919-05-22
BERRY HARVEST
Is UNDER WAY
FRUIT RECEIPTS INCREASE DAILY
Dee Has Big Crop. Growers Seek Help
Canning Fruit Sold For Nine
Cents Per Pound, Net

The Hood River strawberry harvest
is under way. While the first crate of
local fruit was delieverd To Perigo 4
Son by Mel j. Foley last Thursday.
NJ. Asai. a japanese grower. delivered
the first crate to the Apple Growers
Association last Saturday
The first crate received for shipment
by the Association was sent to the
Portland Ad Club. where il was auc.
toned off for charity yesterday.
While reports of recent frost damage
has led to the impression that the Dee
districts crop would be light this sea.
son. it is said the yield Of fruit there
will not be hghtened as a result Of the
slight frost. The bloom has contin-
ued very heavy, and growers of the
district, worried over the effects of the
reports, are hustling to secure pickers.
1t is said the Dee harvest will last
well through June.
Because of lack of appropriations the
free employment agency which has been
conducted here during strawberry and
apple harvests of the past four years.
may be discontinued this year.
A. W. Stone, who was in Portland,
where he conferred with officials last
week, states that no effort will be left
unturned to secure the services Of the
office, but that the situation at present
is very uncertain.
J The Portland Office of the United
immigration Bureau, says Mr.. Stone,
will do everything possible in helping
US to secure the $500 men and women
NEEDED here to harvest our strawberry
crop during the month of June. and
believe that we will get enough pick
ers, but we will certainly feel keenly
the loss of the local office.
Mr.. Stone and other berry interests
here are urging growers to make pro-
visions to handle their pickers in COM
fort. Ranehers are also advised to get
in touch with help used by them on
.ofmer years and make the veteran
pickers a nucleus Of crews Of this
year S harvest.
II is thought that large share Of
the pickers will remain in the valley
for the apple thinning season. The
| fruit bloom has set heavily, and grow
ers say that work will be available for
all berry pickers who will remain.
Groups of Portland high school girls
with chaperones in charge, are expect
| ed to participate in the fruit work.
| While definite price schedules have
not been announced. it is expected that
l2 cents per carrier will he paid.
c. W. McCullagh announces that he
| has sold the Association canning ber.
ries to Libby, McNeill 4 Libby at nine
cents per pound net to the grower, T.
o. b. Hood River. Libby is to furnish
| the crates, but where the grower uses
his own crates they are to be returned
to him free of charge. Following their
usual method the Association will re-
lease sufficient canning berries to take
care of the local canneres before sup
plying Libby.
Attention is called to the fact that
while some factors are offering slight
y higher prices for berries. it is for
'hulled stock. Experience has shown
that it costs approximately as much
for labor and the weight of huls and
unusable stock as the original price
for canning stock, therefore, nine cents
per pound net to the grower for can
ming stock is approximately Is cents
per pound for hulled stock.
An article appears in the current is
sue of Better Fruit to the effect that
the local crop has been sold in ad-
vance of the season. The Association
has not sold its commercial crop to
anyone, but will sell each days re-
ceipts at the price prevailing on the
day of shipment, seeking as wide a
distribution as possible