The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1919-03-27
APPLE OUTLOOK
GOOD SAYS DAVIDSON

While the apple export business has
been limited as result of the late
lifting of the British embargo last fall
and the uncertainty confronting ship.
pers, exporters have never realized
better values than during the past
winter, according to H. f. Davidson
who has specialized for the past sever
al years on exports.
"The future looks bright for the ex
port trade, says Mr.. Davidson, who
returned Tuesday from New York,
where he spent the past four months
engaged in exporting approximately
$50 carloads of fruit, "but Bolshevism
is fly in our ointment We have be
fore us phenomenal season for 1919,
provided European countries become
settled and get around again to a nor
NAL basis. Yet we fear a spread of
the chaotic conditions that now con
front European countries.
The first exports made by the local
shipper went to Norway. A heavy
percentage of his exports have been
sold to other North European coun-
tries. The fruit that went to England
was of gra ie that would have sold at
the lowest figures on domestic mar
kets. Fruit sold on English markets
at from $4.7 70 to S5 per box.
"Al apples, of whatever quality and
grade at first sold for $4.70 per box,
the maximum price under the price
fixing of the British Food Administra-
ton, says Mr.. Davidson. But many
shippers were dissatisfied with the
limit of weight fixed on a box of APP.
pies, claiming that their packs entitled
them to a greater weight. The food
administration then granted the option
Of sales at per pound basis or by the
box. Where the pack weighed more
than the average granted. the shipper
chose the pounds basis. thus securing
the higher price. Trans Atlantic
freights. at first exorbitantIy high,
declined to 85 cents per box. No cold
storage space was available the past
year. because the government made
use of all of it in getting meats and
other perishable foods across to the
army. In proportion to the return of
our troops home, just so fast will bet
ter shipping facilities be available.
| However, it has not been as difficult to
secure space the past season as we had
anticipated. While offerings were not
liberal, they We're plentiful for the
stocks we had to get across.
While the profits have been such as
to net growers handsome returns, Mr..
! Davidson says the expense of exporting
/ this season has been the heaviest he
has ever experienced. Formerly apples
were lightered to ships from piers free
I of charge. This year, except for a
negligible quantity, they had to have
them carted, at heavy charges, to the
docks. This increased the handling
charge about $50 per car. The fruit
sold in the North European countries
brought from So to 81 per box.
Mr.. Davidson is very sanguine over
domestic markets remaining on a sta.
bic basis. Many smaller cities, he
says. that never in any former year
purchased carlots Of apples, bought in
the large quantities this season. They
will continue this practice The ex.
porter confirms the statements of nu.
merOUs other shippers who have recent
ly returned from the east to the effect
that prohibition will stimulate apple
consumption. He expects dry nation
to be great boon to the fruit indus
try. Where the saloon once thrived, he
says, the fruit stand will come into
prominence.
at is surprising, says Mr. Dawson,
ito see how many apples are consumed
in New York city in the baked form.
believe the reason for this is that the
restaurant men have found the baked